The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, January 10, 2020

Psalm 29; 1 Samuel 3:10—4:1a; Acts 9:10-19a

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, January 10, 2020

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 29

The voice of God upon the waters

1  Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
     worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3  The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
     the God of glory thunders,
     the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4  The voice of the Lord is powerful;
     the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
     the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6  He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
     Sirion like a young wild ox.
7  The voice of the Lord strikes
     with flashes of lightning.
8  The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
     the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9  The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
     and strips the forests bare.
   And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
     the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
     the Lord blesses his people with peace.

1 Samuel 3:10—4:1a

Samuel receives the word of God at Shiloh

3:10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

4:1a And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

Acts 9:10-19a

Ananias receives Saul into the church

9:10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19a and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

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 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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 what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, January 10, 2020
Psalm 29; 1 Samuel 3:10—4:1a; Acts 9:10-19a

The Daily Prayer for FRIDAY, January 10, 2020

The Daily Prayer

FRIDAY, January 10, 2020

Desert mother Amma Theodora wrote, “Let us strive to enter by the narrow gate. Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter’s storms, cannot bear fruit, so it is with us; this present age is a storm and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.”

Lord, you have conquered death. You have gone down to the depths of Sheol and risen again to life. Help us to remember as we suffer with you that we will also rise with you to a life that never ends. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, January 10, 2020

1 Peter 1:15-16

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Read all of 1 Peter 1

Listen to 1 Peter 1

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 10 de enero de 2020

Tú haces tu día diferente

No se inquieten por nada; más bien, en toda ocasión, con oración y ruego, presenten sus peticiones a Dios y denle gracias.

—Filipenses 4:6 (NVI)

Por favor, no te levantes repitiendo un viejo refrán: «Estoy salado. ¡Hoy no es mi día!».

Hoy es el día que Dios hizo para ti y para mí. Lo hizo con tanto amor que Él dice en el Manual de Instrucciones que las misericordias de Dios «nuevas son cada mañana» (Lamentaciones 3:23, RV-60).

No todos los días son buenos ni son malos. Solo que cada uno es diferente y tiene sus propias preocupaciones. Sin embargo, tú eres el chef que le da la sazón. Tener problemas, preocupaciones, levantarte y ver el día nublado, no debe determinar tu felicidad. Esto parece fácil, pero no lo es cuando estamos en días difíciles.

En medio de mis pruebas aprendí a mantener el gozo. Así que un día llevé de mi mente al corazón lo que quizá has escuchado y repetido muchas veces: «El gozo del Señor es nuestra fortaleza» (Nehemías 8:10). O sea, que si a pesar de lo que estoy viviendo, entiendo y practico este principio, el resultado va a ser que mi día será mucho mejor y voy a poder sentirme feliz aunque esté pasando por un momento de preocupación.

Esta actitud es precisamente lo determinante ante la vida. Así que cambia los pensamientos negativos por pensamientos positivos y busca a Dios con todo el corazón. De ese modo, notaras la diferencia. Sentirás que ese día que parecía imposible de sobrevivir, fue uno liviano y hasta feliz.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
No todos los días son buenos ni son malos. Solo que cada uno es diferente y tiene sus propias preocupaciones.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, January 10, 2020

GOD HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

—Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He is always in control over His vast universe and even our seemingly insignificant lives. Here is a true-life story from a member of the persecuted church:

“I was the only convert of a man who died thinking he was useless to God. Both our crimes were for violent robbery, and we actually shared a prison cell together.

“He told me about how—by mistake—he had been placed into a cell with a group of Christians. They were singing hymns at night and praising God together. He saw them as a soft touch and robbed them of their food parcels. He even beat them to show who was boss. For the first time in years, he felt powerful again. But somehow they were not afraid of him and repeatedly shared their faith in Christ.

“One day, in a fit of anger, he took his knife to kill one of them. But something—or Someone—blocked him from bringing down the knife. For the first time, he was up against a force more powerful than himself, and one he could not understand. At that moment, he put his trust in Christ. The prison authorities realized he had been allocated to the wrong cell, and they moved him to solitary confinement. There he pleaded with God, ‘Lord, let me witness to Your power and love before I die.’

“One night the prison was overcrowded, and I was put into his cell. I could see he was far-gone, barely conscious. He beckoned me close to his lips told me all about Jesus and how He loved me and wanted to save me. “When I woke up in the morning, he was cold and dead. I was to be moved to a hard labor camp that day, but the truck that was to take me there broke down. So I ended up in another cell—the one full of Christians.

“My truck was delayed a week. At that time the Christians told me the whole story about this man. They were delighted to learn he had witnessed to me before he died. The night before I was moved, I too trusted Christ.

“That’s the strength of suffering for Christ. It kept a dying man going because he wanted to witness. It kept those Christian prisoners buoyant all through their captivity. It gave me hope when I looked ahead at eight years of hard labor camp. I would have died if not for Christ.”

RESPONSE: Today I will live in the awareness and peace that God has everything under control—no matter what storms I face.

PRAYER: Pray that all those living in conditions as described above, will also understand God’s purposes for their lives and realize the strength and meaningfulness in suffering for 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 - January 10, 2020 - How Do We Do It?

"How Do We Do It?"

Jan. 10, 2020

(Jesus said) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."

—John 13:34 (ESV)

"How do you do it?"

A friend and I had been chattering on about trivialities over our burgers and fries for nearly 20 minutes before he sprung that question.

Do what, I wondered until he reminded me that he was single. The solitude of living alone once more after two years of marriage weighed almost unbearably on him.

The divorce followed the classic pattern. The couple was married before either of them celebrated a 19th birthday. There were the pressures of too little money combined with the demands of school and delayed careers. Family entanglements strained the relationship even more. Personality quirks in both partners that seemed trivial (or even amusing) in month one, proved all but unbearable in month 21.

Both individuals were Christians. Both were sinners. Both were reluctant to seek help before it was too late. Then, one morning shortly before Christmas, he awoke to find her gone.

How do you do it? The ice cubes in our sodas melted as we talked and talked. Seeing his pain, I had no pat answers.

God ordained marriage. He did not intend to provide escape clauses for incompatibility or personal convenience. Jesus tells us that Moses allowed divorce only because of the hardness of our hearts. The root of all divorce is sin—sin on the part of both partners to a greater or lesser degree.

Yet as much as God hates sin, He clearly loves sinners. He grieves over our heartaches even more than we do.

Many times divorced people lose not only their spouse but several of their friends as well. The couples with whom a divorced person used to socialize now feel uncomfortable with him or her. Singles not yet married act so as to betray the attitude "You had your chance and blew it." Christians, who of all people should know and show the love of Jesus toward sinners, speak with harsh and unfeeling judgment, ostracizing the newly single person.

A friend of mine keeps a rock on her desk with a large "I" printed on it in magic marker. When tempted to gossip, she glances at it and remembers the words of Jesus: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7b).

How do we do it? How do we show more committedly the sacredness of marriage? Yet, realizing human weakness, how can we minister more lovingly to those of our brothers and sisters agonizing with the pain of divorce. The woman at the well of Samaria had divorced five husbands and was living in adultery with another man. Jesus went out of His way to meet her where she was at in life—and love her.

How can we do anything less?

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive the hardness of our hearts toward others. May we, like Jesus, see people as hurting, lonely, and in need of Your saving love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Why do you think the Bible places such significance on marriage?
• How do we love others with the love of Christ?
• Do you have any special things you do to keep your self-importance in check?

From The Lutheran Layman, April 1980 issue, "The First Stone" by Jane Fryar. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Why do you think the Bible places such significance on marriage?

CPTLN devocional del 10 de enero de 2020 - ¿Cómo lo logras?

ALIMENTO DIARIO

¿Cómo lo logras?

10 de Enero de 2020

Un mandamiento nuevo les doy: Que se amen unos a otros. Así como yo los he amado, ámense también ustedes unos a otros.

—Juan 13:34 (RVC)

"¿Cómo logro superarlo?"

Un amigo y yo estuvimos hablando de tonterías como las hamburguesas y papas fritas durante casi 20 minutos antes de que surgiera esa pregunta. ¿Superar qué?, le pregunté, hasta que me recordó que se había separado de su pareja. El vivir solo una vez más, después de dos años de matrimonio, pesaba casi insoportablemente sobre él.

Su divorcio siguió el patrón clásico. La pareja se casó antes de que ninguno de los dos celebrara su cumpleaños número 19. Tenían las presiones de muy poco dinero combinado con las demandas de la Universidad y las carreras retrasadas. Los enredos familiares tensaron la relación aún más. Las peculiaridades de personalidad en ambos, que parecían triviales (o incluso divertidas) en el primer mes, resultaron insoportables en el mes 21.

Ambos eran cristianos. Ambos eran pecadores. Y ambos fueron reacios a buscar ayuda antes de que fuera demasiado tarde. Entonces una mañana, poco antes de Navidad, él se despertó y ella ya no estaba.

¿Cómo logro superarlo? Los cubitos de hielo en nuestros refrescos se derritieron mientras hablamos y hablamos. Al ver su dolor, no tuve respuestas.

Dios ordenó el matrimonio. No tenía la intención de proporcionar cláusulas de escape por incompatibilidad o conveniencia personal. Jesús nos dice que Moisés permitió el divorcio solo por la dureza de nuestros corazones. La raíz de todo divorcio es el pecado: el pecado de ambos socios en mayor o menor grado.

Sin embargo, por mucho que Dios odie el pecado, claramente ama a los pecadores. Él se entristece por nuestras angustias aún más que nosotros.

Muchas veces las personas divorciadas pierden no solo a su cónyuge, sino también a varios de sus amigos. Las parejas con las que una persona divorciada solía socializar ahora se sienten incómodas con él o ella. Los solteros aún no casados tratan de ocultar lo que están pensando: "Tuviste tu oportunidad y la desperdiciaste". Los cristianos, que de todas las personas deberían conocer y mostrar el amor de Jesús hacia los pecadores, hablan con un juicio duro e insensible, excluyendo a la persona soltera.

Una amiga mía mantiene una piedra en su escritorio con las palabras "yo no" impresa en ella con un marcador mágico. Cuando se siente tentada a chismear o hablar de otros, ella la mira y recuerda las palabras de Jesús: «Aquel de ustedes que esté sin pecado, que le arroje la primera piedra» (Juan 8:7b).

¿Cómo logramos superarlo? ¿Cómo mostramos con más compromiso la santidad del matrimonio? Al darnos cuenta de la debilidad humana, ¿cómo podemos ministrar más amorosamente a nuestros hermanos y hermanas que sufren con el dolor del divorcio?

La mujer en el pozo de Samaria se había divorciado de cinco maridos y vivía en adulterio con otro hombre. Jesús hizo todo lo posible para encontrarse con ella así como estaba su vida y amarla con compasión.

¿Cómo podemos nosotros no hacer lo mismo?

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, perdona la dureza de nuestros corazones hacia los demás. Que nosotros, como Jesús, veamos con amor a las personas que sufren, están solas y necesitadas de tu amor salvador. En el Nombre de Jesús oramos. Amén.

The Lutheran Layman, abril de 1980, Jane Fryar.

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Por qué crees que la Biblia le da tanta importancia al matrimonio?
• ¿Cómo amamos a los demás con el amor de Cristo?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Por qué crees que la Biblia le da tanta importancia al matrimonio?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Ở Đây Có Rồng?

Ở Đây Có Rồng?

Đọc: II Ti-mô-thê 1:6–14 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Sáng thế ký 25-26; Ma-thi-ơ 8:1–17

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Đức Chúa Trời không ban cho chúng ta tinh thần nhút nhát, nhưng tinh thần mạnh mẽ, có tình yêu thương và tự chủ.

—II Ti-mô-thê 1:7

Theo truyền thuyết, để đánh dấu biên giới mà những người vẽ bản đồ biết vào thời đó, ở rìa của các bản đồ thời trung cổ có khắc dòng chữ “Ở đây có rồng” – kèm theo những minh họa sống động về những con thú đáng sợ được cho là đang ẩn nấp ở đó.

Không có nhiều bằng chứng để biết liệu những người vẽ bản đồ thời trung cổ có thực sự viết dòng chữ này không, nhưng tôi nghĩ là có thể. Có lẽ bởi vì “ở đây có rồng” nghe giống như điều tôi đã từng viết – cảnh báo quyết liệt rằng ngay cả khi không biết chính xác điều gì sẽ xảy ra nếu mạo hiểm bước đến nơi chưa từng biết thì khả năng sẽ có chuyện chẳng lành!

Nhưng chủ trương tự bảo vệ và không thích rủi ro của tôi có vấn đề, nó trái ngược với sự can đảm mà người tin Chúa Jêsus được kêu gọi để sống (II Tim. 1:7).

Có lẽ ai đó sẽ nói rằng tôi đã sai lầm về điều thực sự nguy hiểm. Như Phao-lô giải thích, việc dũng cảm theo Đấng Christ trong một thế giới đổ vỡ đôi khi sẽ phải chịu đau đớn (c.8). Nhưng là những người được đem từ sự chết đến sự sống và được ban cho sự sống của Thánh Linh tuôn tràn trong và qua chúng ta (c.9-10, 14), làm sao chúng ta có thể không theo Ngài?

Khi Chúa ban cho chúng ta món quà này, việc sợ hãi thu mình sẽ là điều thật sự đáng buồn – tồi tệ hơn nhiều so với bất cứ điều gì chúng ta có thể phải đối diện khi bước theo sự dẫn dắt của Đấng Christ để đến nơi chưa từng đến (c.6, 8, 12). Chúng ta có thể phó thác tấm lòng và cả tương lai cho Ngài (c.12).

Đâu là nỗi sợ mà có lẽ Chúa đang kêu gọi bạn đương đầu? Sự giúp đỡ và tình yêu thương của các tín hữu khác khích lệ bạn ra sao trong lúc đối diện với những sợ hãi?

Lạy Chúa yêu thương, cảm ơn Ngài đã ban cho chúng con cuộc đời mới và được tự do khỏi tất cả những điều làm chúng con tê liệt trong nỗi sợ hãi và hổ thẹn. Xin giúp chúng con tìm kiếm sự bình an trong Ngài.

bởi Monica Brands

© 2020 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Không có nhiều bằng chứng để biết liệu những người vẽ bản đồ thời trung cổ có thực sự viết dòng chữ này không, nhưng tôi nghĩ là có thể.