The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, December 30, 2019 — 6th Day of Christmas

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, December 30, 2019 — 6th Day of Christmas

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 20

(Answer us when we call)

Prayer for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1  The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
     The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2  May he send you help from the sanctuary,
     and give you support from Zion.
3  May he remember all your offerings,
     and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.   Selah

4  May he grant you your heart’s desire,
     and fulfill all your plans.
5  May we shout for joy over your victory,
     and in the name of our God set up our banners.
   May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

6  Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
     he will answer him from his holy heaven
     with mighty victories by his right hand.
7  Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
     but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
8  They will collapse and fall,
     but we shall rise and stand upright.

9  Give victory to the king, O Lord;
     answer us when we call.

Isaiah 26:1-9

(Trust in God forever)

Judah’s Song of Victory
1  On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
   We have a strong city;
     he sets up victory
     like walls and bulwarks.
2  Open the gates,
     so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
     may enter in.
3  Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—
     in peace because they trust in you.
4  Trust in the Lord forever,
     for in the Lord God
     you have an everlasting rock.
5  For he has brought low
     the inhabitants of the height;
     the lofty city he lays low.
   He lays it low to the ground,
     casts it to the dust.
6  The foot tramples it,
     the feet of the poor,
     the steps of the needy.

7  The way of the righteous is level;
     O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous.
8  In the path of your judgments,
     O Lord, we wait for you;
   your name and your renown
     are the soul’s desire.
9  My soul yearns for you in the night,
     my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
   For when your judgments are in the earth,
     the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

(The temporary and the eternal)

Living by Faith
4:16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

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 MONDAY, December 30, 2019 — 6th Day of Christmas
Psalm 20; Isaiah 26:1-9; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The Daily Prayer for MONDAY, December 30, 2019

The Daily Prayer

MONDAY, December 30, 2019

Fourth-century preacher John Chrysostom said, “This is the rule of most perfect Christianity, its most exact definition, its highest point, namely, the seeking of the common good. For nothing can so make a person an imitator of Christ as caring for his neighbors.”

Lord, make us a refuge to the poor. Help us prepare a feast for the hungry. Teach us to wipe away the tears of those who mourn, even as you shelter us, feed us, and wipe away our tears. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, December 30, 2019

John 16:33

(Jesus said,) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Read all of John 16

Listen to John 16

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 - Lunes 30 de Diciembre de 2019

Hagamos todo lo bueno

Dios es el que me ciñe de fuerza, y quien despeja mi camino; Quien hace mis pies como de ciervas, y me hace estar firme sobre mis alturas.

—2 Samuel 22:33 (RVR1960)

Todo lo negativo que pudo ocurrir este año no debe marcar tu nuevo año.

Hace algún tiempo, como lo dije al comienzo de este devocional, hacía por estos días una agenda de peticiones y se las presentaba a Dios con una oración el 31 de Diciembre a la medianoche. Era como colocar un montón de sueños y anhelos en la presencia de Dios y confiar que Él me los cumpliría uno a uno.

Sin embargo, hay cosas que ya Dios tiene programadas para cada uno de nosotros y, tarde o temprano, se cumplirán. Así que no te encierres solo en tus deseos, sino deja varios puntos en blanco para que Él mismo sea el que los llene. Déjate sorprender por Dios. ¡No te vas a arrepentir!

Entra a un nuevo año con tu mente y corazón en sintonía con el Señor. Ah, y otra cosa, recuerda que Él siempre desea lo mejor para ti.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hace algún tiempo, como lo dije al comienzo de este devocional, hacía por estos días una agenda de peticiones y se las presentaba a Dios con una oración el 31 de diciembre a la medianoche.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Monday, December 30, 2019

GIVEN WHAT TO SAY

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

—Matthew 10:19-20 (NIV)

It was early in the morning the day after Christmas. It was cold. Mehdi Forootan sat in the back seat of an undercover police car in front of his house in Tehran, Iran. An officer pointed a camcorder at him. “Do you know why you were arrested?” the officer asked him. “No,” Forootan replied.

The officer turned off the camera and looked Forootan in the eyes. “I can beat you until blood is coming out of your mouth and every part of you. The next time I turn on the camera, you tell me why we are taking you,” the officer said and turned the camera back on.

Forootan spoke of his faith in Christ, and he spent the next 105 days in Iran’s harshest prison. On Dec. 26, 2010, authorities had arrested Forootan in a wave of persecution against Iran’s underground church. More than three months later, he was one of a few who had not been released.

During one interrogation, an officer turned on a camcorder and pointed it toward him, demanding that Forootan tell him about his “crime.” Forootan began to tell him how he had struggled with substance abuse as a teenager, “and how when I was in university I found Jesus and He saved me, and I have been free ever since. But he became angry and turned off the camera. He said, ‘I asked you to tell about your crime, not evangelize us.’”

After months of trying to get him to write statements confessing a crime, authorities inexplicably released him. Forootan said his first month out of prison was one of the worst of his life. He couldn’t speak to anyone of his prison experience for fear that authorities were watching and would re-arrest him. His parents had given the deed of their house to authorities as bail.

He and his fiancée decided it was best for him to leave Iran and go to Turkey as a refugee. For Forootan, this meant an illegal escape through the mountains, because authorities had confiscated his passport.

“I came out of Iran with 70 Afghanis,” Forootan said. “I went to the mountains and walked in the mountains for eight hours, and after eight hours I came to Turkey…That was really hard, because I really love Iran, and I’m really sad about this land. Maybe I can’t see my country again.”

Many who follow Jesus in other lands make great sacrifices for the sake of the gospel. Despite harsh treatment—even prison with interrogations—they still love their home country. But during those interrogations, the Holy Spirit gives the right words to be spoken.

RESPONSE: Today I will rest in the Lord realizing that when pressures come, He is with me and His Spirit will give me the right words to speak.

PRAYER: Pray for those who like Forootan above are forced to leave the home land they love because of their witness to the gospel of Christ.

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 30, 2019 - DRAGGING FEET?

"DRAGGING FEET?"

Dec. 30, 2019

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

—Luke 2:15-16 (ESV)

When I was a child, almost every day I would hear these words: "Hurry up! You're going to be late! Are you a turtle? Get down here right now!"

Those words did not inspire me with joy, to say the least. They meant I was about to get in trouble. They meant the speaker was mad at me. And so I was even less willing to hurry up, because doing that would only mean I got to be around an angry adult that much faster.

But nobody had to hurry up the shepherds in this story. "They went with haste" to Bethlehem, the story says. They hurried themselves up. They were looking forward to getting to their goal—finding the baby Jesus that God had told them about. And when they saw Him, they were happy.

It's still like that for us now, isn't it? Tell us to "hurry up" to something unpleasant and it's just not happening. Our feet may move quickly, but our hearts stay behind. But give us a reason to move—a party, a new movie, an all-you-can-eat buffet—and it's amazing how quickly everyone takes off. The house is empty in seconds.

God knows this about us. And so He calls us to Him with love and mercy, not with anger and threats. Jesus says, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

In another place He says, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38).

You are wanted by God—deeply, truly wanted. He calls you to Him. He is not planning to scold or punish you when you get there. Instead, He is giving you a Gift—the best gift of all—our Savior Jesus, to be your own.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, bring me to You with trust and joy, to receive Your blessings. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Are you the kind of person who is always late or always early?
• What motivates you to get somewhere as quickly as possible?
• If Jesus appeared to you visibly today, would you run to Him, walk, or stand still? Why?

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).
Are you the kind of person who is always late or always early?

CPTLN devocional del 30 de Diciembre de 2019 - ¿Arrastrando los pies?

ADVIENTO—NAVIDAD 2019

¿Arrastrando los pies?

30 de Diciembre de 2019

Cuando los ángeles volvieron al cielo, los pastores se dijeron unos a otros: "Vayamos a Belén, y veamos esto que ha sucedido, y que el Señor nos ha dado a conocer." Así que fueron de prisa, y hallaron a María y a José, y el niño estaba acostado en el pesebre.

—Lucas 2:15-16 (RVC)

Cuando era niña, casi todos los días escuchaba estas palabras: "¡Date prisa! ¡Vas a llegar tarde! ¡Eres más lenta que una tortuga! ¡Ven aquí ahora mismo!"

Pero en esta historia nadie tuvo que apurar a los pastores. "Fueron de prisa" a Belén, dice la historia. Se apresuraron a ir. Esperaban llegar a su meta: encontrar al niño Jesús, de quien Dios les había hablado. Y cuando lo vieron, se llenaron de felicidad.

Todavía es así para nosotros ahora, ¿verdad? Si nos dicen que vayamos "de prisa" hacia algo desagradable, no queremos movernos. Nuestros pies pueden moverse rápidamente, pero nuestros corazones se quedan atrás. Pero si nos dan una razón para movernos, como una fiesta, una nueva película, un buffet con todo lo que uno pueda comer, es sorprendente lo rápido que vamos. La casa queda vacía en segundos.

Dios sabe esto de nosotros. Por eso es que nos llama con amor y misericordia, no con ira y amenazas. Jesús dice: "Vengan a mí todos ustedes, los agotados de tanto trabajar, que yo los haré descansar" (Mateo 11:28).

Y en otro lugar dice: "Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba. Del interior del que cree en mí, correrán ríos de agua viva, como dice la Escritura" (Juan 7:37-38).

Dios te ama profunda y verdaderamente. Él te llama, pero no para regañarte o castigarte, sino para darte un regalo, el mejor regalo de todos: nuestro Salvador Jesús, para que sea tuyo.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, acércame a ti con confianza y alegría para recibir tus bendiciones. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Qué te motiva a llegar lo más rápido posible a algún lugar?
• Si Jesús se te apareciera hoy, ¿correrías hacia él, caminarías o te quedarías quieto? ¿Por qué?

© 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.
¿Qué te motiva a llegar lo más rápido posible a algún lugar?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Une lacune intentionnelle

Une lacune intentionnelle

Lisez : Ésaïe 22.8-11

La Bible en un an : Zacharie 13 – 14 ; Apocalypse 21

Mais vous ne regardez pas vers celui qui a voulu ces choses.

—Ésaïe 22.11

Une source naturelle jaillit à l’est de Jérusalem. Dans l’Antiquité, c’était la seule source d’approvisionnement en eau de la ville et elle était située à l’extérieur des remparts. C’était donc le point le plus vulnérable de Jérusalem. En effet, en détournant ou en endiguant cette source, un ennemi pouvait forcer la ville, autrement imprenable, à se rendre.

Inquiet de cette faiblesse, le roi Ézéchias a fait bâtir un aqueduc dans 535 mètres de roc pour relier le ruisseau à la ville, où il se déverserait dans « l’étang » (voir 2 R 20.20 ; 2 CH 32.2-4). Reste qu’il est écrit ceci au sujet d’Ézéchias et des habitants de Jérusalem : « Mais vous ne regardez pas vers celui qui a voulu ces choses » (ÉS 22.11). Voulu quoi ?

Dieu a lui-même « voulu » que la source d’eau de Jérusalem soit sans protection. Cette source hors des murailles constituait un rappel constant du fait que les habitants de la ville ne devaient compter que sur elle pour leur salut.

Se peut-il que nos faiblesses existent pour notre bien ? En effet, l’apôtre Paul a dit qu’il se glorifiait dans ses limites, car c’était dans sa faiblesse que Jésus manifestait sa beauté et sa puissance en lui (2 CO 12.9,10). Pouvons-nous donc considérer chacune de nos limites comme un don qui révèle Dieu comme étant notre force ?

Nos faiblesses existent pour que se révèle en nous la puissance de Dieu.

par David H. Roper

© 2019 Ministères NPQ
Cette source hors des murailles constituait un rappel constant du fait que les habitants de la ville ne devaient compter que sur elle pour leur salut.