The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, August 15, 2019

Can Salvation be Lost?
Hebrews 10:26-31

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, August 15, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19

Prayer for Israel’s Restoration
To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
1  Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
     you who lead Joseph like a flock!
   You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2    before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
   Stir up your might,
     and come to save us!

8  You brought a vine out of Egypt;
     you drove out the nations and planted it.
9  You cleared the ground for it;
     it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
     the mighty cedars with its branches;
11 it sent out its branches to the sea,
     and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
     so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
     and all that move in the field feed on it.

14 Turn again, O God of hosts;
     look down from heaven, and see;
   have regard for this vine,
15   the stock that your right hand planted.
16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;
     may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
     the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you;
     give us life, and we will call on your name.

19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
     let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Isaiah 2:5-11

Judgment Pronounced on Arrogance
2:5 O house of Jacob,
     come, let us walk
     in the light of the Lord!
6  For you have forsaken the ways of your people,
     O house of Jacob.
   Indeed they are full of diviners from the east
     and of soothsayers like the Philistines,
     and they clasp hands with foreigners.
7  Their land is filled with silver and gold,
     and there is no end to their treasures;
   their land is filled with horses,
     and there is no end to their chariots.
8  Their land is filled with idols;
     they bow down to the work of their hands,
     to what their own fingers have made.
9  And so people are humbled,
     and everyone is brought low—
     do not forgive them!
10 Enter into the rock,
     and hide in the dust
   from the terror of the Lord,
     and from the glory of his majesty.
11 The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low,
     and the pride of everyone shall be humbled;
   and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day.

Hebrews 10:26-31

10:26 For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

The Morning Prayer for THURSDAY, August 15, 2019

Thursday Morning Prayer

Lord on this day I remember that You go before me, so I pause to meditate on Your promises. Thank You Lord that You go with me, You lay a pathway, You watch over me like a shepherd. So I give You my fears, worries and anxieties. I lay all tension and stress at the foot of the cross. Thank You that You arose from the death, and that You bring life, freedom, hope and the promise of Heaven! Praise You that I am safe in Your presence. Amen.

May Thursday be a hope filled day,

That floods my fears with light,

A day that quiets all anxious thoughts

As I encounter Christ.

Let Thursday always prompt my heart

To stop and find Your peace,

And live upon the truth You give

My eyes to You I lift.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, August 15, 2019

Romans 14:8 (NIV) If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Read all of Romans 14

Listen to Romans 14

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Thursday, August 15, 2019

Recojamos los estragos (tercera parte)

Tú, Señor, eres bueno y perdonador; grande es tu amor por todos los que te invocan.

~ Salmo 86:5, NVI

Hemos visto que Dios es un Dios perdonador. Aunque le hemos fallado, nos mira con amor y misericordia. No nos abandona. Por el contrario, cuando ve nuestro arrepentimiento, nos perdona y nos restaura.

Hoy deseo que reflexionemos sobre ese acto de amor tan hermoso del Señor. A menudo, aparece nuestra humanidad y nuestra tendencia es a olvidar cuando ya estamos bien otra vez. Es como si nos diera amnesia y caemos de nuevo en los mismos errores del pasado o aun peores.

¿Cuántas veces Dios nos ha levantado y le hemos vuelto a fallar? Muchas, ¿verdad?

Por eso nosotros debemos pedirle que nos ayude a ser fuertes y valientes. A que tomemos decisiones radicales para no volver atrás. Sin embargo, eso sí va a depender de cada uno de nosotros. Él nos da la oportunidad de cambiar de una vez y para siempre.

Ahora bien, ¿la tomamos o la dejamos?

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hoy deseo que reflexionemos sobre ese acto de amor tan hermoso del Señor.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Thursday, August 15, 2019

SELFLESSNESS

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

~ Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

Brother Andrew loves to tell this parable from the Middle East:

A certain man had two sons. One was rich and the other was poor. The rich son had no children while the poor son was blessed with many sons and many daughters. In time, the father fell ill. He was sure he would not live through the week, so on Saturday he called his sons to his side and gave each of them half of his land for their inheritance. Then he died. Before sundown the sons buried their father with respect.

That night the rich son could not sleep. He said to himself, “What my father did was not just. I am rich and my brother is poor. I have plenty of bread while my brother’s children eat one day and trust God for the next. I must move the landmark which our father has set in the middle of the land so that my brother will have the greater share. Ah – but he must not see me; if he sees me, he will be shamed. I must arise early in the morning before it is dawn and move the landmark!” With this he fell asleep and his sleep was secure and peaceful.

Meanwhile, the poor brother could not sleep. As he lay restless on his bed, he said to himself, “What my father did was not just. Here I am surrounded by the joy of many sons and daughters while my brother daily faces the shame of having no sons to carry on his name and no daughters to comfort him in his old age. He should have the land of our fathers. Perhaps this will in part compensate him for his indescribable poverty. Ah – but if I give it to him, he will be shamed. I must awake early in the morning before it is dawn and move the landmark which our father has set!” With this he went to sleep and his sleep was secure and peaceful.

On the first day of the week – very early in the morning, a long time before it was day, the two brothers met at the ancient land marker.

They fell with tears into each other’s arms. And on that spot was built the New Jerusalem.

RESPONSE: Today I will focus on the needs and interests of others rather than on my own.

PRAYER: Pray that this biblical attitude of love, humility and selflessness will pervade the church of Jesus Christ in the Middle East today and around the world.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Brother Andrew loves to tell this parable from the Middle East:

Men's Devotional Bible - Thursday, August 15, 2019

Trashed Potential

Judges 16:1–31
Recommended Reading: Proverbs 29:23; Romans 6:12–14; Ephesians 6:11–18

You knew that guy in high school—the guy with all the money, the looks, the clothes and the fastest car. He was the popular one, the guy everyone liked to hang out with, the one who was a lock for being voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” But instead of taking advantage of all these advantages, he decided to spend his time chasing girls and partying, to the dismay of his parents and the ruin of his GPA.

Trust Fund Babies. College playboys. Frat-house social committee chairmen. To direct these terms at other guys is to accuse them of riding Daddy’s coattails and to call into question their work ethic and the seriousness with which they take life. Those who have less in the world can only scratch their heads and wonder what they could do with the same perks.

Now, this is a stereotype, to be sure. A few bad apples don’t spoil the whole barrel in this case. But as we can’t think back on that one guy and not wonder what happened, so also we can’t read the story of Samson and not wonder what went haywire.

Mighty Samson, who has never lost a battle, is captured by a woman, tortured by his enemies and enslaved until his death. The mighty warrior who has killed scores of his enemies with rudimentary tools and with his bare hands trips up on the most obvious of ploys. The one who was to be dedicated to God’s service for the purpose of saving his people ends up in bondage to the very people he was intended to conquer.

What was he thinking? How could he have subjected himself to this kind of trickery? Didn’t Delilah ask him repeatedly about the secret of his strength, and couldn’t he see where this was leading? Did he forget that the Philistines had come into her house and tried to capture him on a number of occasions? Or did he just enjoy playing this game, knowing he couldn’t lose?

The sad fact is that Samson was just as human as you and I. He allowed his eyes to lead him astray, and he allowed his pride to strategize for him. In some sense he was a victim of his own success—and he learned the hard way that even a slugger with a perfect batting average can strike out when it matters most.

So what can we learn from Samson’s story today? Were you the one in high school who squandered your advantages and made foolish choices? Can you think back on times when you deliberately disobeyed what you knew to be God’s will for your life—and paid the price? If so, gain encouragement from the end of Samson’s story. God gave him a second chance to show that he was God’s man, and Samson struck a crippling blow to his enemies. God also gives us more chances than we can count to return to him and rededicate ourselves to his mission in the world.

To Take Away

• Why was it so easy for Samson to ignore his greatest weaknesses?
• How would you describe your greatest weakness?
• How could God help you turn your weakness into a quality he can use in his great strength?

Trust Fund Babies. College playboys. Frat-house social committee chairmen.

LHM Daily Devotions - August 15, 2019 - Fire and Division

"Fire and Division"

Aug. 15, 2019

(Jesus said) "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is My distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

~ Luke 12:49-53 (ESV)

Some years ago, I had emergency surgery to save my own life and that of my unborn son. During the surgery they used cautery. That's what they call it when they use electricity to burn part of the body to stop bleeding or cut tissue. It sounds horrifying—who would willingly choose to be burned? And yet it was worth it. I would have done anything to save my baby's life. My son and I both lived, and James was born alive and healthy several months later.

In this passage, Jesus' words are also uncomfortable, maybe even horrifying. Jesus is looking ahead into the future, and what He's describing to His disciples doesn't sound very good. "I came to cast fire on the earth"—and He wishes it was done already. "I have a baptism to be baptized with"—that's a clear reference to His death. And then the warning about bringing not peace, but division. What could possibly be worth the pain He sees in the future?

In Jesus' eyes, one thing is worth all the pain. That one thing is you. You are worth the painful baptism of death He knows He will undergo in the near future. You are worth the cross to Him.

You are also worth the cleansing fire of the Gospel as it spreads across the earth, jumping from city to city, from nation to nation. That fire will destroy darkness and evil wherever it goes, and it will cause a great deal of pain. But it will leave a clean area behind it that is disinfected of evil, where new life can spring up and grow.

You are worth division to Jesus. He is our Prince of Peace, yes—but He knows perfectly well that many people will refuse to receive Him. Families will be divided over Him. Parents and children will choose opposite sides. Marriages will break up, and some families will throw a new Christian out of the house. There will be pain.

You are worth all this to Jesus. This is how much He loves you—that He chose to risk all of this, and put Himself and us through it, so that you could be rescued and forgiven and made alive forevermore. Jesus has no regrets.

Do you?

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, hold me close to You when I suffer, because You know what it is like. Keep my eyes on You, so that I remember how much You love me. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• In coming to earth Jesus showed His love for us, but that love can also divide us. How so?
• What is it about Jesus that gets people all riled up?
• If people are cold to your outreach efforts, is your first impulse to "shake off the dust from your feet when you leave" them (see Matthew 10:14), or to try a different approach?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
What is it about Jesus that gets people all riled up?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 15 de Agosto de 2019 - Testigos a nuestro alrededor

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Testigos a nuestro alrededor

15 de Agosto de 2019

Por lo tanto también nosotros, que tenemos tan grande nube de testigos a nuestro alrededor, liberémonos de todo peso y del pecado que nos asedia y corramos con paciencia la carrera que tenemos por delante. Fijemos la mirada en Jesús, el autor y consumador de la fe, quien por el gozo que le esperaba sufrió la cruz y menospreció el oprobio, y se sentó a la derecha del trono de Dios. Por lo tanto, consideren a aquel que sufrió tanta contradicción de parte de los pecadores, para que no se cansen ni se desanimen.

~ Hebreos 12:1-3 (RVC)

Estaba viendo un torneo de golf donde el líder jugaba en su país de origen. La victoria significaría, incluso para este jugador joven, ingresar a los récords del golf profesional. La competencia era feroz, como siempre lo es en estos eventos, pero él tenía una ventaja obvia: la multitud estaba con él y lo animaba; querían verlo ganar.

Y lo hizo.

Cuando el comentarista deportivo le preguntó qué le había ayudado a superar esos últimos hoyos difíciles cuando su retador estaba ganando terreno, dijo humildemente: "Fue la audiencia; me mantuvieron enfocado. Quería hacerlo por mí, pero aún más, quería hacerlo por ellos. Quería hacerlo por todos aquellos que me apoyaban y creían en mí. Esta victoria es tanto para ellos como para mí".

Si bien el golf no es más que un juego, es un evento deportivo que presenta muchos desafíos al jugador: desde su nivel de confianza, nerviosismo y confusión, hasta el clima y el campo en sí. Aun así, el ganador del torneo antes mencionado encontró su inspiración en hacerlo para otros.

Como cristianos, quizás podamos aprender algo de esto. Hay muchos que han ido antes que nosotros por el camino de la fe, y otros que lo hacen ahora, junto a nosotros. Esta "nube de testigos" nos alienta y anima a perseverar en la carrera que corremos. ¿Alguna vez un maestro o consejero te ayudó a no rendirte? ¿Te ha mostrado un niño, como solo un niño puede, que hiciste lo correcto? ¿La idea de decepcionar a tu cónyuge te ayudó a tomar una decisión mejor?

Todos ellos son testigos en tu vida. Tu comportamiento es importante para ellos. Lo que haces y cómo vives dice mucho. Es un estímulo para ellos y es un testimonio del "autor y consumador de la fe". Su nombre es Jesús, nuestro Campeón, quien nos da fuerzas para que no "nos cansemos ni nos desanimemos" mientras avanzamos en la misión que él nos dio.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, a través de los siglos tus hijos en la fe nos han dejado un maravilloso testimonio. Permítenos hacer lo mismo con aquellos que cuentan con nosotros. En el nombre de Jesús oramos. Amén.

Paul Schreiber

Para reflexionar:

• ¿De qué manera el recordar lo que Jesús sufrió te da fuerzas para seguir adelante?
• ¿Qué puedes comenzar a hacer para convertirte en testigo de quienes te rodean?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿De qué manera el recordar lo que Jesús sufrió te da fuerzas para seguir adelante?

Хлеб наш насущный - В карманах Линкольна

В карманах Линкольна

Читать сейчас: Римлянам 15:1-16 | Библия за год: Псалтирь 90-92; 1 Иоанна 5

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Каждый из нас должен угождать ближнему во благо, к назиданию. — Римлянам 15:2

В тот вечер, когда президента США Авраама Линкольна застрелили в театре Форда, в его карманах находились: две пары очков, салфетка для протирания стекол, перочинный нож, цепочка для часов, носовой платок, кожаный бумажник с пятидолларовой купюрой Конфедерации и восемь вырезок из газет, включая те, что восхваляли Линкольна и его политику.

Не знаю, что в кармане Линкольна делали деньги, которые использовались в южных штатах. Зато понимаю, почему там были хвалебные газетные вырезки. В ободрении нуждаются все, даже такие выдающиеся лидеры, как Линкольн. Вы можете представить, как он читал эти заметки жене, перед тем как отправиться на роковое представление?

Кто из ваших знакомых нуждается в ободрении? Все! Посмотрите вокруг. Рядом с вами нет никого, кто настолько уверен, как кажется. Одна неудача, едкий комментарий или неудавшаяся прическа – и мы уже полны сомнений.

А что, если бы мы все повиновались Божьей заповеди «угождать ближнему во благо, к назиданию» (Рим. 15:2)? Если бы говорили только приятное и наша речь была бы «сладка для души и целебна для костей» (Притч. 16:24)? Если бы записывали слова ободрения для друзей, чтобы они могли перечитывать их много раз? Наверное, все бы тогда носили такие записки в карманах (или в телефонах). И мы были бы больше похожи на Христа, Который «не Себе угождал», а жил для других (Рим. 15:3).

Чьи слова особенно ободрили вас? Кто из тех, на кого вы обращаете мало внимания, возможно, нуждается в вашей поддержке?

Лучшее занятие – ободрять других словами, делами, присутствием.

автор: Майк Уитмер

© 2019 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Одна неудача, едкий комментарий или неудавшаяся прическа – и мы уже полны сомнений.