The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, December 27, 2019 - 3rd Day of Christmas

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, December 27, 2019 - 3rd Day of Christmas

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 148

(God’s splendor is over earth and heaven)

Praise for God’s Universal Glory
1  Praise the Lord!
   Praise the Lord from the heavens;
     praise him in the heights!
2  Praise him, all his angels;
     praise him, all his host!

3  Praise him, sun and moon;
     praise him, all you shining stars!
4  Praise him, you highest heavens,
     and you waters above the heavens!

5  Let them praise the name of the Lord,
     for he commanded and they were created.
6  He established them forever and ever;
     he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

7  Praise the Lord from the earth,
     you sea monsters and all deeps,
8  fire and hail, snow and frost,
     stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9  Mountains and all hills,
     fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
     creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
     princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
     old and young together!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
     for his name alone is exalted;
     his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
     praise for all his faithful,
     for the people of Israel who are close to him.
   Praise the Lord!

Proverbs 8:22-31

(Wisdom’s part in creation)

Wisdom’s Part in Creation
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
     the first of his acts of long ago.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
     at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
     when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
     before the hills, I was brought forth—
26 when he had not yet made earth and fields,
     or the world’s first bits of soil.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there,
     when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
     when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
     so that the waters might not transgress his command,
   when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30  then I was beside him, like a master worker;
   and I was daily his delight,
     rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
     and delighting in the human race.

1 John 5:1-12

(Whoever loves God loves God’s child)

Faith Conquers the World
5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony concerning the Son of God
6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. 7 There are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. 9 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. 10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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 A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. 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 for FRIDAY, December 27, 2019 - 3rd Day of Christmas
Psalm 148; Proverbs 8:22-31; 1 John 5:1-12

The Daily Prayer for FRIDAY, December 27, 2019

The Daily Prayer

FRIDAY, December 27, 2019

Twentieth-century Quaker Thomas Kelly wrote, “Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by. We have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power. If only we could slip over into that Center! If only we could find the Silence which is the source of sound!”

Lord, with your coming, our lives have a greater demand placed upon them. Help us learn the art of active, consistent service while maintaining enough silent spaces to hear your call. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, December 27, 2019

Psalm 103:1-2

Praise the Lord, my soul;
  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
  and forget not all his benefits—

Read all of Psalm 103

Listen to Psalm 103

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 - Viernes 27 de Diciembre de 2019

Pasos firmes

El Señor afirma los pasos del hombre [...] podrá tropezar, pero no caerá, porque el Señor lo sostiene de la mano.

—Salmo 37:23-24 (NVI)

Siempre he pensado en lo difícil que debe ser caminar sobre arena movediza, con esa ensación de dar un paso firme y de repente ver que tu pisada va hacia lo profundo.

Entonces, si no tienes algo en qué apoyarte o en qué dejar firme tu otro pie, sin duda alguna se te hundirán los dos.

Siempre que tengo la oportunidad de ir al mar, algo que me intranquiliza es precisamente el no tener seguridad en mis pasos. Las pisadas sin ver por dónde camino es como esperar que,de un momento a otro, tropiece con una roca o una planta marina. De verdad, no es mi mejor plan.

Por eso ahora en mi vida me gusta estar muy atenta a mis pasos. Además, me parece muy importante que los pasos que dé cada día sean seguros, firmes y en una senda trazada por mi Dios.

Cuida tus pasos y sigue las huellas de Jesús. De esta manera, nunca irás al abismo, y si tropiezas y caes, Dios te levantará y sanará.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Siempre he pensado en lo difícil que debe ser caminar sobre arena movediza, con esa ensación de dar un paso firme y de repente ver que tu pisada va hacia lo profundo.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, December 27, 2019

HARVEST TIME IN CHINA

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

—Luke 2:20 (NIV)

House churches in China love to celebrate Christmas—without Santa and the commercialization found in the west which, sadly, is now creeping into the profit-centric malls in China’s cities. They revel in the opportunity to share about the coming of Jesus Christ and God’s love to colleagues, friends and neighbors who usually do not mind attending special Christmas gatherings in the spirit of the season.

Increasingly, house churches plan elaborate programs with performances, such as ice-breakers, Christmas carols, dances and sketches—to till the soil of each heart—before culminating with an evangelistic message. Several rent public halls or banquet rooms in hotels and create a festive air with decorations of balloons, ribbons and artificial flowers.

Brother Kao says, “We found out that it was possible for us to rent meeting halls in some places that were usually used for wedding dinners. So, with the Christmas season fast approaching, we booked such halls at multiple locations in preparation for our Christmas evangelistic outreach,” Kao continued. Then the church put together a program and began practicing hard on the short plays about two months before.

“There was this one hall that had just been used for a wedding banquet. When we arrived to put up our Christmas decorations, we found it was already beautifully done up so we merely added a few more Christmas touches. We had our church members invite their unsaved friends and relatives. Because Christmas is viewed as a Western celebration, many people are curious and open to finding out what it’s all about, so they readily come.”

The hall was packed with many first-time guests. The program began with the singing of some Christmas carols and everyone sang with gusto, even though they might not have understood what the lyrics meant. Then the plays followed, dramatizing the story of Noah and the flood, showing the depravity of man, and how only eight were saved. At the end of it, the pastor went up on stage, explained what the whole story meant and shared about man’s need for a Savior before making an altar call.

Kao explained, “Each night at every location where we held this outreach program, an average of one hundred people would pray to become children of God. And because we had received the materials from Open Doors earlier, we were able to give each new believer a Bible and a book on the spot. We find that doing so helps them to further understand the decision they have made and enables them to grow in their new life in Christ.”

“Please inform our brothers and sisters who are praying for us that we are putting the books you supplied to good use and giving them to new Christians,” he voiced gratefully.

RESPONSE: Today I will pray for those who have not yet heard the Good News about Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Thank God that house churches in China have such effective outreaches at Christmas time. Pray against hindrances and interferences from the local authorities.

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 December 27, 2019 - BORN TO YOU

"BORN TO YOU"

Dec. 27, 2019

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

—Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

It's a strange phrasing the angel used: "unto you is born" a baby. That's usually what we say to a parent, right? Not to some set of strangers who've never so much as met the family. But the angel had it right, because this was the one baby who was born to every human being in the world—every person in need of a Savior. He is ours, as closely and intimately as He is Mary's. God planned it that way.

The ancient Israelites had a concept we usually translate as "redeemer" or even "kinsman-redeemer." This was the person you needed if you got into trouble or lost all your money. The kinsman-redeemer had the legal right to buy your property back from the new owner. He could buy you back as well, if you got sold into slavery. He was allowed to do this because he was related to you. The closer the relationship, the more right he had to rescue you. Of course, you still had to hope he had the money to redeem you! Otherwise, he could do you no good.

A kinsman-redeemer is exactly what we need as human beings. Once all of us were under the power of the devil, living as slaves to guilt and shame and sin. We needed help. But who could do it? We got ourselves into that situation—by rights it ought to be fixed by a human being. But no human being was in a position to pay. God could pay—but He was not human. By being born into our human family, Jesus fixed that problem. He became our Kinsman-Redeemer, our blood relative who has the right and the ability to buy us back out of slavery.

So yes, Jesus is born to the shepherds—and to me—and to you. He is born to all of us, as close kin as our own children, as generous and loving as the best relative you ever had or dreamed of. And because He became our kin, now we can become His kin—children of God, sharing His everlasting life and joy.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for coming to be my Redeemer. Thank You for being born to me. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Do/did you ever have a favorite relative? Why?
• Have you ever helped out a relative or close friend? Has one helped you?
• What does it mean to you, that Jesus is your relative?

Advent Devotions were 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).
Do/did you ever have a favorite relative? Why?

CPTLN devocional del 27 de Diciembre de 2019 - Les ha nacido

ADVIENTO—NAVIDAD 2019

Les ha nacido

27 de Diciembre de 2019

El ángel les dijo: "No teman, que les traigo una buena noticia, que será para todo el pueblo motivo de mucha alegría. Hoy, en la ciudad de David, les ha nacido un Salvador, que es Cristo el Señor."

—Lucas 2:10-11 (RVC)

Es una frase extraña la que usó el ángel: "Les ha nacido" un Niño. Pero el ángel tenía razón, porque este era el único niño que nació para cada ser humano en el mundo, cada persona en necesidad de un Salvador. Él es nuestro, tan íntimamente como lo es de María. Dios lo planeó de esa manera.

Los antiguos israelitas tenían un concepto que solemos traducir como "redentor" o "pariente-redentor". Esa persona socorría al familiar que se metía en problemas o perdía todo su dinero. También podía comprarle de nuevo si a uno lo vendían como esclavo. Se le permitía hacer esto porque era un familiar. Cuanto más cercano era el parentesco, más derecho tenía de rescatarle.

Un pariente-redentor es exactamente lo que necesitábamos como seres humanos. Todos estábamos bajo el poder del diablo, viviendo como esclavos de la culpa, la vergüenza y el pecado. Necesitábamos ayuda. Pero ¿quién podía hacerlo? Ningún ser humano estaba en condiciones de pagar. Dios podía pagar, pero no era humano. Al nacer en nuestra familia humana, Jesús solucionó ese problema: se convirtió en nuestro pariente-Redentor, nuestro pariente de sangre que tiene el derecho y la capacidad de volver a comprarnos de la esclavitud.

Entonces sí, Jesús ha nacido para los pastores, para mí y para ti. Él ha nacido para todos nosotros. Es tan cercano como nuestros hijos, tan generoso y amoroso como el mejor pariente que jamás hayas tenido o soñado. Y gracias a que él se convirtió en nuestro pariente, ahora podemos convertirnos en su pariente. Somos hijos de Dios, y compartimos su vida eterna y su gozo.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, gracias por venir a ser mi Redentor. Gracias por haber nacido para mí. En tu nombre. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Tienes un pariente favorito?
• ¿Qué significa para ti que Jesús sea tu pariente?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.
¿Tienes un pariente favorito?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Được Lời Chúa Hướng Dẫn

Được Lời Chúa Hướng Dẫn

Đọc: Thi Thiên 119:1, 133-136 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Xa-cha-ri 1-4; Khải Huyền 18

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Xin gìn giữ chân con vững bước trong lời Chúa; Đừng để điều ác cai trị con.

—Thi Thiên 119:133

Tại đài phát thanh BBC ở London, công việc đầu tiên của Paul Arnold là tạo ra “âm thanh bước đi” cho những bộ phim phát trên sóng radio. Khi các diễn viên đọc lời thoại ở phân đoạn đi bộ, Paul là người quản lý sân khấu, sẽ tạo ra âm thanh tương ứng bằng đôi chân của mình, cẩn thận để giữ nhịp độ khớp với câu nói của diễn viên. Paul giải thích rằng điều khó nhất là phải hợp tác chặt chẽ với diễn viên, “vậy nên hai chúng tôi đang làm việc cùng nhau”.

Tác giả Thi Thiên 119, một thi thiên nhấn mạnh việc sống theo Lời Chúa cũng ao ước sự hợp tác đó trong ý nghĩa thuộc linh. Thi Thiên 119:1 nói rằng: “Phước cho những người trọn vẹn trong đường lối mình, đi theo luật pháp của Đức Giê-hô-va”. Đi theo đường lối và sự hướng dẫn của Chúa, chúng ta sẽ sống cuộc đời thánh khiết (c.9), vượt qua sự khinh thường (c.23), và tránh khỏi sự tham lam (c.36). Ngài sẽ giúp chúng ta kháng cự tội lỗi (c.61), làm bạn với người tin kính (c.63) và sống vui mừng (c.111).

Nhà thần học Charles Bridges chú thích cho câu 133 rằng: “Khi tôi bước vào thế giới, tôi muốn hỏi – liệu thế giới này có được sắp đặt theo Lời Chúa, bày tỏ Đấng Christ là gương mẫu hoàn hảo của tôi không?”

Khi bước trong đường lối Ngài, chúng ta bày tỏ cho thế giới biết về Chúa Jêsus. Nguyện xin Chúa giúp chúng ta bước đi gần gũi với Ngài để mọi người nhìn thấy Đấng Hướng Dẫn, Người Bạn và là Đấng Cứu Rỗi trong chúng ta!

Bạn sống gần gũi với Chúa ra sao? Tìm câu trả lời trong Thi Thiên 119, đâu là bước quan trọng để bạn theo Chúa càng gần hơn? Bạn sẽ nhận được ích lợi gì?

Lạy Chúa, xin sắp đặt các bước của con trong sự khôn ngoan của Kinh Thánh, xin giúp con bước đi giống như Ngài.

bởi Patricia Raybon

© 2019 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Tại đài phát thanh BBC ở London, công việc đầu tiên của Paul Arnold là tạo ra “âm thanh bước đi” cho những bộ phim phát trên sóng radio.