The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2020

Psalm 89:5-37; Isaiah 51:1-16; Matthew 12:15-21

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, January 15, 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.”

Isaiah 51:1-16

Through water God’s people cross over

1  “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
     and who seek the Lord:
   Look to the rock from which you were cut
     and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
2  look to Abraham, your father,
     and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
   When I called him he was only one man,
     and I blessed him and made him many.
3  The Lord will surely comfort Zion
     and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
   he will make her deserts like Eden,
     her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.
   Joy and gladness will be found in her,
     thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

4  “Listen to me, my people;
     hear me, my nation:
   Instruction will go out from me;
     my justice will become a light to the nations.
5  My righteousness draws near speedily,
     my salvation is on the way,
     and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
   The islands will look to me
     and wait in hope for my arm.
6  Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
     look at the earth beneath;
   the heavens will vanish like smoke,
     the earth will wear out like a garment
     and its inhabitants die like flies.
   But my salvation will last forever,
     my righteousness will never fail.

7  “Hear me, you who know what is right,
     you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
   Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
     or be terrified by their insults.
8  For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
     the worm will devour them like wool.
   But my righteousness will last forever,
     my salvation through all generations.”

9  Awake, awake, arm of the Lord,
     clothe yourself with strength!
   Awake, as in days gone by,
     as in generations of old.
   Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces,
     who pierced that monster through?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
     the waters of the great deep,
   who made a road in the depths of the sea
     so that the redeemed might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued will return.
     They will enter Zion with singing;
     everlasting joy will crown their heads.
   Gladness and joy will overtake them,
     and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you.
     Who are you that you fear mere mortals,
     human beings who are but grass,
13 that you forget the Lord your Maker,
     who stretches out the heavens
     and who lays the foundations of the earth,
   that you live in constant terror every day
     because of the wrath of the oppressor,
     who is bent on destruction?
   For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14   The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;
   they will not die in their dungeon,
     nor will they lack bread.
15 For I am the Lord your God,
     who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
     the Lord Almighty is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth
     and covered you with the shadow of my hand—
   I who set the heavens in place,
     who laid the foundations of the earth,
     and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

Matthew 12:15-21

The words of Isaiah applied to Jesus

12:15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
     the one I love, in whom I delight;
   I will put my Spirit on him,
     and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
     no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
     and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
   till he has brought justice through to victory.
21   In his name the nations will put their hope.”

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 WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2020
Psalm 89:5-37; Isaiah 51:1-16; Matthew 12:15-21

The Daily Prayer for WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2020

The Daily Prayer

WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2020

On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. In celebration of his contribution to the civil rights movement, the United States Congress made the third Monday in January a national holiday in 1983. While we celebrate Dr. King’s contribution to America, we also remember his insistence that the church exist as the “conscience of the state,” speaking prophetically to those in power. We honor Dr. King with all Americans, but we also remember that the sermon he intended to preach the Sunday after his assassination was titled “Why America May Go to Hell.”

Martin Luther King Jr. preached, “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, that rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

Lord, as we wake from another night’s slumber, we are reminded that your dreams are given to us and not merely conjured up by our imaginations. Help us understand both that your dreams come at a price and that their rewards are immeasurable. Amen.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2020

John 8:31-32

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Read all of John 8

Listen to John 8

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 - Miércoles 15 de enero de 2020

Él cambia nuestra tristeza

Sabemos que Dios dispone todas las cosas para el bien de quienes lo aman.

—Romanos 8:28 (NVI)

Parece irónico decir que de lo malo que nos pasa en la vida Dios, en algún momento, lo cambiará para bien. Creo que no hay algo que cause más dolor que los resbalones, las equivocaciones o, como decimos, «las metiditas de pata». Debemos entender que una mala decisión nos puede cambiar la vida. Sin embargo, Dios perdona un error y nos da una nueva oportunidad si nos arrepentimos de corazón, aunque no logremos escapar de las consecuencias de lo que hacemos en la vida, sea bueno o malo.

Algunos aprenden de los errores y cambian de manera radical. Ese no fue mi caso. Cometía un error tras otro y Dios me daba nuevas oportunidades, pero volvía a fallar. Hasta que un día, Él tuvo que cambiar mi camino para enderezar mi corazón. De una relación extramatrimonial quedé embarazada y pasé uno de los momentos más difíciles de mi vida. Tuve que enfrentarme a Dios, a mis princesas, a los pastores y reconocer mi error y vivir las consecuencias. Así que perdí mi trabajo, nos abandonó el padre de mi hija y se lastimó mi testimonio. Por eso, tuve que volver a empezar desde cero.

No obstante, en esta etapa aprendí a conocer a Dios de otra manera. En medio del dolor, no me abandonó y dejó en mis manos una hermosísima responsabilidad: Mi princesa Anacristina que llenó mi corazón de felicidad. Vi cómo de una mala situación pasé a ser la madre más feliz y orgullosa de sus hijas. De modo que al poco tiempo, Dios me devolvió absolutamente todo. Volví a la radio, pero convertida en una nueva mujer. Por favor, ¡aprendamos de los errores!

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Parece irónico decir que de lo malo que nos pasa en la vida Dios, en algún momento, lo cambiará para bien.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Wednesday, January 15, 2020

NO WORRIES IN A YEAR OF DROUGHT

“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…It has no worries in a year of drought…”

—Jeremiah 17:7-8c (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 which has nothing to worry about even when a whole year goes by with no rain.

A young Christian boy in Iraq shares this insight after the bombing of his church in late 2010:

I always imagine having a special cape, like superman wears, as I run in and out of my sister’s bedroom. The cape is gold with red print just like the curtains in our dining room. I think of myself as a protector of the royal realm and my sister as a princess to guard—well, ok, when she isn’t making me mad.

I used to play outside, but when the war started we had to play inside all the time. When we do go outside we take the car, but I help my dad check under the car first for bombs. We are always checking things around the house and everyone is very nervous when we travel even short trips around the city. We even have some suitcases stuffed with things in case we have to leave in the middle of the night. I wonder if any of my toys will fit in those bags.

A really, really bad thing happened at our church and I lost a lot of my friends. They were all killed. I didn’t see it, but I heard most of the stories. I think lots of things will never be the same and that I need to take the role of protector and guardian of the realm. If I have this special cape I can protect my family.

At night before my sister goes to bed my parents pray with her. I can hear my sister now. She is praying, “God help that they don’t bomb another church and that there are no car bombs, stop the blood.” She has been very scared since the bad thing happened in the church and my mom often comes to her at night to pray with her again after nightmares. She didn’t use to have these things.

Then my dad comes to pray for me. He tells me that Jesus will take care of us and I mustn’t worry. He tells me that God even loves the people who hurt us. He tells me that Jesus is love—and that it is something like my special cape.

With confidence in the Lord, we can have no worries even when the drought lasts a year or more.

RESPONSE: Today I will place my trust and confidence only in God asking Him to bear my worries.

PRAYER: Lord, give courage, peace, and confidence to those of our family living in areas of violence.

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 15, 2020 - Staying Connected

"Staying Connected"

Jan. 15, 2020

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

—1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (ESV)

Do you ever skim the surface when you pray? I do. We may have a preset list of things we pray for ourselves or others: good health, safety, and protection, good grades, a nice bonus, a life of "smooth sailing." These are all things easy to pray for—good things I think—but they often have a kind of prayer default ring to them, as if we've prayed them a millions times before and sometimes without much thought.

When I read Paul's introductory prayer for the church at Corinth, I'm impressed with the apostle's ever-present concern for the believers' wellbeing. He knows Jesus will sustain them through whatever trials they face, even as they stand firm in the faith, waiting eagerly for His revelation, abiding in fellowship.

Paul seems to go deeper in his prayers; he drills down to the real issues. He speaks to the heart of the matter. While he might pray for a settled life for the Corinthian church, free of persecution and dissent, he mostly wants them to know Jesus. He wants them to hold fast to the Savior, the One who forgives and redeems, the One whose final revealing they wait for, and the One who will sustain them—guiltless—to the end. It's all about Jesus for Paul.

There's a lesson here for us, too.

It's difficult at times to have that kind of prayer focus. It is for me, at least. The world pokes and prods from all directions. What seems critical and urgent is often all but forgotten in a few short hours. That's not to say it's not worth praying about, but it often reflects the self-involved nature of our prayers. Still, though I fumble about and offer a good many prayers just like that, it's good to know God hears my pleas and blesses regardless.

Perhaps the thing to remember when it comes to prayer is to just do it. To "pray without ceasing," as Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17—to keep our prayers constant, frequently speaking with God regardless of where we're at and what we're doing. He knows we are weak and often focused on our own needs first, but He tells us to pray at all times anyway (see Ephesians 6:18).

He is a God who wants to hear from us! That's the kind of God we have; that's the kind of God who loves us.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may our prayers be pleasing to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Do you find yourself praying much throughout the day?
• What do you think a prayer from Paul would sound like today if he were praying about believers in the United States?
• Do you pray for people's faith much—i.e. that they come to faith in Jesus or stay close to God in their faith?

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).
Do you find yourself praying much throughout the day?

CPTLN devocional del 15 de enero de 2020 - Siempre en contacto

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Siempre en contacto

15 de Enero de 2020

Siempre doy gracias a mi Dios por ustedes y por la gracia que él les ha dado en Cristo Jesús. Porque en él ustedes fueron enriquecidos en todas las cosas, tanto en palabra como en conocimiento. Así se ha confirmado en ustedes el testimonio acerca de Cristo, de tal manera que nada les falta en ningún don, mientras esperan la manifestación de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, el cual también los confirmará hasta el fin, para que sean irreprensibles en el día de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Fiel es Dios, quien los ha llamado a tener comunión con su Hijo Jesucristo, nuestro Señor.

—1 Corintios 1:4-9 (RVC)

¿Alguna vez hablas con Dios solo superficialmente? A veces yo lo hago. Quizá tengamos una lista preestablecida de cosas por las que pedimos para nosotros mismos o para otros: buena salud, seguridad y protección, buenas calificaciones, bonificación agradable, una vida sin mucho drama... Estas son cosas por las que es fácil orar, cosas buenas pero que a menudo tienen una especie de patrón de oración predeterminado, como si hubiéramos pedido lo mismo millones de veces y hasta sin pensarlo.

Cuando leí la oración introductoria de Pablo por la iglesia en Corinto, me impresionó la preocupación siempre presente del apóstol por el bienestar de los creyentes. Pablo sabía que en la oración Jesús los sostendría en cualquier prueba que tuvieran que enfrentar, por medio de la fe, esperando ansiosamente su revelación, permaneciendo en comunión.

Pablo parece profundizar en sus oraciones; él profundiza en cuanto a sus problemas reales. Él habla con Dios acerca del meollo del asunto. Si bien puede orar por una vida establecida para la iglesia de Corinto, libre de persecución y disensión, en su mayoría él ora para que otros conozcan a Jesús. Él quiere que se aferren al Salvador, Aquel que perdona y redime, Aquel cuya revelación final esperan, y Aquel que los sostendrá, sin culpa, hasta el final. Toda la vida de Pablo gira alrededor de Jesús.

Aquí hay una lección para nosotros.

A veces es difícil tener ese tipo de enfoque en la oración. El mundo nos llama en muchas direcciones. Lo que parece crítico y urgente a menudo se olvida en pocas horas. Eso no quiere decir que no valga la pena orar, pero a menudo refleja la naturaleza egoísta de nuestras oraciones. Aun así, aunque hago muchas oraciones superficiales, es bueno saber que Dios escucha mis súplicas y bendiciones de todos modos.

Quizás lo que hay que recordar en cuanto a la oración es simplemente que tenemos que hacerlo. Debemos "orar sin cesar", como dijo Pablo en 1 Tesalonicenses 5:17, para mantener nuestras oraciones constantes y frecuentemente hablar con Dios sin importar dónde estamos y qué estamos haciendo. Él sabe que somos débiles y, a menudo, nos enfocamos primero en nuestras propias necesidades, pero nos dice que oremos en todo momento de todos modos (ver Efesios 6:18).

¡Dios quiere oírnos! Ese es el Dios que tenemos: un Dios que nos ama.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, que nuestras oraciones sean agradables para ti. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Paul Schreiber

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Hablas con Dios durante el día?
• ¿Cómo crees que sonaría hoy una oración de Pablo si estuviera orando por los creyentes en este país?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Hablas con Dios durante el día?

Ministérios Pão Diário - Perseguindo a unidade

Perseguindo a unidade

Leia: Colossenses 3:9-17 | A Bíblia em um ano: GÊNESIS 36–38; MATEUS 10:21-42

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Nessa nova vida, não importa se você é judeu ou gentio, […] Cristo é tudo que importa, e ele vive em todos.

—Colossenses 3:11

Cresci na década de 1950, sem questionar o racismo e a segregação na cidade onde vivíamos. Nas escolas, restaurantes, transportes públicos e bairros, as pessoas eram separadas pela cor da pele.

Mudei de atitude em 1968 ao entrar no Exército. Servi com jovens de grupos multiculturais. Aprendemos rápido a entender e aceitar uns aos outros, trabalhar juntos e cumprir nossa missão.

Paulo escreveu à igreja, em Colossos, reconhecendo a diversidade de seus membros, e lhes lembrou: “não importa se você é judeu ou gentio, se é circuncidado ou incircuncidado, se é inculto ou incivilizado, se é escravo ou livre. Cristo é tudo que importa, e ele vive em todos” (v.11). Em um grupo onde as diferenças superficiais e as mais profundas poderiam facilmente dividir as pessoas, Paulo as exortou a revestirem-se de: “compaixão, bondade, humildade, mansidão e paciência” (v.12). E, além dessas virtudes, disse-lhes que se revestissem do amor “que une todos nós em perfeita harmonia” (v.14).

Colocar esses princípios em prática muitas vezes pode ser uma obra em andamento, mas é a isso que Jesus nos chama. O que nós, como cristãos, temos em comum é o nosso amor por Ele. Firmados nisso, buscamos a compreensão, a paz e a unidade como membros do Corpo de Cristo.

Em meio a toda a nossa maravilhosa diversidade, buscamos uma unidade ainda maior em Cristo.

Senhor, une-nos para que nos encorajemos uns aos outros.

O amor de Cristo traz unidade em meio à diversidade.

por David C. McCasland

© 2020 Ministérios Pão Diário
Mudei de atitude em 1968 ao entrar no Exército.