The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, June 12, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, June 12, 2020

Psalm 100; Exodus 4:27-31; Acts 7:35-43

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 100

We are God’s people

1  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2    Worship the Lord with gladness;
     come before him with joyful songs.
3  Know that the Lord is God.
     It is he who made us, and we are his;
     we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4  Enter his gates with thanksgiving
     and his courts with praise;
     give thanks to him and praise his name.
5  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
     his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Exodus 4:27-31

Aaron called to Moses’ side

4:27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Acts 7:35-43

Israel doubts Moses prevails upon Aaron

7:35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

   “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
     forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
     and the star of your god Rephan,
     the idols you made to worship.
   Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon.

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, June 12, 2020
Psalm 100; Exodus 4:27-31; Acts 7:35-43

The Daily Prayer for FRIDAY, June 12, 2020

The Daily Prayer

FRIDAY, June 12, 2020

Contemporary theologian Scott Bader-Saye has written, “Following Jesus will mean surrendering the power that masquerades as security in order to love the neighbor and welcome the stranger. It will mean avoiding the safe path in order to pursue the good. But in a culture of fear, we find such risks all the more difficult since our natural inclinations lead us to close in on ourselves when we face danger. How can we maintain the posture of the open hand toward a world that scares us?”

You alone secure us in our place, O Lord. In our going out and coming in, deliver us from fear, that we may, by your Spirit’s power, let down our defenses in love. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, June 12, 2020

Psalm 19:1-2

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

Read all of Psalm 19

Listen to Psalm 19

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 12 de junio de 2020

Que nuestro «sí» sea «SÍ»

Sobre todo, hermanos míos [...] que su «sí» sea «sí», y su «no», «no», para que no sean condenados.

— Santiago 5:12 (NVI)

Dios nos enseña que debemos ser hombres y mujeres de una sola palabra, que nuestro sí sea sí y nuestro no sea no. En lo personal, esto me costó mucho trabajo y muchas situaciones incómodas. En más de una ocasión me puse roja y tuve que aprender a decir «no».

El asunto no es que fuera una mujer que careciera de palabra, sino que me apenaba decir «no» cuando no debía comprometerme en realidad. En especial, siempre decía «sí» en todas las cosas de trabajo. Imagínate, ¿qué iban a pensar de mí? Entonces, después estaba cargada y estresada. Hasta que un día Dios me mostró que eso no era sano, que debía tener el carácter y aprender a decir «no» cuando fuera necesario.

Hoy te motivo a que aprendas que cuando digas «sí» a algo sea porque en verdad tienes la seguridad de que viste la luz verde de Papito Dios y que aceptas lo que es debido. Esto se ajusta al trabajo, la vida personal, las relaciones con los demás, la iglesia y hasta en la relación con Dios.

¿Cuántas veces le decimos al Señor: «Sí, Dios mío, esta vez sí voy a cambiar, o voy a empezar algo, y no lo hacemos? No tenemos palabra y eso desagrada a Dios, así que no es sano para nuestra vida. Cuando mantenemos la palabra, también damos testimonio de quiénes somos en Cristo.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
En más de una ocasión me puse roja y tuve que aprender a decir «no».

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, June 12, 2020

TASK PRAYER

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

— James 5:17 (NIV)

Rev. Dr. David Cho who pastors the largest church in the world—a cell group based church—is also very strong on the significance of prayer. As a pastor of a growing Korean church, he felt he could not pray less than five hours a day.

He distinguishes between the type of prayer we usually think of—fellowship prayer—and what he calls “task” prayer. Both are important forms of prayer but task prayer is terrific labor and takes much energy. It is closest to intercessory prayer and is usually very focused prayer about an intense need.

Here are the characteristics of “task” prayer:

1. Have a clear goal – be very focused

2. Use simple words

3. Mobilize all the emotion in your heart

4. Be persistent (Luke 18:1-8)

Believers in China are very much involved in this type of prayer. Here is one description of believers who had gathered for a special meeting in a cave twenty-five feet below ground level. After a three-hour message:

They prayed with tears running down from their eyes, and the stream of tears intermingled with their ‘noserun,’ dripping down like transparent noodles, which they ignored. For their hearts were so turned to the face of Christ that they became totally oblivious of their own unkempt state. One sister prayed for over 45 minutes standing, pleading with the Lord to release her fellow-evangelist and her fiancé from prison. He had fasted for many days and refused to divulge any information on the churches’ evangelistic activity.[1]

RESPONSE: When I have an intense need, I will practice task prayer.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to have the faith, persistence and emotion of Elijah when I pray.

1. Ross Paterson, Heart Cry For China (Chichester, UK: Sovereign World, 1989), p.190.

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, June 12, 2020

Solomon

His name means: "Peaceable"

His work: The son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon was the third king of Israel.
His character: Known until this day as the wisest man who ever lived.
His sorrow: Although he was an extremely intelligent man, later in his life he became disobedient to God and sacrificed everything on the altar of sexual excess. His inability to lead his own children led to the kingdom's division and ultimate fall.
His triumph: Solomon built the kingdom of Israel to its greatest level in material wealth and land.
Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 2-5

A Look at the Man

It's one of the most incredible moments in all of Scripture. The Lord of Israel, the Creator of the universe, makes an offer to a mortal man—Solomon, the son of David and the newly anointed king of Israel. Like the archetypal genie in the bottle, God asks Solomon to make a wish. But Solomon's historic opportunity becomes his greatest tragedy.

This may be the saddest story in the Bible.

It's the account of a man who literally had everything. The only thing more difficult to comprehend than his great mind, his enormous wealth, and his enormous power were the prospects of what he could have done with these things. Solomon had the incredible capability to change his world.

But in spite of doing many good things during his lifetime, he actually squandered this potential. Of course he built a name for himself. Go ahead and ask anyone to finish this sentence: "That guy over there has the wisdom of _________."

What happened to Solomon? The reason for his pathetic failure is actually quite clear. He broke this commandment: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:4-5).

Solomon should have known better. In fact, he did know better. As his father, David, was dying, Solomon heard these words. "Observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go."

But somehow Solomon believed he could be the exception to the rule, the one man who could break God's law without suffering the consequences. But God was not going to ignore all the idols and altars he had set up to please his foreign wives, accustomed as they were to worshiping various idols. Because of his infidelity, the kingdom of Israel split apart after his death, with Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, in the south and Israel and its capital, Samaria, in the north.

It was too late for Solomon to discover that a man before God's throne is judged by what is in his heart. "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2 KJV).

Instead of leaving a world-changing legacy, Solomon left us with a graphic lesson in eternal fruitlessness—with no excuses.

Reflect On: 1 Kings 8:56–61; 11:9–13
Praise God: For his constancy. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Offer Thanks: That God’s words are consistent with his character.
Confess: Any wavering in your devotion to God.
Ask God: To help you maintain a course that will daily bring you closer to him.

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.
It's one of the most incredible moments in all of Scripture.

LHM Daily Devotions - June 12, 2020 - "The Giants of Life"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"The Giants of Life"

June 12, 2020

And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

— 1 Samuel 17:37a (ESV)

It used to be the account of David and Goliath in the Bible was a story that touched my reality with only the greatest of difficulty.

That's what I used to think; I see it differently today.

Now I know that in life we face many Goliaths. They come to us in the form of uncertainties, fears, and lies that hurt God's people and try to set aside the promises of God. All these "Goliaths" are consequences of sin, which entered the world through Adam and have been passed on to everybody (see Romans 5:12).

Many times we, like Israel, think we have to face these giant problems using our own strength. Doing so is almost as futile as it would have been for an Israelite to take down Goliath. Reason and common sense tell us we have already lost.

What we need at such moments is to know we have Someone who will conquer for us. What we need is a faith that trusts in God for deliverance.

Those who were there to watch the original David-Goliath battle might have thought the young shepherd was their Savior. David wasn't. He was only the means the Lord used to rescue His people. The ultimate power which brought Goliath down belonged not to David or the shepherd's handy slingshot.

Goliath was brought down by God.

Things aren't much different today. Looking at us, God sees that due to our sinful nature we are unable to fight alone against the frightening Goliaths in our lives. He knows our deliverance will only be by His hand. It is for that purpose He sent His Son to be our Rescuer.

In Jesus, Satan is defeated and salvation is granted to those who believe in Him as their Savior.

Is there a Goliath invading your life right now? Do you need a lasting victory over your foe?

If you answer "yes" to both questions, begin by asking the Holy Spirit to put your faith in Jesus Christ. He has already beaten humanity's enemies, and He can do the same with your opponents, too.

Because of Jesus we can have faith that assures us we will always be sheltered in His tender love and mercy. There we will find safety—a safety that will keep us always.

THE PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus Christ, my Savior. By virtue of His sacrifice, no Goliath can frighten and chase me away from You. Grant me the grace to know that You shall always be my Shield and Deliverer. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever experienced an unlikely escape or rescue from a dangerous situation? How did that come about?

2. Do you draw any special inspiration from the Bible story of David and Goliath?

3. As you engage in your own spiritual battles, how do you lean on God to deliver you?

This Daily Devotion was written by Jeremiah Meyer. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Have you ever experienced an unlikely escape or rescue from a dangerous situation?

Devocional CPTLN del 12 de junio de 2020 - Los gigantes de la vida

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Los gigantes de la vida

12 de Junio de 2020

Todavía añadió David: «El Señor me ha librado de las garras de leones y de osos, y también me librará de este filisteo.»

— 1 Samuel 17:37ª (RVC)

En la vida nos enfrentamos a muchos gigantes como Goliat. Vienen a nosotros en forma de incertidumbres, miedos y mentiras que hieren al pueblo de Dios y tratan de dejar de lado sus promesas. Todos estos "Goliat" son consecuencias del pecado que entró en el mundo a través de Adán y se ha transmitido a todos (ver Romanos 5:12).

Muchas veces, como Israel, creemos que tenemos que enfrentar estos gigantes usando nuestra propia fuerza. Hacerlo es casi tan inútil como lo habría sido para un israelita derribar a Goliat. La razón y el sentido común nos dicen que ya hemos perdido. Lo que necesitamos en esos momentos es saber que tenemos a alguien que conquistará por nosotros. Lo que necesitamos es una fe que confíe en Dios para la liberación.

Quienes estaban allí para ver la batalla de David y Goliat, podrían haber pensado que el joven pastor era su Salvador. Pero no era así. Él fue solo el medio por el cual el Señor rescató a su pueblo. El poder supremo que derribó a Goliat no pertenecía a David ni a su habilidad con la honda: Goliat fue derribado por Dios.

Las cosas no son muy diferentes hoy. Cuando nos mira, Dios ve que, debido a nuestra naturaleza pecaminosa, no podemos luchar solos contra los atemorizantes Goliat en nuestras vidas. Él sabe que nuestra liberación solo será por su mano. Es para ese propósito que envió a su Hijo a ser nuestro salvador. En Jesús, Satanás es derrotado y la salvación es otorgada a aquellos que creen en Él como su salvador.

Esto me lleva a preguntar: ¿Hay un Goliat invadiendo tu vida en este momento? ¿Necesitas una victoria duradera sobre tu enemigo? Si respondes "sí" a ambas preguntas, comienza pidiéndole al Espíritu Santo que aumente tu fe en Jesucristo. Él ya ha vencido a los enemigos de la humanidad, y también puede hacer lo mismo con tus oponentes.

Gracias a Jesús podemos estar seguros que siempre estaremos protegidos en su tierno amor y misericordia. Allí encontraremos la seguridad que nos mantendrá firmes por siempre.

ORACIÓN: Querido Dios, gracias por enviar a Jesucristo, mi salvador. En virtud de su sacrificio, ningún Goliat puede asustarme y alejarme de ti. Concédeme la gracia de saber que siempre serás mi escudo y mi libertador. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Jeremías Meyer

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Alguna vez has experimentado un escape o rescate poco probable de una situación peligrosa? ¿Cómo fue?

* ¿Qué inspiración recibes de la historia de David y Goliat?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Alguna vez has experimentado un escape o rescate poco probable de una situación peligrosa?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Cùng Nhau Chiến Thắng

Cùng Nhau Chiến Thắng

Đọc: Xuất Ê-díp-tô Ký 17:8–13 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: E-xơ-ra 3–5; Giăng 20

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Hai người hơn một... Nếu người này ngã thì người kia sẽ đỡ bạn mình lên.

— Truyền Đạo 4:9-10

Lúc nửa đêm, Mục sư Samuel Baggaga nhận cuộc gọi nhờ ông đến nhà một tín hữu trong hội thánh. Khi đến nơi, ông thấy một ngôi nhà bị nhấn chìm trong lửa. Người cha, mặc dù bị bỏng, đã quay lại ngôi nhà để cứu con của mình và trở ra với đứa con gái bất tỉnh. Bệnh viện ở vùng nông thôn Uganda cách xa tận 10km. Vì không có phương tiện giao thông, mục sư và người cha bắt đầu chạy bộ đến bệnh viện cùng đứa bé. Khi một người mệt, người còn lại đã thay phiên bế đứa trẻ bị thương. Họ đã chạy suốt chặng đường cùng nhau, người cha và đứa con gái được chữa trị và sau đó đã hoàn toàn bình phục.

Trong Xuất Ê-díp-tô Ký 17:8–13, Chúa đã hoạch định một chiến thắng vĩ đại bao gồm những nỗ lực của Giô-suê, người lãnh đạo quân đội đánh trận; và Môi-se, người giơ cao cánh tay cầm gậy của Đức Chúa Trời. Khi cánh tay của Môi-se bị mỏi, A-rôn và Hu-rơ mỗi người giúp nâng một tay của ông lên cho đến khi mặt trời lặn và kẻ thù bị đánh bại.

Đừng bao giờ đánh giá thấp giá trị của sự phụ thuộc lẫn nhau. Bởi lòng nhân từ, Chúa dự bị những người là đại diện của Ngài vì lợi ích chung. Đôi tai lắng nghe và bàn tay giúp đỡ; những lời khôn ngoan, an ủi và sửa trị – những điều này và các nguồn lực khác đến với chúng ta và qua chúng ta đến với người khác. Cùng nhau, chúng ta sẽ chiến thắng và vinh quang thuộc về Đức Chúa Trời!

Bạn từng nhận được ích lợi từ sự hỗ trợ của người khác ra sao? Bạn có biết người nào có lẽ cũng đang cần sự đồng hành của bạn trong giai đoạn này của cuộc đời không?

Lạy Cha, cảm tạ Ngài vì những người mà Ngài mang đến trong cuộc đời con và vì những người Ngài cho con được chia sẻ cuộc sống với họ vì lợi ích chung và vì sự vinh hiển của Ngài.

bởi Arthur Jackson

Chú Giải

Dân A-ma-léc là một trong những bộ tộc cổ đại luôn hành động như một cái gai đâm vào hông dân Y-sơ-ra-ên. Tên của bộ tộc này xuất phát từ tên của người thành lập, ông A-ma-léc, thuộc dòng dõi Ê-sau (Sáng. 36:12). Điều này cho thấy dân A-ma-léc có họ hàng với dân Y-sơ-ra-ên, là con cháu của Gia-cốp/Y-sơ-ra-ên, em trai sinh đôi của Ê-sau. Mặc dù có vẻ rõ ràng là Ê-sau và Gia-cốp đã hàn gắn mối quan hệ với nhau sau nhiều năm dài ganh ghét và oán giận, nhưng dòng dõi của Ê-sau thì không như vậy. Đa-vít chiến đấu chống lại bọn cướp người A-ma-léc, là những kẻ cướp đoạt của cải, vợ con và dân sự ông (II Sa. 1:1). Dân A-ma-léc được đề cập lần cuối cùng trong Kinh Thánh Cựu Ước ở I Sử Ký 4:43, khi họ hoàn toàn bị dân Y-sơ-ra-ên đánh bại và tiêu diệt. Đây là câu chuyện dài và buồn về sự ganh ghét và hậu quả hủy diệt của nó.

Bill Crowder

© 2020 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Khi đến nơi, ông thấy một ngôi nhà bị nhấn chìm trong lửa.