The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, May 29, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, May 29, 2020

Psalm 33:12-22; Exodus 19:16-25; Romans 8:14-17

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 33:12-22

Our help and our shield

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
     the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
     and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
     all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
     who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
     no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
     despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
     on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
     and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
     he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
     for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
     even as we put our hope in you.

Exodus 19:16-25

Moses and Aaron meet the Lord

19:16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”

23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Romans 8:14-17

Led by the Spirit of God

8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

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, May 29, 2020
Psalm 33:12-22; Exodus 19:16-25; Romans 8:14-17

The Daily Prayer for FRIDAY, May 29, 2020

The Daily Prayer

FRIDAY, May 29, 2020

On May 29, 1968, the Poor People’s Campaign arrived in Washington, D.C. The campaign was established to broaden the civil rights movement to include disadvantaged people of all races. The main demonstration was held at the Mall in Washington, D.C., where people camped out in tents called Resurrection City. Seven thousand demonstrators made this tent city their home to bring attention to issues of poverty and injustice.

Mississippi civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer said, “Christianity is being concerned about your fellow man, not building a million-dollar church while people are starving right around the corner. Christ was a revolutionary person, out there where it was happening. That’s what God is all about, and that’s where I get my strength.”

Help us, Lord, to do the one thing that is necessary: to tend to the poor, to walk alongside the poor, to find you among the poor, to declare ourselves poor as long as anyone suffers need. May we begin this journey with just one person today. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, May 29, 2020

Psalm 103:17-18

But from everlasting to everlasting
  the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
  and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
  and remember to obey his precepts.

Read all of Psalm 103

Listen to Psalm 103

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 29 de mayo de 2020

Semana de celebración: El amor

Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.

— Juan 3:16 (RV-60)

La muestra más hermosa y grande del amor de Dios la hizo hace más de dos mil años cuando Dios entregó a su único Hijo, Jesucristo, para que viniera a este mundo hecho hombre y muriera por el perdón de nuestros pecados.

En realidad, no fue una muerte sencilla, Todo lo contrario, fue la peor manera en que podía morir un ser humano. Fue una muerte de cruz. ¿Sabías que la muerte de cruz era la más humillante en esa época? Así morían los ladrones y los repudiados. Además, era una muerte cruel y lenta.

Recuerda hoy ese sacrificio que Dios hizo por amor a nosotros para darnos una vida eterna.

Cuando tenemos este episodio claro en nuestra mente, podemos comprender que la salvación es un regalo de Dios y que desde ese capítulo de la historia, Dios nunca ha dejado de amarnos. Así nos lo demuestra día a día con la vida, las bendiciones, la naturaleza hermosa que disfrutamos y con la esperanza que cuando nos toque partir de este mundo, estaremos en su presencia por toda una eternidad.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
No fue una muerte sencilla, fue la peor manera en que podía morir un ser humano.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, May 29, 2020

COMPROMISED BY DECEIT

…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

— James 1:14-15 (NIV)

One of the touristic highlights of visiting China is to walk on the Great Wall. Six thousand kilometers of wall with ten thousand strategically placed towers stretch across the north of China, reportedly the only man-made object observable from space. Construction of various sections began back in 770 B.C. when rival feudal kingdoms built walls around their territories to keep out invading nomadic tribes from the north. These were eventually joined into one wall. The wall averages eight to ten meters in height and five meters wide.

When you walk on the wall, two history lessons make the visit somewhat somber. First, the wall was built at a great cost. Prisoners of war, convicts, soldiers, civilians, and farmers provided the labor. Some estimates say “millions died for this cause”. Their bodies were buried in the very foundations of the wall or used to make up its thickness. You walk on top of a cemetery.

The second lesson is that the wall was reportedly breached by Mongol soldiers disguised as peasants pretending to be gathering firewood and leaving behind pieces of fruit when they left the area. The guards decided to go out and retrieve the tempting fruit. This was repeated over time. Eventually the guards were compromised and overpowered and the Mongol army streamed through that tower thereby breaching the Great Wall. So after all the effort to build such an amazing structure for protection, it was rendered useless through simple deceit.

One of Satan’s favorite tactics against believers is deceit. Here’s an example from China. Brother Chen arrived one spring day in 1996 at a small rural Chinese house church group. Some said he was “sent straight from God.” He said so too. He said he had known Wang Ming Dao and he spoke with a loud booming voice. His large eyes held their attention closely, and his whole body shook with vigor at the points he was making. The believers were just so impressed with the way he talked. He quoted lots of Scripture and wove it into a thrilling story.

After a few months, he began to talk about heaven being a city of gold, and that to enter that city they would have to demonstrate that they had given Jesus their gold in their lifetime. Brother Chen said, “Jesus needs your gold to build your mansion in heaven and the more gold you give him now, the bigger your mansion will be.”

Because they were poor, the idea of having a golden mansion in the afterlife was very tempting. They handed over all they owned: family heirlooms, money, some expensive textiles from a distant ancestor. One in the group even gave his motorcycle.

After all the “gold” had been collected, Brother Chen said he had to go and “open the gate of Heaven for them.” He left, on the donated motorcycle. He took most of their savings and he hasn’t been back.

RESPONSE: Be aware today of Satan’s subtle tactics of deceit and intimidation.

PRAYER: Pray for new house church believers in China who are easily deceived by false prophets.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Men of the Bible - Friday, May 29, 2020

Nathan

His name means: "He [God] Has Given"

His work: He was a prophet in Israel during the reign of King David and the early years of King Solomon.
His character: Nathan was a fearless man whose obedience to God's voice put him nose to nose with the most powerful person in the land, first announcing that King David would not have the honor of building the temple and later declaring his immorality and his severe punishment for it.
His sorrow: With great hopes for Israel's success under the monarchy, Nathan was an eyewitness to sin, corruption, and mutiny that tore the nation apart.
His triumph: Because of his own faithfulness, Nathan was given the privilege of being God's mouthpiece to an entire nation.
Key Scriptures: 2 Samuel 7; 12

A Look at the Man

Nathan loved David, the king of Israel.

The proof of this love was in Nathan's allegiance to the monarch and his sincere attempts to encourage the king, even to the point of affirming his ideas of a grand temple when God had not blessed the venture.

But the acid test of the prophet's affection was not in supportive or affirming words, but in truthful confrontation—the kind of confrontation that could cost the prophet his friendship with the king, not to mention his life.

Nathan was clever and creative. His involvement in the selection of worship music in the sanctuary (2 Chronicles 29:25) tells us of his sensitivity. His personal involvement in the naming of the baby Solomon hints to us of Nathan's tenderness (2 Samuel 12:25).

But Nathan had been given a terrifying assignment fit for the bravest warrior. And, if the nature of the commission wasn't tough enough, it had come as a directive of the living God.

Friendships are often put to the test over long hours of work or waiting. Friends pay a price by listening or issuing words of love and encouragement. But friendship knows no bravery like the bravery of brutal, truthful confrontation.

Those who have named this clash of emotions "tough love" have named it well. It is tough, but it is also the deepest form of love.

Although it was not Nathan's only challenge during David's reign, the confrontation following the king's adulterous affair with Bathsheba and murderous attempt to cover it up was his most grueling.

But instead of going nose to nose with David—a strategy that could have gotten Nathan in serious trouble—the prophet told a story. Drawing out the compassionate shepherd in the king, Nathan told him a story of a poor man's family, their only possession a ewe. Much more than simply an animal on the man's farm, this lamb was in every way a household pet. It "shared the man's food, drank from his cup, and even slept in his arms." The lamb was "like a daughter to the man."

Nathan must have known, as he watched the king's face, that David was captivated by the tale.

"In the same town was a rich man," Nathan continued. "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal…. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it."

David was blind with rage. "The man who did this deserves to die!"

Nathan must have taken a deep breath, knowing he had the king exactly where God wanted him to be. "You are the man," Nathan said in measured tones. "You are the man."

The great challenge in truth-telling, even with a close friend, is to keep the focus on the deed and the guilty party, not on the confronter's need to be right. In this, Nathan was brilliant. In Nathan's message, David clearly heard God's voice. Years later David would write: "Against you [the LORD], you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight" (Psalm 51:4).

Nathan dared to prove his love for his friend by telling him the truth in loving confrontation. And so skillful was the prophet at dealing with the king that when the third child was born to David and Bathsheba, they named him Nathan after the man who risked it all.

Reflect On: Psalm 51
Praise God: Because he is quick to forgive.
Offer Thanks: That God does not hold our sins against us as long as we repent.
Confess: Any sin you have tried to hide from yourself and from God.
Ask God: To purify your heart, making it “whiter than snow.”

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
Nathan was clever and creative. His involvement in the selection of worship music in the sanctuary tells us of his sensitivity.

LHM Daily Devotions May 29, 2020 - "A Prayer in Times of Uncertainty"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"A Prayer in Times of Uncertainty"

May 29, 2020

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

— Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)

Well, Lord, where do we go from here? You've shown me again and again that You love me and that You have a plan for my life. I really want Your plan, Lord, because I trust Your wisdom and love far more than I trust my own insight.

The problem right now is that I'm afraid I'll miss that plan. A thick haze has drifted in and settled down in my mind, obscuring Your will and clouding my thinking. Yet, I need to make this decision soon. Lord, I can't put it off much longer.

I feel a little bit like Abraham. You told him to go and You promised to bless him. But Lord, there were still many details Abraham didn't know at the onset (see Genesis 12:1-3). I don't recognize any road markers either. Lord, I wish I had a compass and a map. I've searched in vain for sky-writing.

Abraham went, Lord, not knowing exactly where but trusting You to show him the way because You promised to go with him. And You blessed him for stepping out in faith (see Hebrews 11:8-10). I, too, look to You in faith, trusting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and I have been promised the Holy Spirit to guide me (see John 14:16).

With Your promise of guidance, my not knowing the final outcome doesn't seem as frightening when I keep Your Word in mind (see Psalm 27; John 14:1-27). Please give me the kind of faith that trusts You implicitly, Lord. You've shown me the pros and cons of this situation as we've talked it over together in prayer. I always feel especially lonely in times of uncertainly, so You've give me Christian friends with whom to share my feelings. Thank You for their patient concern and godly wisdom.

But they can only advise, Lord, and finally, it comes down to simply trusting You. As the writer of Proverbs tells us, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Bless me with this kind of wisdom, clarity of thought, and humbly receptive spirit. Help me to see Your will and give me the courage to do it.

And just one more thing, Lord Jesus. Please give me Your peace as I seek Your direction for my life. I need to feel sure of Your presence. Thank You for listening, Lord, and for Your Help.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, life is full of curve balls and things that blindside us. Train our hearts on Your Word and keep us there, abiding, and joyful in Your guidance and protection in our lives. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Has your life been uncertain lately? At what point do you turn to God when things get crazy?

2. A well-watered tree is a powerful image in the Old Testament. Does that characterize your life of faith, or would something less, something more dried up and struggling, be closer to the truth?

3. Going forward in faith but not knowing where is hard to do. How do you find patience to truly seek what God has for your life?

From The Lutheran Layman, April 1978 issue, "Sky-Writing, Road Maps, and What Do I Do Now?" by Jane Fryar. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Has your life been uncertain lately? At what point do you turn to God when things get crazy?

Devocional CPTLN del 29 de mayo de 2020 - Oración en tiempos de incertidumbre

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Oración en tiempos de incertidumbre

29 de Mayo de 2020

... bendito el hombre que confía en mí, que soy el Señor, y que en mí pone su confianza. Ese hombre es como un árbol plantado junto a los arroyos; echa sus raíces junto a las corrientes, y no se da cuenta cuando llega el calor; sus hojas siempre están verdes, y en los años de sequía no se marchita ni deja de dar fruto.»

— Jeremías 17:7-8 (RVC)

Y, Señor, ¿qué hacemos ahora? Me has demostrado una y otra vez que me amas y que tienes un plan para mi vida. Quiero seguir tu plan, Señor, porque confío en tu sabiduría y amor mucho más de lo que confío en mí. Pero una espesa niebla se ha asentado en mi mente, oscureciendo tu voluntad y nublándome el pensamiento. Aun así, necesito tomar pronto esta decisión.

Me siento un poco como Abraham: le dijiste que se fuera de su tierra y prometiste bendecirlo, pero había muchos detalles que Abraham no sabía al principio (ver Génesis 12:1-3). Y Abraham se fue sin saber exactamente a dónde, pero confiando en ti para que le mostraras el camino, porque prometiste ir con él. Y porque fue en fe, lo bendijiste (ver Hebreos 11:8-10).

Yo también te miro con fe, confiando en Jesús como mi Señor y Salvador, y en que el Espíritu Santo me guiará (ver Juan 14:16). Con tu promesa de guía, no saber el resultado final no parece tan aterrador cuando tengo en mente tu Palabra (ver Salmo 27; Juan 14:1-27). Dame la fe que confía totalmente en ti, Señor. Me has mostrado los pros y los contras de esta situación, ya que lo hemos hablado juntos en oración, me has dado amigos cristianos con quienes compartir mis sentimientos. Gracias por tu paciente preocupación y sabiduría divina.

Pero ellos solo pueden aconsejar: al final, se trata simplemente de confiar en Ti. Como nos dice el escritor de Proverbios: "Confía en el Señor de todo corazón, y no te apoyes en tu propia prudencia.
Reconócelo en todos tus caminos, y él enderezará tus sendas" (Proverbios 3: 5-6).

Bendíceme con tu sabiduría, claridad de pensamiento y espíritu receptivo. Ayúdame a ver tu voluntad y dame el coraje para hacerlo. Y solo una cosa más, Señor Jesús: dame tu paz mientras busco tu dirección para mi vida. Necesito sentirme seguro de tu presencia. Gracias por escuchar, Señor, y por tu ayuda.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, la vida está llena de contratiempos y cosas que nos dejan ciegos. Entrena nuestros corazones en tu Palabra y mantennos allí, seguros y confiados en Tu guía y protección en nuestras vidas. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

The Lutheran Layman, 1978, Jane Fryar

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Cuánto demoras en recurrir a Dios cuando las cosas se vuelven locas?

* Avanzar con fe pero sin saber a dónde ir es algo difícil de hacer. ¿Cómo encuentras paciencia para buscar lo que Dios quiere para tu vida?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cuánto demoras en recurrir a Dios cuando las cosas se vuelven locas?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Đấng Tạo Nên Mặt Trăng

Đấng Tạo Nên Mặt Trăng

Đọc: Giê-rê-mi 31:33–37 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: II Sử Ký 7–9; Giăng 11:1–29

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[Đức Giê-hô-va phán:] “Ta sẽ làm Đức Chúa Trời của chúng và chúng sẽ làm dân Ta.”

— Giê-rê-mi 31:33

Sau khi các phi hành gia hạ cánh con tàu Đại Bàng xuống Biển Tĩnh Lặng (trên mặt trăng), Neil Armstrong tuyên bố: “Đây là một bước chân nhỏ của con người, nhưng là bước nhảy phi thường của nhân loại”. Ông là người đầu tiên đi bộ trên mặt trăng. Về sau có các phi hành gia khác, bao gồm Gene Cernan, chỉ huy của chuyến Apollo cuối cùng. Cernan cho biết: “Tôi ở đó, và kia là Trái Đất – năng động, vĩ đại, và tôi cảm thấy… quả đất thật đẹp đến nỗi không thể tin được là nó hiện hữu cách tình cờ. Chắc hẳn phải có một ai đó vĩ đại hơn bạn và tôi”. Ngay cả ở tầm nhìn đặc biệt từ không gian sâu thẳm, những người này hiểu được sự nhỏ bé của mình so với vũ trụ bao la.

Tiên tri Giê-rê-mi cũng suy nghĩ về sự vĩ đại của Chúa là Đấng Sáng Tạo và Bảo Tồn trái đất và vạn vật. Đấng sáng tạo mọi vật hứa sẽ bày tỏ Ngài cách mật thiết khi ban cho con dân Ngài tình yêu, sự tha thứ và hy vọng (Giê. 31:33-34). Giê-rê-mi khẳng định sự vĩ đại của Chúa là Đấng “ban mặt trời làm ánh sáng ban ngày, ấn định quy luật cho mặt trăng, và các ngôi sao soi sáng ban đêm” (c.35). Đấng Tạo Hóa và Chúa Toàn Năng sẽ trị vì trên muôn vật khi Ngài hành động để cứu chuộc hết thảy dân sự Ngài (c.36-37).

Chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ khám phá được hết sự rộng lớn vô tận của các tầng trời và độ sâu của các nền móng trái đất. Nhưng chúng ta có thể kinh ngạc trước sự phức tạp của vũ trụ và tin cậy Đấng tạo nên mặt trăng cùng mọi thứ khác.

Việc hình dung sự vĩ đại của Chúa là Đấng Sáng Tạo và Bảo Tồn vũ trụ giúp bạn tin cậy Ngài thế nào khi đối diện với những trở ngại? Sự phức tạp của vũ trụ giúp bạn tin cậy Chúa về những chi tiết trong cuộc sống bạn ra sao?

Lạy Đấng Sáng Tạo và Bảo Tồn muôn vật, cảm ơn Ngài đã mời gọi chúng con biết Ngài và tin cậy Ngài hôm nay và mãi mãi.

bởi Xochitl E. Dixon 

Chú Giải

Giao ước Nô-ê là một trong những giao ước được ký thuật sớm nhất trong Kinh Thánh. Cầu vồng là dấu chỉ lời hứa của Đức Chúa Trời sẽ không hủy diệt trái đất bằng nước lụt nữa (Sáng. 9:8-17). Đức Chúa Trời lập giao ước với Áp-ra-ham khi Ngài kêu gọi ông đến xứ Ca-na-an và hứa rằng sẽ khiến ông trở nên một dân tộc lớn, ban cho ông đất đai, và ban phước cho các dân tộc qua ông (12:1-3; 15:5-16; 17:6-8). Đức Chúa Trời ấn chứng lời giao ước với Áp-ra-ham bằng phép cắt bì (17:10-11). Trong giao ước với Đa-vít, Đức Chúa Trời hứa với Đa-vít, con cháu của Áp-ra-ham, rằng những vị vua ngồi trên ngai của dân Y-sơ-ra-ên đều thuộc dòng dõi ông (II Sa. 7:8-16; I Sử. 17:11-14). Dấu hiệu là Con Đa-vít được hứa ban (Mat. 1:1; Cv. 13:23). Tác giả sách Hê-bơ-rơ trích dẫn Giê-rê-mi 31:31-34 và tuyên bố rằng Đấng Christ, con cháu của Đa-vít được hứa ban, giờ đây là “Đấng Trung Gian của giao ước mới” (Hê. 8:6-13; 9:15; 12:24).

© 2020 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Sau khi các phi hành gia hạ cánh con tàu Đại Bàng xuống Biển Tĩnh Lặng (trên mặt trăng), Neil Armstrong tuyên bố: “Đây là một bước chân nhỏ của con người, nhưng là bước nhảy phi thường của nhân loại”.