The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, Sept 10, 2019

1 Timothy 4:6-16

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, September 10, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 2

God’s Promise to His Anointed
1  Why do the nations conspire,
     and the peoples plot in vain?
2  The kings of the earth set themselves,
     and the rulers take counsel together,
     against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
3  “Let us burst their bonds asunder,
     and cast their cords from us.”

4  He who sits in the heavens laughs;
     the Lord has them in derision.
5  Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
     and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6  “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

7  I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
   He said to me, “You are my son;
     today I have begotten you.
8  Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
     and the ends of the earth your possession.
9  You shall break them with a rod of iron,
     and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
     be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
     with trembling 12 kiss his feet,
   or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way;
     for his wrath is quickly kindled.

   Happy are all who take refuge in him.

Jeremiah 19:1-15

The Broken Earthenware Jug
19:1 Thus said the Lord: Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jug. Take with you some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests, 2 and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you. 3 You shall say: Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 4 Because the people have forsaken me, and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, 5 and gone on building the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it enter my mind; 6 therefore the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter. 7 And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth. 8 And I will make this city a horror, a thing to be hissed at; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. 9 And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and all shall eat the flesh of their neighbors in the siege, and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.

10 Then you shall break the jug in the sight of those who go with you, 11 and shall say to them: Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it can never be mended. In Topheth they shall bury until there is no more room to bury. 12 Thus will I do to this place, says the Lord, and to its inhabitants, making this city like Topheth. 13 And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Topheth—all the houses upon whose roofs offerings have been made to the whole host of heaven, and libations have been poured out to other gods.

14 When Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, he stood in the court of the Lord’s house and said to all the people: 15 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am now bringing upon this city and upon all its towns all the disaster that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks, refusing to hear my words.

1 Timothy 4:6-16

A Good Minister of Jesus Christ
4:6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 These are the things you must insist on and teach. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

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
If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.

The Daily Prayer for TUESDAY, Sept 10, 2019

The Daily Prayer

for TUESDAY, September 10, 2019

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997)

Mother Teresa was born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Albania. She joined the Sisters of Loreto, a Catholic religious order, at eighteen. After years of prayer and monastic discipline, she heard a “call within the call” to minister to Christ among the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India. Moved with compassion for people who were dying in the streets, Mother Teresa took them in and gave them basic care. With no resources or established programs, she begged for food and supplies to care for those she welcomed. When others came to help her, she started the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. For nearly half a century, she committed herself, and the movement she led, to serving Christ in his most distressing disguise among the poor, the sick, the orphaned, and the dying.

Mother Teresa said, “We can do not great things, only small things with great love. What is important is not how much you do, but how much love you put into doing it.”

Lord, teach us the distinction between the brokenness that leads us to squander our gifts and the brokenness that leads us to seek and find you, even in the most desolate places. Amen.

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, Sept 10, 2019

Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Read all of Isaiah 46

Listen to Isaiah 46

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 - Tuesday, Sept 10, 2019

Desesperación Testimonio de sanidad

(cuarta parte)

La oración de fe sanará al enfermo y el Señor lo levantará. Y si ha pecado, su pecado se le perdonará.

~ Santiago 5:15 (NVI)

¿Cuántas veces has vivido una prueba donde pasan los días y las semanas sin ver mejoría, ni cambio, y te desesperas? Lo que sucede es que lo que vemos y vivimos no coincide con lo que nos promete Dios.

Eso me pasó a mí. Tuve momentos en los que lloré amargamente. Tenía la promesa de que Dios me sanaría, pero mi condición me mostraba lo contrario, pues a duras penas podía caminar. Ni siquiera pude ingerir alimentos durante dos meses. Entonces, cuando pude comer, mi organismo rechazaba la comida. Era muy difícil sentir que no tenía control de mí misma, hasta tenía que usar pañales. Así que solo decía: «Dios puede sacarme de esto».

Fue una verdadera prueba experimentar el insomnio y pude entender a las personas con esta condición. Mis días eran eternos, largos, interminables. Por el día mi mente estaba un poco ocupada con las visitas y mi familia, pero cuando se iban todos, me quedaba en ese cuarto sola con un frío que me calaba los huesos sin poder dormir. Tuve extensas conversaciones con mi Dios donde le pregunté un sinnúmero de cosas y muchas no recibían respuestas.

No obstante, en medio de esa quietud obligada pude entender el propósito por el que estaba allí. En primer lugar, Dios me mostró que había descuidado mi salud y, en segundo lugar, que era muy autosuficiente. Estaba en tal vorágine de trabajo que no tenía tiempo ni para escuchar a Dios. Así que esa fue la única manera en la que, estando inmóvil, pude ver su voluntad para mi vida.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Cuántas veces has vivido una prueba donde pasan los días y las semanas sin ver mejoría, ni cambio, y te desesperas?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, Sept 10, 2019

UNGRACE

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

~ John 1:14 (NIV)

Yesterday we concluded that “grace” is Christianity’s best gift to the world! It’s a force stronger than vengeance, stronger than racism, stronger than hate. But sadly to a world desperate for this grace, the church sometimes presents one more form of what Philip Yancey calls “ungrace.”

Charles Swindoll in his book, The Grace Awakening, powerfully lists these enemies of grace as:

1. From without: legalism, expectations, traditionalism, manipulation, demands, negativism, control, comparison, perfectionism, competition, criticism, pettiness and a host of others.
2. From within: pride, fear, resentment, bitterness, an unforgiving spirit, insecurity, fleshly effort, guilt, shame, gossip, hypocrisy, and many more.[1]

Nothing has the power to change us from within like the freedom that comes through grace. And grace has very practical outworking in our lives.

1. A greater appreciation for God’s gifts
   Those who claim the freedom God offers gain an appreciation for the gifts that come with life: the free gift of salvation, life, laughter, music, beauty, friendship and forgiveness.
2. Less time and energy being critical or concerned about other’s choices
   When you begin to operate in the context of grace and freedom, you become increasingly less petty. You will allow others room to make their own decisions in life, even though you may choose otherwise. A grace-full Christian is one who looks at the world and others through “grace-tinted lenses.”
3. More tolerant and less judgmental
   When you are so involved in your own pursuit of grace, you’ll no longer lay guilt trips on those with whom you disagree.
4. A giant step toward maturity
   As your world expands, thanks to an awakening of your understanding of grace, your maturity will enlarge. You will become more like Jesus and you will never be the same!

RESPONSE: Today I will determine to avoid those things that prompt “ungrace” in my life.

PRAYER: Lord, I don’t want to live any longer in the same old ways. Help me to become more like Jesus.

1. Charles R. Swindoll, The Grace Awakening (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990), pp. 5-14.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - Sept 10, 2019 - Justice in the Church

"Justice in the Church"

Sep. 10, 2019

"I Myself will be the shepherd of My sheep, and I Myself will make them lie down," declares the Lord GOD. "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. As for you, My flock ... Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must My sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?" Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: "Behold, I, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ... And I will set up over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd."

~ Ezekiel 34:15-17a, 18-20, 23 (ESV)

There is a special pain that comes from being hurt by people within God's church. We expect pain and conflict in the world around us, but we hope for better things from fellow Christian believers. And so it hurts. It hurts when someone gossips about us, when someone spreads malicious lies, when we are ignored or left out or treated as anything less than a full brother or sister in Christ. It hurts so much that some people even leave because of the pain—leave that congregation, or (God forbid!) leave the Christian faith altogether.

God is not asleep. He is fully aware of our pain when these evil things happen. And He will put an end to it, as He has promised: "I will feed them in justice. As for you, My flock," thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep ... Must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?" God will not put up with this behavior in His church forever. Judgment is coming.

But more than that, comfort is coming. For God has also promised us that Jesus will be our Shepherd. He will watch over us, provide for us, and keep an eye on what is going on in the flock. He will not allow injustice to stand forever. How could He? He is the One who destroyed the power of evil on the cross, even as it cost Him His own life. He won that victory when He rose from the dead. And He will certainly cleanse His church both now and on that final day when He returns to bring us all into the new heavens and new earth.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, when evil happens in the church, please put a stop to it and help us. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• When have you been hurt at church? Was the situation resolved, or does it still hurt?
• Are you aware of any times you have hurt others? How could you heal those situations?
• Do you know anyone hurting right now who could use your care? What could you do?

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).
When have you been hurt at church? Was the situation resolved, or does it still hurt?

Devocional del CPTLN del 10 de Septiembre de 2019 - La justicia de Dios

ALIMENTO DIARIO

La justicia de Dios

10 de Septiembre de 2019

Yo apacentaré Mis ovejas y las llevaré a reposar," declara el Señor Dios. "Buscaré la perdida, haré volver la descarriada, vendaré la herida y fortaleceré la enferma; pero destruiré la engordada y la fuerte. Las apacentaré con justicia. "Pero en cuanto a ustedes, ovejas mías... ¿Les parece poco comer en los buenos pastos, para que después hollen con sus pies el resto de sus pastos; o que beban de las aguas claras, para que después enturbien el resto con sus pies? Y en cuanto a Mis ovejas, tienen que comer lo que ustedes han hollado con sus pies, y tienen que beber lo que ustedes han enturbiado con sus pies.'"... Por tanto, así les dice el Señor Dios: "Yo mismo juzgaré entre la oveja engordada y la oveja flaca. Por cuanto ustedes han empujado con el costado y con el hombro, y han embestido con sus cuernos a todas las débiles hasta dispersarlas fuera, libraré Mis ovejas y ya no serán presa; juzgaré entre oveja y oveja. Entonces pondré sobre ellas un solo pastor que las apacentará: Mi siervo David. El las apacentará y será su pastor.

~ Ezequiel 34:15-17a, 18-20, 23 (NBLH)

El dolor que causa el ser lastimado por personas de la iglesia de Dios es muy grande. Esperamos dolor y conflicto en el mundo que nos rodea, pero de los cristianos esperamos cosas mejores. Por eso duele tanto. Duele cuando alguien dice un chisme acerca de nosotros, cuando alguien difunde mentiras maliciosas, cuando somos ignorados o excluidos, o cuando nos tratan como si no fuéramos hermanos en Cristo. Duele tanto, que algunas personas abandonan la iglesia o (¡Dios no lo quiera!) abandonan la fe cristiana por completo.

Dios no está dormido. Él es plenamente consciente de nuestro dolor cuando nos suceden cosas malas y les va a poner fin, como lo ha prometido: "Las apacentaré con justicia... Y en cuanto a Mis ovejas", dice el Señor Dios: "Yo mismo juzgaré entre la oveja engordada y la oveja flaca... ¿Les parece poco comer en los buenos pastos, para que después hollen con sus pies el resto de sus pastos; o que beban de las aguas claras, para que después enturbien el resto con sus pies?" Dios no va a tolerar para siempre esa conducta en su iglesia. El juicio va a llegar.

Pero, más que eso, también va a llegar el consuelo. Porque Dios nos ha prometido que Jesús será nuestro Pastor. Él cuidará de nosotros, nos proveerá y vigilará lo que sucede en el rebaño. No permitirá que la injusticia permanezca para siempre. ¿Cómo podría? Él destruyó el poder del mal en la cruz, aun cuando le costó la vida, saliendo victorioso al resucitar de entre los muertos. Y ciertamente limpiará su iglesia tanto ahora, como cuando regrese en el último día para llevarnos a todos a los nuevos cielos y la nueva tierra.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, pon fin al mal y ayúdanos. En Jesús. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Has lastimado a alguien? ¿Qué puedes hacer para remediar el daño que has causado?
• ¿Conoces a alguien que esté sufriendo en este momento? ¿Cómo puedes ayudarle?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Has lastimado a alguien? ¿Qué puedes hacer para remediar el daño que has causado?

Nuestro Pan Diario - No temeré mal alguno

No temeré mal alguno

Leer: Salmo 23 | La Biblia en un año: Proverbios 8−9 2 Corintios 3

Descargar MP3

Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, no temeré mal alguno porque tú estarás conmigo… (v. 4).

En 1957, Melba Pattillo Beals fue seleccionada para los «Nueve de Little Rock», un grupo de nueve estudiantes afroamericanos que se incorporaron a la Escuela Secundaria Central de Little Rock, donde anteriormente, todos los alumnos eran blancos. En su libro de memorias, en 2018, Beals relata la conmovedora historia de injusticias y acoso que enfrentó valientemente cada día cuando tenía quince años.

Pero también escribió sobre su profunda fe en Dios. En los momentos más oscuros, cuando estaba casi muerta de miedo, repetía un versículo bíblico que su abuela le había enseñado cuando era pequeña. Al recitarlo, recordaba que el Señor estaba con ella, y la Escritura le daba valor para soportar.

Las palabras del Salmo 23, que Beals repetía a menudo, la consolaban: «Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, no temeré mal alguno porque tú estarás conmigo» (v. 4). Las palabras de ánimo de la abuela también resonaban en sus oídos, quien le aseguraba: «Dios está tan cerca como tu piel; solo tienes que pedirle ayuda».

Todos enfrentamos luchas y circunstancias difíciles que pueden causarnos temor. En esos momentos, fortalezcamos nuestro corazón en la verdad de la presencia poderosa y constante de Dios con nosotros.

Padre, ayúdame a recordar que siempre estás cerca y a fortalecerme en el poder de tu presencia.

¿Cuándo sentiste la presencia de Dios en una situación de temor? ¿Cómo te consuela saber que Dios siempre está contigo?

Por Lisa M. Samr

© 2019 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
En 1957, Melba Pattillo Beals fue seleccionada para los «Nueve de Little Rock», un grupo de nueve estudiantes afroamericanos que se incorporaron a la Escuela Secundaria Central de Little Rock, donde anteriormente, todos los alumnos eran blancos.