The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, January 14, 2020

Psalm 89:5-37; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Acts 8:4-13

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, January 14, 2020

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 89:5-37

God anoints David to be a son

5  The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
     your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
6  For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
     Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
7  In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
     he is more awesome than all who surround him.
8  Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
     You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds
         you.

9  You rule over the surging sea;
     when its waves mount up, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
     with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
     you founded the world and all that is in it.
12 You created the north and the south;
     Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
13 Your arm is endowed with power;
     your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your
         throne;
     love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
     who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
     they celebrate your righteousness.
17 For you are their glory and strength,
     and by your favor you exalt our horn.
18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord,
     our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once you spoke in a vision,
     to your faithful people you said:
   “I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
     I have raised up a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David my servant;
     with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
21 My hand will sustain him;
     surely my arm will strengthen him.
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;
     the wicked will not oppress him.
23 I will crush his foes before him
     and strike down his adversaries.
24 My faithful love will be with him,
     and through my name his horn will be exalted.
25 I will set his hand over the sea,
     his right hand over the rivers.
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
     my God, the Rock my Savior.’
27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
     the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
28 I will maintain my love to him forever,
     and my covenant with him will never fail.
29 I will establish his line forever,
     his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 “If his sons forsake my law
     and do not follow my statutes,
31 if they violate my decrees
     and fail to keep my commands,
32 I will punish their sin with the rod,
     their iniquity with flogging;
33 but I will not take my love from him,
     nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant
     or alter what my lips have uttered.
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
     and I will not lie to David—
36 that his line will continue forever
     and his throne endure before me like the sun;
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
     the faithful witness in the sky.”

Jeremiah 1:4-10

God calls Jeremiah

1:4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
     before you were born I set you apart;
     I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Acts 8:4-13

Philip preaches and baptizes

8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

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 TUESDAY, January 14, 2020
Psalm 89:5-37; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Acts 8:4-13

The Daily Prayer for TUESDAY, January 14, 2020

The Daily Prayer

TUESDAY, January 14, 2020

Twentieth-century Maryknoll sister Mollie Rogers wrote, “Love, work, prayer, and suffering will sustain us in the future as they have in the past. All who are here now, all who will come after us, will have no other tools than these with which to build.”

Lord Jesus Christ, your blood washes away our sins and reconciles us to you. May we never get used to the wonder of a God who gives his own life for those who are killing him. Amen.

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, January 14, 2020

1 John 4:20-21

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Read all of 1 John 4

Listen to 1 John 4

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 - Martes 14 de enero de 2020

¿Por qué voy a desanimarme?

¿Por qué voy a desanimarme? ¿Por qué voy a estar preocupado? Mi esperanza he puesto en Dios.

—Salmo 42:11 (DHH)

El desánimo, la tristeza, la frustración y la baja autoestima son aliados para hacernos infelices. Dios, en su Palabra, dice: «El gozo del Señor es nuestra fortaleza» (Nehemías 8:10). Si comprendemos esta frase, veremos que este consejo que nos dejó Dios lo hizo como un Padre que sabía que tendríamos dificultades y momentos de prueba. Entonces, si nos manteníamos con gozo, que significa estar en Él, creyendo que está de nuestro lado, que no nos abandona en las situaciones que se presentan, sino que en cambio nos da la fuerza, tendremos la sabiduría y el entendimiento para escuchar su voz y salir adelante triunfantes. Eso nos ayudará a ver y vivir la vida de otra manera.

Esto no quiere decir que no sea válido sentirse mal. Somos humanos, pero nuestra manera de pensar debe cambiar y acoplarse a la mentalidad de Dios que solo espera que tú y yo seamos felices.

Es posible que en este mismo momento estés pasando la peor situación de tu vida. A lo mejor estás considerando si vale la pena seguir adelante. Por eso, Dios en este día te dice: «No pierdas la esperanza, no te desanimes, pues yo estoy contigo y te sacaré adelante. Así, podrás reconocer que yo soy tu Dios. Solo cree en mí».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
El desánimo, la tristeza, la frustración y la baja autoestima son aliados para hacernos infelices.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, January 14, 2020

LEAVES ARE ALWAYS GREEN

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream…its leaves are always green…”

—Jeremiah 17:7-8b (NIV)

Trees were not plentiful in Israel and most grew by sources of water like an oasis or a stream. Jeremiah’s simile indicates a person with confidence in the Lord is like a deep-rooted tree by the stream whose leaves never die but are always green.

Aunty Esther was the first Christian I met inside China thirty years ago. She was a diminutive elderly Chinese medical doctor with a soft, kind voice that masks the many years of suffering through which she has passed.

“During the Cultural Revolution,” she says, “I was called in by my superior one day. At that time I was in charge of eight large pediatric wards in my hospital. “The communists were cracking down on people who did not toe the current party line. My superior warned me that I should deny my faith and join the communist party or I may have to face the serious consequences of job demotion and salary reduction.

“A few days later, I was rudely awakened by four nurses who roughly pulled me from my bed and marched me to the hospital. En route, they stopped at a barbershop and shaved off half of my hair. In front of the rest of the staff, I was confronted to renounce my faith in Christ and join the communist party.

“I responded, ‘I can’t deny Jesus. I love Jesus!’ At the mention of his name they threw me down on the ground and cursed. Later, the communist cadre at my hospital tore the stethoscope from my neck and said, ‘You are no longer Esther; you are now The Fool.’

Esther continues. For the next eleven years, she lived in the basement of the hospital and obediently submitted to her new task—cleaning the floors and toilets of the hospital wards that she previously headed. Her already meager salary of 50 dollars per month was reduced to 15 dollars. And she had to buy the cleaning materials from it. The rest was used up on food.

But Esther practiced the presence of Jesus in her job. She sang as she toiled. With a twinkle in her eyes, she adds, “My hospital had the cleanest floors and cleanest toilets in all of China!” Hospital staff would come to her and with great envy question her source of joy in spite of her troubles. Esther responded, “When you have Jesus in your heart, it doesn’t matter what job you do or what position you have. It only matters that you love Him and are faithful and loyal to Him!”

When the Cultural Revolution period ended, Aunty Esther was reinstated in her original job and given back pay for all that she had been deprived during those eleven years. This amount enabled her to send one of her children to the USA for higher education. She faithfully carried on her public witness for Jesus until the day she died in her late nineties.

RESPONSE: I will allow my roots to grow deep in the Lord so that my leaves will always be green.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the example of faithful Aunty Esther whose life reflected Your love.

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 14, 2020 - Still Speaking

"Still Speaking"

Jan. 14, 2020

Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me a polished arrow; in His quiver He hid me away. And He said to me, "You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God." And now the LORD says, He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him; and that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength—He says: "It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

—Isaiah 49:1-7 (ESV)

Have you ever been honored to do a special task like deliver a speech or handle some tricky situation? Maybe your expertise was needed to perform some crucial function for your organization. Perhaps you were chosen from among many to do what it seemed only you could do, or you could do best. It felt good to be called upon to do something where you could contribute your special skills, didn't it?

Then again, sometimes we're called to do something we don't feel prepared at all to do. Isaiah may have felt this way. Prophesying during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (see Isaiah 1:1), he was tasked with declaring some of the Old Testament's most potent words. With messages of divine vengeance and wrath (see Isaiah 34), terrifying forecasts of foreign nations' invasions and wars (see Isaiah 10:5-6), and the general devastation that would follow, Isaiah was the kind of guy you didn't want to see coming your direction.

But along the way, Isaiah also offered some of the Bible's most wonderful words concerning God's love and forgiveness (see Isaiah 1:18). He spoke of God's future plan of redemption (see Isaiah 25:1-9). And he gave the poignant description of the "Suffering Servant," the One through whom our salvation will be carried out and accomplished (see Isaiah 52-53).

And today Isaiah is still speaking. His message is as relevant now as ever. Why? Because when you strip away the millennia of cultural change, people are still people. Just like errant ancient Israel, we too have gone our own way and heaped up our sins. But the Lord calls us home—to Jesus—the One who would carry our sins to the cross and triumph over the grave forevermore. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, like your prophet Isaiah, make us into people who hear Your voice and follow it. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Prophecy—do you think it happens much today?
• Do you have favorite prophesies or prophets from the Old Testament?
• Do you think much about the Lord's return in terms of prophecy and that it will happen one day?

This Daily Devotion was written by Paul Schreiber. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Prophecy—do you think it happens much today?

CPTLN devocional del 14 de enero de 2020 - Todavía habla

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Todavía habla

14 de Enero de 2020

¡Escúchenme, costas y pueblos lejanos! El Señor me llamó desde el vientre de mi madre; tuvo en cuenta mi nombre desde antes de que yo naciera. Hizo de mi boca una espada aguda, y me cubrió con la sombra de su mano; hizo de mí una flecha bruñida, y me guardó en su aljaba. Y me dijo: «Israel, tú eres mi siervo. Tú serás para mí motivo de orgullo.» Pero yo dije: «De balde he trabajado. He gastado mis fuerzas sin ningún provecho. Pero el Señor me hará justicia; mi Dios me dará mi recompensa.» Pero ahora ha hablado el Señor, el que me formó desde el vientre para que fuera yo su siervo; para que reuniera a Jacob, para que hiciera a Israel volverse a él (así yo seré muy estimado a los ojos del Señor, y mi Dios será mi fuerza), y ha dicho: «Muy poca cosa es para mí que tú seas mi siervo, y que levantes las tribus de Jacob y restaures al remanente de Israel. Te he puesto también como luz de las naciones, para que seas mi salvación hasta los confines de la tierra.» Así ha dicho el Señor, el Santo Redentor de Israel, al que es menospreciado, al que es odiado por las naciones, al siervo de los gobernantes: «Los reyes y los príncipes te verán y se levantarán, y se inclinarán ante el Señor, porque el Santo de Israel, que te ha escogido, es fiel.»

—Isaías 49:1-7 (RVC)

¿Alguna vez has tenido el honor de hacer algo especial, como dar un discurso o manejar una situación difícil? Tal vez se necesitó de tu experiencia para realizar una función crucial en tu trabajo. Quizás fuiste elegido entre muchos para hacer algo que solo tú podías hacer, o que tú quién podías hacerlo mejor. Se siente bien cuando nos piden hacer algo en lo que podemos contribuir con nuestras habilidades especiales, ¿no?

Pero a veces, por el contrario, se nos pide hacer algo para lo cual no nos sentimos preparados. Puede que Isaías se haya sentido así. Él fue profeta durante los reinados de cuatro reyes de Judá: Uzías, Jotam, Acaz y Ezequías (véase Isaías 1:1) a quien Dios encargó declarar algunas de las palabras más poderosas del Antiguo Testamento.

Con mensajes de venganza e ira divinas (ver Isaías 34), predicciones terroríficas de las invasiones y guerras de naciones extranjeras (ver Isaías 10:5-6), y la devastación general que seguiría, Isaías era el tipo de persona que uno no quisiera que se le acerque.

Pero a la misma vez, Isaías también pronunció algunas de las palabras más maravillosas de la Biblia sobre el amor y el perdón de Dios (véase Isaías 1:18). Él habló del plan futuro de redención de Dios (ver Isaías 25:1-9) y dio la descripción conmovedora del "Siervo Sufriente", Aquel a través del cual nuestra salvación se llevaría a cabo (véase Isaías 52-53).

Hoy Isaías sigue hablando. Su mensaje es tan relevante ahora como lo era antes. ¿Por qué? Porque cuando eliminamos los milenios de cambio cultural, al final las personas siguen siendo las mismas. Al igual que el antiguo Israel errante, nosotros también hemos seguido nuestros propios deseos y acumulado nuestros pecados. Pero el Señor nos llama de regreso a casa, a Jesús, quien llevó nuestros pecados a la cruz y triunfó sobre la tumba para siempre. "Todos perderemos el rumbo, como ovejas, y cada uno tomará su propio camino; pero el Señor descargará sobre él todo el peso de nuestros pecados." (Isaías 53:6).

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, como tu profeta Isaías, haznos personas que escuchen tu voz y la sigan. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Paul Schreiber

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Cuál es tu profecía o profeta favorito del Antiguo Testamento?
• ¿Piensas mucho en el regreso del Señor en términos de las profecías y en qué sucederá en ese día?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cuál es tu profecía o profeta favorito del Antiguo Testamento?

Nuestro Pan Diario - Tiempo para desacelerar

Tiempo para desacelerar

La escritura de hoy: Salmo 90:4, 12-15
La Biblia en un año: Génesis 33–35; Mateo 10:1-20

Enséñanos de tal modo a contar nuestros días, que traigamos al corazón sabiduría.

—Salmo 90:12

Mucho ha cambiado desde que se inventó el reloj eléctrico en la década de 1840. Ahora tenemos teléfonos inteligentes y ordenadores portátiles que dan la hora. La vida parece ir más rápido; incluso aceleramos el ritmo de nuestras caminatas «relajadas». Esto es particularmente cierto en las ciudades y puede afectar negativamente nuestra salud. Como señaló Richard Wiseman: «Estamos andando cada vez más rápido y alejándonos de la gente con la mayor velocidad posible. Pensamos que todo tiene que suceder ya».

Moisés, el escritor de uno de los salmos más antiguos de la Biblia, reflexionó sobre el tiempo, recordándonos que Dios controla el ritmo de la vida: «Porque mil años delante de tus ojos son como el día de ayer, que pasó, y como una de las vigilias de la noche» (Salmo 90:4).

Por tanto, el secreto para administrar el tiempo no está en ir más rápido o más despacio, sino en permanecer más tiempo con Dios. Así, ajustamos el paso con los demás, pero primero con Él, quien nos formó (139:13) y conoce todos nuestros propósitos y planes (v. 16).

Nuestro tiempo en la tierra no durará para siempre, pero podemos manejarlo sabiamente; no mirando el reloj, sino entregando cada día a Dios. Como dijo Moisés: «Enséñanos de tal modo a contar nuestros días, que traigamos al corazón sabiduría» (90:12).

De:  Patricia Raybon

Reflexiona y ora

Dios, ayúdame a caminar a tu ritmo.

¿A qué velocidad andas por la vida? ¿Cómo puedes pasar más tiempo con Dios, siguiendo su ritmo?

© 2020 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Mucho ha cambiado desde que se inventó el reloj eléctrico en la década de 1840.