The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 128

God promises life

1  Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
     who walk in obedience to him.
2  You will eat the fruit of your labor;
    blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3  Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
     within your house;
   your children will be like olive shoots
     around your table.
4  Yes, this will be the blessing
     for the man who fears the Lord.

5  May the Lord bless you from Zion;
     may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
     all the days of your life.
6  May you live to see your children’s children—
     peace be on Israel.

Ezekiel 36:22-32

God will renew the people

36:22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

John 7:53—8:11

Jesus does not condemn the sinner

[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

7:53 Then they all went home, 8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

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, March 11, 2020
Psalm 128; Ezekiel 36:22-32; John 7:53—8:11

The Daily Prayer for WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020

The Daily Prayer

WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020

Third-century martyr Agnes of Rome said, “You may stain your sword with my blood, but you will never be able to profane my body, consecrated to Christ.”

Quiet our anxious spirits, Lord, and help us enjoy the peace you give which the world cannot take away. Amen.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Read all of Deuteronomy 7

Listen to Deuteronomy 7

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

The Lenten Prayer for WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020 - Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

40 Days of Lenten Prayers

Day 13 - Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

God of Love,

through this Lenten journey,

purify my desires to serve you.

Free me from any temptations to judge others,

to place myself above others.

Please let me surrender even my impatience

with others,

that with your love and your grace,

I might be less and less absorbed with myself,

and more and more full of the desire

to follow you, in laying down my life

according to your example.

Amen.

Un dia a la Vez - Miércoles 11 de marzo de 2020

Oración por entendimiento

Con tus manos me creaste, me diste forma. Dame entendimiento para aprender tus mandamientos.

— Salmo 119:73 (NVI)

Gracias te doy, Dios mío, porque aunque sea un lector de tu Palabra y me beneficie de sus enseñanzas, hoy, Padre, quiero pedirte por las personas que no te conocen. Quiero pedirte por las personas que tal vez ahora han sentido un gran deseo de empezar a buscar de ti, de conocer más de tu Palabra.

Te pido, Señor, que les des la facilidad de buscar y encontrar una Biblia.

Y, Dios mío, que cuando la encuentren, hallen verdadera revelación y puedan convertirla en un manual de vida y de conocimiento.

Abre sus mentes y prepara sus corazones para recibir todo lo que ya les tienes preparado desde la eternidad.

Gracias, Dios mío, por haberte inspirado y haber dejado esa maravillosa escuela de vida.

También te agradezco que muchos conocerán la Palabra y la Palabra los hará libres.

Te amo con todo mi corazón.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Oración por entendimiento

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Wednesday, March 11, 2020

FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

— I Peter 2:21 (NIV)

In the old Museum of Atheism and Religion in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during the cold war era, visitors upon entry were first subjected to a major display of pro-evolution propaganda. Then came the world religions section dominated by displays of the sordid history of Christianity such as the Inquisition and the Crusades.

Towering over that display area was a huge crucifix. The museum guides would explain it this way: “Christians love to suffer. Ever since their leader, Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross like this, they have had a persecution complex!”

While we are definitely not called upon to have a persecution complex, we as Christians are repeatedly reminded in scripture that our lot is indeed to follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Master.

When Jesus gave His last major teaching session to his disciples, he included a serious prediction about the reactions of the world. In what we now call the Upper Room Discourse (John 15-17), Jesus told his closest followers—probably as they were walking along (see John 14:31b)—that they were to remain [abide] in Him as a branch in the vineyard is connected to the main stalk.

He then reiterated his command that they were to love each other as He had loved them and was willing to lay down His life for them—the highest form of love. Little did they understand that prediction. Yet it would be fulfilled the very next day.

Then he contrasts that love of the brethren with the reaction of hatred from the world: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first…for they do not know the one who sent me” (John 15:18-21). A little further down in the discourse, He says, “…in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God” (John 16:2b).

Jesus was indicating that as He suffered, so would His disciples. Every human being endures some suffering in his lifetime. It may be the physical suffering of sickness or injury. It may be the inner suffering caused by the death of a loved one, rejection by friends, or simply loneliness. Whatever the cause may be, we all seek to avoid it as much as possible. The scriptures make it very plain that Christians are subject to all the causes of suffering common to men, plus the added persecution that comes with taking a clear stand for Christ.

RESPONSE: Today I will walk in the suffering footsteps of Jesus, my Lord and Saviour; no complaints.

PRAYER: Lord, give me grace to accept the responses of the world as Jesus did. As I abide in You, may I also show Your love to everyone.

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 - March 11, 2020 - GETTING IT RIGHT

"GETTING IT RIGHT"

March 11, 2020

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

— Matthew 16:13-16 (ESV)

My husband is a pastor with a mischievous sense of humor. Every time I ask him what he's preaching on this week, he says, "I'm going to preach on 'Who is Jesus?'" If he had preached on that topic every time he said he would, we'd be up to about 5,000 sermons on it so far!

Still, he's got one thing right. The question "Who is Jesus?" is very important. Peter got it right—he answered Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." What does this mean? And what does it mean for us?

First of all, Jesus is the Christ—the Anointed One, the One God chose to be our King and Savior. He is the One God promised long ago to send into this world. All the prophets foretold His coming.

This means we can rely on Him. He is not some self-appointed Messiah who will let us down in hard times. The full authority of God lies behind Him. Whatever He says and does is what God sent Him to do and say. He is utterly trustworthy.

Second, He is the Son of the living God. Jesus is not simply a man, no matter how great or wonderful. He is, in fact, God Himself—the Second Person of the Trinity, sent by God the Father to become a human being among us. This means He is not limited. As the Bible says, "He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him" (Hebrews 7:25a). Because He is the Son of God, His suffering and death on the cross are enough to rescue every one of us—and to raise us from the dead, just as He Himself rose.

THE PRAYER: Lord, help me to know and trust that You are who You say You are. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Who are you? What are the first three quick answers that spring to mind?
2. Which name or title of Jesus is closest to your heart, and why?
3. Why does it matter who Jesus is?

Lenten 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).
Who are you? What are the first three quick answers that spring to mind?

Devocional CPTLN del 11 de marzo de 2020 - Haciéndole bien

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Haciéndole bien

11 de Marzo de 2020

Al llegar a la región de Cesarea de Filipo, Jesús preguntó a sus discípulos: "¿Quién dice la gente que es el Hijo del Hombre?" Ellos dijeron: "Unos dicen que es Juan el Bautista; otros, que es Elías; y otros, que es Jeremías o alguno de los profetas." Él les preguntó: "Y ustedes, ¿quién dicen que soy yo?" Simón Pedro respondió: "¡Tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo del Dios viviente!"

— Mateo 16:13-16 (RVC)

Mi esposo es un pastor con sentido del humor. Cada vez que le pregunto qué va a predicar esta semana, dice: "Voy a predicar sobre '¿Quién es Jesús?'" Si hubiera predicado sobre ese tema cada vez que dijo que lo haría, estaríamos ¡cerca de cinco mil sermones sobre él!

Aún así, dijo algo correcto. La pregunta "¿Quién es Jesús?" es muy importante. Pedro respondió a Jesús acertadamente: "Tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo del Dios viviente." ¿Qué significa esto para nosotros?

En primer lugar, que Jesús es el Cristo, el Ungido, el único que Dios escogió para ser nuestro Rey y Salvador. Él es aquél a quien Dios prometió enviar hace mucho tiempo a este mundo. Todos los profetas predijeron su venida. Esto significa que podemos confiar en él. Él no es un Mesías autoproclamado que nos defraudará en tiempos difíciles. La plena autoridad de Dios lo respalda. Lo que él dice y hace es lo que Dios le envió a hacer y decir. Él es completamente confiable.

Segundo, él es el Hijo del Dios viviente. Jesús no es simplemente un hombre, por más maravilloso que sea. De hecho, él es Dios mismo, la segunda persona de la Trinidad, enviada por Dios el Padre para convertirse en un ser humano entre nosotros. Esto significa que no está limitado. La Biblia dice: "Por eso, también puede salvar para siempre a los que por medio de él se acercan a Dios" (Hebreos 7:25). Debido a que él es el Hijo de Dios, su sufrimiento y muerte en la cruz son suficientes para rescatarnos a todos y resucitarnos de la muerte, tal como él mismo resucitó.

ORACIÓN: Señor, ayúdame a reconocer y a confiar en que eres quien dices que eres. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

1. ¿Qué nombre o título de Jesús está más cerca de tu corazón y por qué?
2. ¿Por qué es importante saber quién es Jesús?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué nombre o título de Jesús está más cerca de tu corazón y por qué?

Ministérios Pão Diário - Lealdade sem constrangimento

Lealdade sem constrangimento

Leia: Salmo 34:1-4 | A Bíblia em um ano: DEUTERONÔMIO 14–16; MARCOS 12:28-44

Baixe a versão MP3

Venham, proclamemos a grandeza do Senhor; juntos, exaltemos o seu nome.

— Salmo 34:3

Os fãs de esportes amam cantar as proezas de seus times. Vestindo as camisas, postando no Facebook sobre seus times amados, ou em conversas com amigos, os torcedores não deixam dúvidas sobre a sua lealdade. Meus bonés, camisetas e conversas sobre o meu time preferido indicam que também sou um dos que fazem isso.

Nossa lealdade aos esportes pode nos lembrar de que a nossa maior e mais verdadeira lealdade deve ser ao nosso Senhor. Penso nisso sem qualquer embaraço quando leio o Salmo 34. Nele, Davi chama nossa atenção a Alguém amplamente mais vital do que qualquer outro na Terra.

Davi afirma: “Louvarei o Senhor em todo o tempo” (v.1), e somos instados a pensar sobre os momentos em nossa vida quando vivemos como se Deus não fosse nossa fonte de verdade, luz e salvação. Ele diz: “meus lábios sempre o louvarão” (v.1), e pensamos sobre as muitas vezes que louvamos as coisas deste mundo mais do que o louvamos. Davi declara: “Somente no Senhor me gloriarei” (v.2), e percebemos que alardeamos mais nossos próprios pequenos sucessos do que o que Jesus fez por nós.

Não é errado gostar de nossos times, nossos interesses, nossas realizações. Mas nosso maior louvor vai para o nosso Senhor: “Venham, proclamemos a grandeza do Senhor; juntos, exaltemos o seu nome” (v.3).

Senhor, ajuda-me a ter o Teu louvor em meus lábios e a me gloriar em ti. Ajuda-me a manter o meu interesse em ti.

Lealdade a Deus é o teste de amor verdadeiro a Ele.

por Dave Branon

© 2020 Ministérios Pão Diário
Os fãs de esportes amam cantar as proezas de seus times.