Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, August 16, 2019

Hebrews 10:32-39

The Daily Lectionary
FRIDAY, August 16, 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 3:1-17
3:1 For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts,
     is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah
   support and staff—
     all support of bread,
     and all support of water—
2  warrior and soldier,
     judge and prophet,
     diviner and elder,
3  captain of fifty
     and dignitary,
   counselor and skillful magician
     and expert enchanter.
4  And I will make boys their princes,
     and babes shall rule over them.
5  The people will be oppressed,
     everyone by another
     and everyone by a neighbor;
   the youth will be insolent to the elder,
     and the base to the honorable.

6  Someone will even seize a relative,
     a member of the clan, saying,
   “You have a cloak;
     you shall be our leader,
   and this heap of ruins
     shall be under your rule.”
7  But the other will cry out on that day, saying,
   “I will not be a healer;
     in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;
   you shall not make me
     leader of the people.”
8  For Jerusalem has stumbled
     and Judah has fallen,
   because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,
     defying his glorious presence.

9  The look on their faces bears witness against them;
     they proclaim their sin like Sodom,
     they do not hide it.
   Woe to them!
     For they have brought evil on themselves.
10 Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,
     for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.
11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,
     for what their hands have done shall be done to them.
12 My people—children are their oppressors,
     and women rule over them.
   O my people, your leaders mislead you,
     and confuse the course of your paths.

13 The Lord rises to argue his case;
     he stands to judge the peoples.
14 The Lord enters into judgment
     with the elders and princes of his people:
   It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
     the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people,
     by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God
     of hosts.

16 The Lord said:
   Because the daughters of Zion are haughty
     and walk with outstretched necks,
     glancing wantonly with their eyes,
   mincing along as they go,
     tinkling with their feet;
17 the Lord will afflict with scabs
     the heads of the daughters of Zion,
     and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

Hebrews 10:32-39
10:32 But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. 35 Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. 36 For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 For yet

   “in a very little while,
     the one who is coming will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one will live by faith.
     My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.”

39 But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.

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
In Hebrews 10:32-39 the writer invites his readers to “recall the former days,” likely a reference to the time just after they accepted Christ.  The writer wants the readers to recall what they have already suffered so that they might continue to endure in the present.

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, August 16, 2019


Friday Morning Prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing. Amen.


May Friday be a thoughtful day
When Your Spirit leads my prayer.
I trust each trouble small and wide,
With faith into Your care.
Let Friday always prompt my heart
To stand upon the truth.
Darkness has been overcome
The Earth belongs to You.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, August 16, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=2%20Corinthians%207:1

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 7

Listen to 2 Corinthians 7

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 - Friday, August 16, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2019/08/16

Oración de gratitud

Entren por sus puertas con acción de gracias [...] denle gracias, alaben su nombre. Porque el Señor es bueno y su gran amor es eterno.

Dios mío, aquí estoy delante de ti con un corazón agradecido por todo lo que has hecho por mí.

Sé que he cometido gravísimos errores y mi vida está destruida y desbastada, pero gracias a tu gran amor y bondad me recibes una vez más con los brazos abiertos dispuesto a perdonarme y darme una nueva oportunidad.

¡Gracias, Señor! Mi anhelo es permanecer viviendo una vida recta y agradable a tus ojos. Dame la fuerza para no volver atrás y la sabiduría para buscarte de noche y de día.

Me comprometo a ser cada vez mejor hijo tuyo, siendo más sensible a tu Palabra. Y a huir ante las tentaciones que no van a faltar.

Dios mío, ¡qué lindo eres tú! Te amo con todo el corazón y oramos en el nombre de Jesús, amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Oración de gratitud

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, August 16, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2019/08/16
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
~ Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

Perhaps the most difficult of Jesus’ commands is to love even our enemies. A true Christian always seeks another person’s highest good—even when mistreated. Brother Andrew says “The Christian’s only method of destroying his enemies is to ‘love’ them into being his friends.”

Romanian pastor, Dr. Paul Negrut, was visiting an old friend in Romania named Trian Dors in his humble home. As Paul entered, he realized that Trian was bleeding from open wounds. He asked, “What happened?”

Trian replied, “The secret police just left my home. They came and confiscated my manuscripts. Then they beat me.”

Pastor Paul says, “I began to complain about the heavy tactics of the secret police. But Trian stopped me saying, ‘Brother Paul, it is so sweet to suffer for Jesus. God didn’t bring us together tonight to complain but to praise him. Let’s kneel down and pray.”

“He knelt and began praying for the secret police. He asked God to bless them and save them. He told God how much he loved them. He said, ‘God, if they will come back in the next few days, I pray that you will prepare me to minister to them.’” Paul continued, “By this time I was ashamed. I thought I had been living the most difficult life in Romania for the Lord. And I was bitter about that.”

Trian Dors then shared with Paul how the secret police had been coming to his home regularly for several years. They beat him twice every week. They confiscated all his papers. After the beating he would talk to the officer in charge. Trian would look into his eyes and say, “Mister, I love you. And I want you to know that if our next meeting is before the judgement throne of God, you will not go to hell because I hate you but because you rejected love.” Trian would repeat these words after every beating.

Years later that officer came alone to his home one night. Trian prepared himself for another beating. But the officer spoke kindly and said, “Mr. Dors, the next time we meet will be before the judgement throne of God. I came tonight to apologize for what I did to you and to tell you that your love moved my heart. I have asked Christ to save me. But two days ago the doctor discovered that I have a very severe case of cancer and I have only a few weeks to live before I go to be with God. I came tonight to tell you that we will be together on the other side.”

RESPONSE: Today I will destroy my enemies only with love.

PRAYER: God give me Your kind of love for my enemies—so they too will love You.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Perhaps the most difficult of Jesus’ commands is to love even our enemies.

Men of the Bible - Friday, August 16, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/men-of-the-bible/2019/08/16

Jeremiah

His name may mean: "Yahweh Has Exalted" or "Yahweh Has Established"

His work: Though Jeremiah's prophecies were primarily directed toward Judah, the Lord also gave him prophetic messages for other nations of the world. His ministry took place during the last forty years of Judah's existence, from 627-586 BC.
His character: Jeremiah has often been called "the weeping prophet." He struggled with feelings of insecurity, doubt, and alienation. Because of the constant opposition he faced, he became so depressed that he cursed the day of his birth. Despite the cost to himself, he spoke the word of the Lord with uncompromising honesty.
His sorrow: Though the date and place of Jeremiah's death are uncertain, Jewish tradition holds that he was stoned to death by fellow Jews while living in Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem. Despite their misfortunes, those who had taken refuge in Egypt remained unrepentant, blaming their troubles not on their idolatry, but on their failure to worship Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven.
His triumph: It is hard to find evidence in the book of Jeremiah that the prophet enjoyed any sense of personal triumph throughout the course of his ministry. Though he may have felt vindicated when his prophecies about Jerusalem came true, such feelings would have been small comfort in light of the suffering that had befallen his people.
Key Scriptures: Jeremiah 1; 20; 36; 37:16-21; 39:1-14

A Look at the Man

Jeremiah is often considered a prophet of doom, a man who warned God's people of the grievous consequences of their sin. Yet it would not have been possible for him to thunder on about impending judgment if he had despaired of the possibility that Judah might actually repent and be saved. Surely it was hope that kept him going.

This hope was made tangible during Babylon's sustained siege of Jerusalem. One day Jeremiah heard the Lord telling him that one of his cousins would soon ask him to buy a field belonging to him. But why, he must have wondered, should he waste precious silver purchasing property that was about to be overrun by a foreign invader? Before he had time to puzzle out the answer, he saw his cousin approaching. Sure enough, the man was selling his field and wanted Jeremiah to buy it. So Jeremiah did.

As the prophet tried to make sense of this impractical business transaction, God spoke again, telling him, "I will surely gather [my people] from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them" (Jeremiah 32:37-40).

Jeremiah's hope was based on the knowledge that nothing is ever too hard for God, not even restoring the fortunes of a people whose future seemed utterly wrecked. So, like a good contrarian investor, he ignored the conventional wisdom and bought the field. His purchase proved valuable, for the Lord eventually brought many of his people back to Jerusalem, a people chastened, purified, and eager to live once again in the land of the promise.

Reflect On: Jeremiah 20:7–18
Praise God: For his relentless love.
Offer Thanks: That he will never fail or forsake us.
Confess: Any tendency to try to hide your thoughts or feelings from God.
Ask God: To help you develop a deep and honest relationship with him.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
Jeremiah is often considered a prophet of doom, a man who warned God's people of the grievous consequences of their sin.

LHM Daily Devotions - August 16, 2019 - The Words We Need

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20190816

"The Words We Need"

Aug. 16, 2019

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
I John 4:9 (ESV)

"God so loved the world." In our association with the Christian tradition, we have heard these words hundreds of times. Martin Luther referred to these words as "the Gospel in miniature." I know enough about people in general, however, to know that those words may not be quite so plain and self-evident to us as they were to the people who first heard them.

It's hard for many of us to picture a God who actually loves the world. There are so many people in it that it's almost impossible to imagine anyone loving them all. It's almost inconceivable that anyone should love the world in the sad and corrupt state in which we find it.

But, the world we live in is the object of God's love. The world we live in—God holds in His love. He is a part of this world that you and I live in. And yet, apart from this world, He can love it, that is, He can relate to it in a creative way.

Jesus was given to the world. We can think of Him, as I often do, in terms of what He did: how He lived, how He ministered, how He died, how He rose from the dead. So these words say to us that Jesus—no matter what the world may think or say about Him—was first and foremost God's gift to us and to the world.

This is also the last thing these words, "God so loved the world," say—and the most important thing. They tell us that this gift is the ultimate expression of God's love. Yet, a love that is declared, no matter how beautifully or eloquently, but declared only, and never expressed, does not amount to much. In God so loving the world, He did something for the world—something He is still doing: giving us His Son.

By that I mean He is still giving us of Himself in flesh and blood, not something abstract or theoretical, but something real, tangible, something that is happening among us, now. He does this to lift us out of our despair, to save us from the sins we commit, to untangle us from the twisted way we knot up ourselves in the world.

God is doing all of this now, and what He does shows us what He is like. We will never be able to put it into words that are adequate. We will never be able to say everything that it means. However, as God's people we will try, and when we do, chances are good God will give us the words we need. For example, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your love knows no limits, and You gave Your only begotten Son to prove it. Help us tell His story to a world that needs to hear it. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
  • Considering the world as we know it—and who's in it—how is it that God could love it?
  • Do you think there was any other way God could have redeemed us that wouldn't have required the death of His Son?
  • How does your trust in God help keep you from entangling yourself in the world?

From The Lutheran Layman, May 1979 issue, "God So Loved the World" by A. Walter Hanf. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Considering the world as we know it—and who's in it—how is it that God could love it?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 16 de Agosto de 2019 - La expresión del amor


ALIMENTO DIARIO

La expresión del amor

16 de Agosto de 2019

En esto se mostró el amor de Dios para con nosotros: en que Dios envió al mundo a su Hijo unigénito, para que vivamos por él.
~ 1 Juan 4:9 (RVC)

"Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo". Como cristianos hemos escuchado estas palabras cientos de veces. Martín Lutero se refirió a ellas diciendo que son el "Evangelio en miniatura". Sin embargo, no siempre son tan claras y evidentes como lo fueron para quienes las escucharon por primera vez.

Para muchos de nosotros es difícil imaginar a un Dios que realmente ama al mundo. Hay tanta gente en él que es casi imposible imaginar que alguien nos ame a todos o que alguien ame al mundo en el estado triste y corrupto en que se encuentra.

Sin embargo, el mundo en que vivimos es el objeto del amor de Dios, porque Dios es parte de él. Dios se hizo carne en la persona de Jesús para venir a vivir, morir y resucitar por nosotros, dándonos así el regalo del perdón y la vida eterna junto a él... "porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo".

Este regalo es la máxima expresión del amor de Dios. Un amor que se declara sin ser expresado, no vale mucho. Pero "de tal manera amó Dios al mundo", que nos dio a su Hijo y nos lo sigue dando ahora, para sacarnos de nuestra desesperación, para salvarnos de los pecados que cometemos, para llevarnos de la oscuridad a la luz.

Dios está haciendo todo esto ahora, y lo que hace nos muestra cómo es. Nunca podremos ponerlo en palabras que sean adecuadas. Nunca podremos decir todo lo que significa. Sin embargo, como pueblo de Dios lo intentaremos y, cuando lo hagamos, es probable que el Evangelio de Juan nos dé las palabras que necesitamos: "Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna" (Juan 3:16).

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, ¡tu amor no tiene límites! Por eso diste a tu Hijo unigénito por nosotros. Ayúdanos a compartirlo con quienes necesitan saberlo. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

The Lutheran Layman, mayo de 1979, "Dios amó al mundo" por A. Walter Hanf.

Para reflexionar:
  • ¿Cómo puedes expresar el amor de Dios a quienes te rodean, de manera que lo perciban?
  • ¿Crees que Dios podría habernos perdonado y salvado sin que fuera necesaria la muerte de su Hijo?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cómo puedes expresar el amor de Dios a quienes te rodean, de manera que lo perciban?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Một Câu Chuyện Buồn

https://vietnamese-odb.org/2019/08/16/mot-cau-chuyen-buon/

Một Câu Chuyện Buồn

Đọc: II Sa-mu-ên 11:2-15 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Thi Thiên 94-96; Rô-ma 15:14-33

Nhưng Đức Giê-hô-va không hài lòng điều Đa-vít đã làm. II Sa-mu-ên 11:27

Thật đau đớn, tội lỗi từ lâu bị che giấu nay được đưa ra ánh sáng – nhiều phụ nữ bị lạm dụng tình dục bởi những người đàn ông có quyền trên họ. Đọc từng tựa đề bài báo, trái tim tôi thắt lại khi nghe những bằng chứng lạm dụng của hai người đàn ông tôi ngưỡng mộ. Hội thánh cũng không được miễn khỏi những vấn đề này.

Vua Đa-vít đã đối diện với sự tính toán của riêng ông. Sa-mu-ên kể với chúng ta rằng buổi chiều nọ, Đa-vít “thấy một phụ nữ rất đẹp đang tắm” (II Sam. 11:2). Và Đa-vít muốn có được bà. Mặc dù Bát-sê-ba là vợ của một người lính trung thành (U-ri), Đa-vít vẫn muốn chiếm đoạt bà. Khi Bát-sê-ba thông báo với Đa-vít về việc bà mang thai, vua lo sợ. Và bằng hành động dối trá hèn hạ, Đa-vít đã sắp xếp với Giô-áp để U-ri chết trên chiến trường.

Chúng ta thấy rõ ràng Đa-vít đã lạm dụng quyền lực đối với Bát-sê-ba và U-ri. Câu chuyện được kể lại đầy đủ, và Sa-mu-ên muốn chúng ta nhìn thấy điều đó. Chúng ta phải giải quyết tội lỗi của mình.

Cũng vậy, chúng ta phải nghe những câu chuyện này vì chúng cảnh báo chúng ta không nên lạm dụng quyền lực trong thời kỳ của mình. Đây là Đa-vít, “người [Chúa] hài lòng” (Cv. 13:22), nhưng cũng là người phải chịu trách nhiệm cho hành động của mình. Mong rằng chúng ta luôn cầu nguyện cho các lãnh đạo dám chịu trách nhiệm về cách họ sử dụng hoặc lạm dụng quyền lực.

Bởi ân điển của Chúa, Ngài sẽ chuộc tội của chúng ta. Nếu đọc tiếp, chúng ta sẽ thấy sự ăn năn sâu sắc của Đa-vít (II Sam. 12:13). Cảm ơn Chúa vì tấm lòng cứng cỏi vẫn có thể biến cải từ chỗ chết đến sự sống.
Tại sao chúng ta cần đối diện với việc lạm dụng quyền lực của mình và thế giới trong tinh thần cầu nguyện? Chúa Jêsus đã bày tỏ cách đúng đắn trong việc thực thi thẩm quyền thế nào?
Lạy Chúa, con không biết phải làm gì với tất cả những sự tan vỡ mà con thấy trong thế giới và trong con. Xin Chúa chiếu rọi ánh sáng của Ngài và chữa lành chúng con.


© 2019 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Đọc từng tựa đề bài báo, trái tim tôi thắt lại khi nghe những bằng chứng lạm dụng của hai người đàn ông tôi ngưỡng mộ. Hội thánh cũng không được miễn khỏi những vấn đề này.