The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, October 17, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, October 17, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 119:97-104

(Your words sweeter than honey)

97  Oh, how I love your law!
      It is my meditation all day long.
98  Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
      for it is always with me.
99  I have more understanding than all my teachers,
      for your decrees are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged,
      for I keep your precepts.
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,
      in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn away from your ordinances,
      for you have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
      sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
      therefore I hate every false way.

Jeremiah 26:1-15

(Jeremiah threatened with death)

Jeremiah’s Prophecies in the Temple
26:1 At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word. 3 It may be that they will listen, all of them, and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings. 4 You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently—though you have not heeded— 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.

7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “It is the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”

Acts 17:22-34

(God has fixed a day of judgment)

17:22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,

   ‘For we too are his offspring.’

29 Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 At that point Paul left them. 34 But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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
The Daily Lectionary
Psalm 119:97-104; Jeremiah 26:1-15; Acts 17:22-34

The Daily Prayer for THURSDAY, October 17, 2019

The Daily Prayer

THURSDAY, October 17, 2019

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35—c. 108)

Ignatius, whose surname was Theophorus (“God-bearer”), may have been a disciple of John the Evangelist. Little is known about his early life, but he took charge of the church at Antioch around the year 69 and was condemned to death during the time of Trajan’s persecution. While in transit to Rome, the boat carrying him to his death made stops along the shores of Asia Minor, and he was able to preach in the churches along the way. Faithful Christians met Ignatius upon his arrival in Rome, both to celebrate his presence and mourn his impending death. Praying with the believers, he asked for an end to persecution, blessings on the church, and charity for the faithful. He was taken to the amphitheater in Rome, where it is reported two lions were set upon him.

Ignatius of Antioch wrote, “The delights of this world and all its kingdoms will not profit me. I would prefer to die in Jesus Christ than to rule over all the earth. I seek him who died for us; I desire him who rose for us. I am in the throes of being born again. Bear with me, my brothers and sisters. Let me see the pure light; when I am there, I shall be truly a human being at last. Let me imitate the sufferings of my God.”

Lord God, instill in us such a fervor for you that we cannot help but preach your love and reconciliation in times of sorrow and joy. Amen.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, October 17, 2019

Psalm 25:14-15 (NIV)

The Lord confides in those who fear him;
  he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever on the Lord,
  for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Read all of Psalm 25

Listen to Psalm 25

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 - Jueves 17 de Octubre de 2019

Influye con amor

Alégrense y llénense de júbilo, porque les espera una gran recompensa en el cielo.

— Mateo 5:12 (NVI)

Nosotros no estamos en este mundo para impresionar a nadie, mucho menos para impresionar a Dios. Estamos en este mundo con un propósito específico. ¡Qué bueno sería que cada uno lo pueda encontrar como es debido!

Durante varios años, sobre todo en la adolescencia, es común preguntarse: «¿Qué hago en este mundo? ¿Por qué estoy aquí?». Yo también me hice esas preguntas y nunca hubo respuestas, al menos una que me convenciera. No fue hasta que conocí de Jesús que pude entender mi propósito y trato de cumplirlo al pie de la letra.

Hace unos cuatro años surgió un deseo en un sinnúmero de personas por conocer el propósito de Dios para sus vidas. Entonces, cuando apareció el libro Una vida con propósito, de Rick Warren, muchos lo entendieron. Este libro enseguida rompió los récords de venta y, aún hoy, sigue siendo uno de los más vendidos. ¡Qué cantidad de testimonios llegó a mis oídos! La gente me decía, y me sigue diciendo, que ese libro transformó su vida.

Gracias le doy a Dios por libros como ese que llevan la verdad clara y directa que transforman vidas. Quizá tú aún no lo has leído y estás en esa búsqueda, pues te lo recomiendo.

Tú y yo también debemos llevarle la Palabra a toda criatura de modo que encuentre el verdadero propósito para su vida. Por lo tanto, proclamemos su mensaje con el amor y la misericordia que solo encontramos en Dios.

¿Qué estás haciendo para influir en otros? Recuerda que tu premio no está en la tierra, sino en el cielo.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Estamos en este mundo con un propósito específico.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Thursday, October 17, 2019

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

— Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)

The scriptures teach that God is committed to one major objective in the lives of all His people; conforming us to the image of His Son. What is the “image of His Son?” It is found in the words of Jesus, Himself, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

It makes sense then to say that God desires the same for us. After bringing us into His family through faith in His Son, the Lord sets His sights on building into us the same qualities that made Jesus distinct—a servant’s heart and a giving spirit. It’s so easy to lose sight of our primary calling as Christians. Even those who lead must do so with an attitude of genuine humility and an authentic desire to help others.

The best-known symbols of Christianity are the cross, the ichthus (fish symbol), and the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Probably the least known—yet most appropriate for the Christian—is the symbol of the towel and basin. The towel Jesus used when in humility and service, he washed and wiped his disciples dirty feet. Jesus instructed his disciples after washing their feet that they were to wash one another’s feet.

J. Dudley Woodbury tells a poignant true story that occurred in the dismal refugee camps of Peshawar, Pakistan. The fighting between the Majahideen in post-Soviet Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban resulted in thousands of refugees flooding into the camps near the border. Most of the children in the camps ran around barefoot in both the intense heat and intense cold.

A Christian organization brought in hundreds of sandals for the children but decided not to just distribute them but care for the children’s feet as well. So they utilized as many Christian volunteers as possible who washed the children’s filthy feet, put medication on their sores and prayed for them silently as they gave out the sandals.

As he tells the story, some months later a Muslim primary school teacher in the camp asked her students who the best Muslims were. One little girl raised her hand and responded, “The kafirs.” (unbelievers).

After the teacher recovered from cardiac arrest, she asked, “Why?” The little girl said, “The Mujahedeen killed my father, but the kafirs washed my feet!”

Missions to the Muslims, he concludes, will be affected less by the flames of 9/11, or even the flames that started the Arab Spring, than by the inner flames that are ignited if we so follow our Lord.[1]

RESPONSE: Today I will look for ways to serve others in genuine humility as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, help me love as You did, serve others as You did and give of myself as You did!

1. J. Dudley Woodberry, “Muslim Missions: Then & Now,” Christianity Today (September 2011), p. 36.

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

Men's Devotional Bible - Thursday, October 17, 2019

Asa: Not by Strength

1 Kings 15:9–24; 2 Chronicles 14—16

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. (2 Chronicles 14:2)

It is an honor to interview a good king when there have been so many bad ones.

“Good” is a relative term among men and kings. The Lord is good. Even the best of men are weak and foolish.

What one thing have you learned during your long reign?

I have learned this: “It is not by strength that one prevails.” I might have learned it much sooner, because Hannah, the mother of Samuel, spoke these words long ago. But it is only now, near the end of my days, that I begin to see Hannah’s wisdom. Even so, I have not learned it completely.

Will you give us an example of what you mean?

You have heard of my fortified cities and my army of half a million men. Then Zerah the Cushite came against me with an army twice that size. My only prayer was that the Lord would help the powerless against the mighty. My army prevailed, but not by its own might.

Why do you say you have not learned this completely?

Four years ago the king of Israel meant to invade our land. Instead of relying on the Lord, I sent silver and gold to Ben-Hadad in Damascus, who attacked Israel from the rear. Thus we fought off the invasion, but at the same time we were plunged into further war.

You spoke of relying on God rather than on personal strength. But what about the endless wars in your people’s history?

Not endless. Our prophets could tell you more about this than I can. For now, our people must survive. In days to come, however, a king will rise from David’s royal house. He will—well, I cannot tell you what he will do, exactly. But his kingdom will bring peace and justice. Then these hideous wars will end.

What one thing do you most want to tell our readers?

Rely upon the Lord. I have not always done so, and I am the worse for it.

Forgive me for not walking with you through the garden to the gate. You see the problem I have with my feet. Even as an old man I remain foolish. I have sought physicians, but I have sought the Lord too late!

Back to the Future

• In what areas of your life are you tempted to rely on your own strength?
• How would you respond to someone who asked you, “What does it mean to rely on the strength of the Lord?”
• What practical steps can you take to become more dependent on the Lord’s strength?

Read Asa’s Story:
The detail is found in 1 Kings 15:9–24; 2 Chronicles 14—16. Also Read Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1–10.

In what areas of your life are you tempted to rely on your own strength?

LHM Daily Devotions October 17, 2019 - Crying Out Against Evil

"Crying Out Against Evil"

Oct. 17, 2019

And He (Jesus) told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"

— Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)

Jesus paints a picture of a woman who is suffering under the power of evil. She has an enemy, someone who has done wrong to her. The facts of the case are as clear as day. She knows that if only she can get her case into court, the judge will have to rule in favor of her.

But that's the rub. How is she to get her case into court? The local judge is corrupt. Getting on to his docket takes money or influence or both—and she doesn't have either.

What she does have is persistence. Day after day, she comes to that judge, crying, "Give me justice against my adversary." Day after day, he stops his ears. And yet he's getting tired of this. He's starting to dread every morning, when she pops up, sure as sunrise, to bother him yet again. Finally, he's worn out. He hears her case—not because he's good, but because he just can't take it anymore.

It's an entertaining story. But it takes an odd turn when Jesus goes on to compare God Himself to the unjust judge. What could they possibly have in common? Just one thing. Both will ultimately listen to cries for justice. The important thing is not to give up asking.

Have you suffered injustice in your own life? Are you suffering from it right now, and begging God to do something about it? If so, Jesus says you have come to the right place. God is no unjust judge who plans to let you suffer as long as possible. "Will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them?" Jesus asks. " I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily."

If you have suffered injustice, you know that every day of it seems like a century. You cry out to God, but where is He? You may begin to wonder if God hears you at all—if He cares what you're going through—if there's any point to praying.

It is to you that Jesus is speaking. "Don't give up!" He says. "The day of justice is coming. Trust in God. He has not forgotten you, no matter how long it seems."

Jesus should know—because He came into this world as God's answer to injustice. Long ago, in the garden of Eden, the devil tempted the first ancestors of the human race to rebel against God. He had no reason to do such a thing to us—no reason but hatred, that is. It was unjust, wicked, evil. And the human race has been living (and dying) with the results of it ever since.

We are not innocent, of course. We listened to the devil, and now we regret it. And generation after generation, we have been crying out to God, "Give us justice against our adversary!"

God heard that cry. God sent Jesus, our Savior, to destroy the power of the devil through His own suffering and death on the cross. Jesus came as our champion, the One who would work justice for us with His own right arm. And when He rose from the grave, God made it clear that Jesus' work had succeeded—that our case was won—that the devil had lost, and we were restored to God's kingdom. Now we wait for the final day when God carries out the sentence and all injustice is removed forevermore.

THE PRAYER: Lord, hear us who cry to You for help against evil. Have mercy on us. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Have you ever made something good happen due to your sheer persistence?
• What does Jesus' words say to you about being constant in prayer?
• How does the idea of perseverance empower your faith walk—in Bible study, prayer, outreach?

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).
Have you ever made something good happen due to your sheer persistence?

CPTLN devocional del 17 de Octubre de 2019 - Protestando en contra del mal

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Protestando en contra del mal

17 de Octubre de 2019

Además, Jesús les contó una parábola en cuanto a la necesidad de orar siempre y de no desanimarse. Les dijo: «En cierta ciudad había un juez que no temía a Dios ni respetaba a nadie. En esa misma ciudad había también una viuda, la cual acudía a ese juez y le pedía: "Hazme justicia contra mi adversario." Pasó algún tiempo, y el juez no quiso atenderla, pero después se puso a pensar: "Aunque no temo a Dios ni respeto a nadie, esta viuda me molesta tanto que voy a hacerle justicia, no sea que siga viniendo y me agote la paciencia."» Dijo entonces el Señor: «Presten atención a lo que dijo el juez injusto. ¿Acaso Dios no les hará justicia a sus elegidos, que día y noche claman a él? ¿Se tardará en responderles? Yo les digo que sin tardanza les hará justicia. Pero cuando venga el Hijo del Hombre, ¿hallará fe en la tierra?»

— Lucas 18:1-8 (RVC)

Jesús describe en este texto a una mujer quien sufre una injusticia. Un enemigo de ella le había hecho daño. Los hechos de su caso están claros como el agua. Ella sabe que si logra llevar su caso a la corte, el juez tendría que fallar a su favor.

Pero ese era el problema. ¿Cómo iba a presentar su caso ante la corte si el juez local era un corrupto? Para entrar en su lista de casos había que tener dinero o influencia, o ambos, y esta mujer no tenía ninguna de las dos cosas.

Pero lo que sí tenía era persistencia. Todos los días ella iba donde el juez y le reclamaba: "Hazme justicia contra mi adversario". Y todos los días el juez se tapaba los oídos para no escucharla. Pero el juez se estaba cansando. No quería ni que amaneciera, porque sin lugar a dudas la mujer iba a llegar a molestarlo de nuevo. Así fue hasta que finalmente se hartó y escuchó su caso. No lo hizo porque fuera bueno, sino porque ya no podía soportarla más.

Ésta es una historia interesante. Pero toma un giro extraño cuando Jesús compara a Dios con un juez injusto. ¿Qué podrían tener en común? Sólo una cosa. Al final, ambos escuchan a los que piden justicia. Lo importante es no cansarse.

¿Has sufrido injusticias en tu vida? ¿Estás pasando por injusticias en este momento y le estás pidiendo a Dios que te ayude? Si es así, Jesús te dice que has hecho lo correcto. Dios no es un juez injusto que planea dejarte sufrir el mayor tiempo posible. "¿Acaso Dios no les hará justicia a sus elegidos, que día y noche claman a él? ¿Se tardará en responderles?", pregunta Jesús. "Yo les digo que sin tardanza les hará justicia".

Si has sufrido injusticias, sabes que un día parece ser un siglo. Clamas a Dios, pero puede que comiences a preguntarte si Dios te escucha, si le importa lo que te está pasando, si tiene algún sentido orar.

Es a ti a quien Jesús le está hablando hoy. "¡No te rindas!", te dice. Se acerca el día en que recibirás justicia. Confía en Dios. Él no te ha olvidado, aunque parezca haber pasado mucho tiempo.

Jesús te entiende, porque él vino a este mundo como respuesta de Dios a la injusticia. Hace mucho tiempo, en el jardín del Edén, el diablo tentó a los primeros antepasados de la raza humana para que se rebelaran contra Dios. No tenía ninguna razón para hacernos algo así, solamente su odio. Fue injusto, malo, perverso. Y la raza humana ha estado viviendo (y muriendo) con esas consecuencias desde entonces.

No es que seamos inocentes, por supuesto. Le hicimos caso al diablo, y ahora lo estamos lamentando. Desde entonces, generación tras generación, hemos estado clamando a Dios: "¡Haznos justicia contra nuestro adversario!"

Dios escuchó nuestro clamor y envió a Jesús, nuestro Salvador, para destruir el poder del diablo a través de Su sufrimiento y muerte en la cruz. Jesús vino a ser nuestro campeón, quien haría justicia por nosotros. Y cuando se levantó de la tumba, Dios dejó en claro que Jesús lo había logrado, que ganó nuestro caso, que el diablo había perdido y que fuimos restaurados al reino de Dios. Ahora solo nos toca esperar el día final, cuando Dios llevará a cabo su sentencia y toda injusticia será eliminada para siempre.

ORACIÓN: Señor, escucha a quienes clamamos a Ti por ayuda en contra del mal. Ten piedad de nosotros. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Alguna vez has logrado que algo bueno suceda debido a tu persistencia?
• ¿Qué te dicen las palabras de Jesús acerca de ser constante en la oración?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Alguna vez has logrado que algo bueno suceda debido a tu persistencia?

Хлеб наш насущный - Правда: горькая или сладкая?

Правда: горькая или сладкая?

Читать сейчас: Иезекииля 2:4–3:3 | Библия за год: Исаии 50-52; Галатам 5

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И я съел, и было в устах моих сладко, как мед. — Иезекииля 3:3

У меня на носу появилось пятнышко, которое не проходило более полугода. Я решила обратиться к врачу. Результаты биопсии показали рак кожи. Хотя рак был операбельный и не угрожал жизни, все равно эта пилюля оказалась горькой.

Бог повелел Иезекиилю съесть горькую пилюлю – свиток, содержащий слова плача и горя (Иез. 2:10; 3:1-2). Пророк должен был «напитать» им свою «внутренность» и затем передать эти слова народу Израиля, который, по словам Бога, был «с огрубелым лицом и с жестоким сердцем» (Иез. 2:4). Казалось, свиток, полный обличений, будет горьким на вкус. Но Иезекииль пишет, что в его устах было «сладко, как мед» (Иез. 3:3).

Иезекииль, похоже, был знаком со вкусом Божьих исправлений. Но он не воспринимал Его обличения как что-то нежелательное, потому что понимал: то, что хорошо для души, «сладко». Бог наставляет и исправляет нас с любовью и добротой, помогая жить так, чтобы чтить Его и угождать Ему.

Некоторые истины – словно горькие пилюли, другие сладки на вкус. Если мы будем помнить, как сильно Бог любит нас, то Его истина будет похожа на мед. Его слова даны нам для блага. От них мы получаем мудрость и силу прощать других, уклоняться от сплетен и сносить обиды. Помоги нам, Боже, воспринимать Твою мудрость как сладость, ведь она на самом деле такая и есть!

Какую истину Бог показал вам в последнее время? Вы ее восприняли как горькую пилюлю или как сладкий мед?

Божья истина сладка.

автор: Кирстен Холмберг

© 2019 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Хотя рак был операбельный и не угрожал жизни, все равно эта пилюля оказалась горькой.