The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, June 18, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, June 18, 2020

Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18; Jeremiah 18:12-17; Hebrews 2:5-9

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18

Draw near to me

7  For I endure scorn for your sake,
     and shame covers my face.
8  I am a foreigner to my own family,
     a stranger to my own mother’s children;
9  for zeal for your house consumes me,
     and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
10 When I weep and fast,
     I must endure scorn;
[11 when I put on sackcloth,
     people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate mock me,
     and I am the song of the drunkards.

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
     in the time of your favor;
   in your great love, O God,
     answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
     do not let me sink;
   deliver me from those who hate me,
     from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
     or the depths swallow me up
     or the pit close its mouth over me.]

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
     in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant;
     answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18 Come near and rescue me;
     deliver me because of my foes.

Jeremiah 18:12-17

Israel’s stubborn idolatry

18:12 But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

13 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

   “Inquire among the nations:
     Who has ever heard anything like this?
   A most horrible thing has been done
     by Virgin Israel.
14 Does the snow of Lebanon
     ever vanish from its rocky slopes?
   Do its cool waters from distant sources
     ever stop flowing?
15 Yet my people have forgotten me;
     they burn incense to worthless idols,
   which made them stumble in their ways,
     in the ancient paths.
   They made them walk in byways,
     on roads not built up.
16 Their land will be an object of horror
     and of lasting scorn;
   all who pass by will be appalled
     and will shake their heads.
17 Like a wind from the east,
     I will scatter them before their enemies;
   I will show them my back and not my face
     in the day of their disaster.”

Hebrews 2:5-9

Exaltation through abasement

2:5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:

   “What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
     a son of man that you care for him?
7  You made them a little lower than the angels;
     you crowned them with glory and honor
8    and put everything under their feet.”

In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

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 THURSDAY, June 18, 2020
Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18; Jeremiah 18:12-17; Hebrews 2:5-9

The Daily Prayer for THURSDAY, June 18, 2020

The Daily Prayer

THURSDAY, June 18, 2020

This story is recorded in the Acts of Eusebius: “When the proconsul was present in Pergamum, Carpus, and Papylus, joyful martyrs of Christ, were brought to him. The proconsul sat down and asked, ‘What is your name?’ The one who was questioned answered, ‘My first and chosen name is Christian. But if you are asking for my name in the world, then I call myself Carpus. It is impossible for me to offer sacrifices to these delusive phantoms, these demons, for they who sacrifice to them become like them. The living do not sacrifice to the dead.”

Lord, embolden us to go wherever you call us, to greet whoever you send us, and to do whatever you ask of us, that we might know no fear except that reverence which leads to wisdom. Amen.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, June 18, 2020

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Read all of Ephesians 6

Listen to Ephesians 6

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 - Jueves 18 de junio de 2020

Sencillez de la vida (tercera parte)

Aprendan de mí, pues yo soy apacible y humilde de corazón, y encontrarán descanso para su alma.

— Mateo 11:29 (NVI)

En el devocional anterior dije que la manera de ser mi padre, aun siendo famoso, siempre se caracterizó por la humildad y la sencillez. Eso lo aprendí de él y mi oración constante a Dios es que no permita jamás que los humos se me suban a la cabeza, sino que la gente siempre tenga un buen concepto de mí.

Nuestra vida debe ser un buen ejemplo para nuestros hijos. En muchos casos, actúan de acuerdo con el ejemplo que ven. Si desde pequeños les inculcas que no deben ser elitistas, ni clasistas, y que aunque tengan muchas comodidades deben ser sencillos y buenos con las personas que los rodean, así se comportarán.

En lo personal, nunca acostumbré a mis princesas que se vistieran solo con ropa de marca. Les enseñé que a veces mami tenía para darles esos gustos, pero que otras veces solo podía comprarles algo lindo y sencillo. También les enseñé que poco a poco podrían darse gustos cuando empezaran a trabajar y, ¿sabes?, es lo mejor que pude hacer. Cuando acostumbras a tus hijos a un estándar de vida muy alto y las cosas cambian por problemas financieros, por una calamidad o una enfermedad, se van a echar a morir.

Mi princesa Naty es el más dulce ejemplo. Hoy en día, trabaja y se da gustos. Se compró su auto Mini Cooper, pero también aprendió a vivir con sencillez.

Te animo a que no dañes a tus hijos. Cuando se puede, se les da. Si en tu caso siempre tienes una buena situación económica, enséñalos a ser humildes y sencillos. No hay nada peor que les llamen «creídos y petulantes».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Nuestra vida debe ser un buen ejemplo para nuestros hijos.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Thursday, June 18, 2020

PROJECT PEARL

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

— Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV)

One hundred-foot-long tugboat Michael lumbered along at the sleepy speed of three knots. It towed the semi-submersible barge, Gabriella, loaded with the million Chinese Bibles in 232 waterproof wrapped one-ton packages. By 9 p.m. on that historic night of June 18, 1981, Michael and its crew of twenty men weaved through a maze of anchored Chinese navy ships in the darkness near the port city of Shantou, southern China. Thousands of local Christians waited patiently in the darkness on the appointed beach.

The off-loaded floating packages were towed to shore by small rubber boats. Chinese believers came out in the water—some up to their necks. They pulled the blocks up onto the beach and cut them open with shears, handing the 45-pound cardboard boxes of Bibles to one another up the sand to the tree-line.

Two hours later, Michael and Gabriella and the crew left the scene with one million Bibles in the care of Chinese believers. They promised to circulate them across the entire country. In some cases, that process took as much as five years and many Chinese Christians paid dearly for it.

Over the past 30 years, Open Doors has received documented story after story—often from unusual places and situations—of the impact of those Bibles on the fast-growing church in China. Project Pearl Bibles have been seen in virtually every province of the country.

A former colleague of mine from Singapore continues to minister in China. In the late 1990s, he met a large house church network of Christians in central China who still had no contact at all with foreigners from outside the country. They testified that it was the receiving of many Project Pearl Bibles that encouraged them and motivated them to share the gospel widely and thus grow to their current significant numbers.

One of those pocket-sized Bibles was received by a young Christian who had been praying for a Bible of his own for three years. After reading it through three times in three weeks, he felt God calling him to become one of the many itinerant evangelists preaching in China’s countryside. After fifteen years of ministry, he pastored a network of house churches that grew to over 400,000 members. His network of churches continues to need more than 20,000 Bibles a month just for new believers.

RESPONSE: I will appreciate the several Bibles I have and commit myself to learning and living from it.

PRAYER: Pray for Christians today in a variety of situations who are still waiting for their first copy of God’s Word.

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

Men's Devotional Bible - Thursday, June 18, 2020

Shadow of a Doubt

Genesis 3:1–15

Recommended Reading: John 1:14–18; 2 Timothy 3:16—4:8; 2 Peter 1:12–21

What happens when people act in direct opposition to what they know is right? This activity happens on a number of levels. When a person who’s trying hard to lose weight consistently binges on pizza and ice cream, disappointment ensues. When an individual commits a crime, victims suffer and the perpetrator risks jail time. When a husband or wife chooses to engage in an extramarital affair, the marriage is damaged—sometimes beyond repair—and children suffer the consequences. When a CEO decides to overlook or sometimes even encourage accounting inconsistencies, giant corporations fail, high-level indictments follow and investors lose their savings.

What do all of the scenarios outlined above have in common? Every one of these accounts, as well as countless other failure-filled stories, can trace its origin to the book of Genesis. Today’s reading gives us a glimpse of the first failure to follow a direct command from God and the devastating results of that failure. We see the repercussions of this disobedience reflected in the daily news—and, if we’re honest, reflected in our own darkened hearts.

At first, Adam and Eve were sure of God’s instructions. There was no doubt. They knew exactly what God wanted because they received their marching orders straight from the Creator himself. Still, a simple challenge (“Did God really say …?”) from the serpent shook Eve’s confidence to the core. Once she questioned what she knew to be true, she became vulnerable to Satan’s temptation. When she and Adam then acted in violation of God’s direct command, sin invaded what had been an unimaginably perfect paradise.

Spiritually speaking, what are you sure of beyond the shadow of a doubt? What do you know to be true? Where does your certainty come from? These are important questions to answer because you face tests every day that can undermine your Biblical marching orders. People may question your mental capacity: “How can an educated person believe in intelligent design when there’s so much evidence to support evolution?” Others may accuse you of being narrow-minded: “How can you say Jesus is the only way to God?” Some may appeal to your sense of freedom: “Doesn’t God want you to have any fun?” Still, others might attack the source of your trust: “The Bible is full of inconsistencies, and you’re choosing to base your life on this book?”

How prepared are you for the assaults that will come your way? Do you have a tight grip on God’s truth? Think about this today: How will God’s truth impact your actions—from the time you set foot on the floor in the morning to the minute you go to bed tonight?

To Take Away

• What are your core faith beliefs—the spiritual truths you are sure of? Take a minute and write down three or four statements that sum up these truths.
• When was the last time someone challenged your faith? How did it affect you?
• How did you respond to the challenge? What would you do differently next time?

What happens when people act in direct opposition to what they know is right?

LHM Daily Devotions - June 18, 2020 - "Some Unsettling News"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Some Unsettling News"

June 18, 2020

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ... Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for My Name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. So have no fear of them ... And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven."

— Matthew 10:5-6, 21-26a, 28-31 (ESV)

Here Jesus is sending His disciples on a mission trip—without Him. Their destination was "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Their task was to do what Jesus did—"heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons" (Matthew 10:8a). In other words: put into practice all they learned from Jesus over the last several months.

Needless to say, the disciples' tour was met with mixed reviews. On the upside, all the healing, cleansing, and casting out of demons were likely warmly received. But the raising the dead part—now that might have been just a little over the top. ("It's nice to see Abner again, but I was just getting used to him being gone.") Still, even this, terrifying as it must have been to these Jews, probably isn't what unsettled them most about the disciples' visit.

It was the tiresome message tacked on to their preaching about the approaching kingdom of God. "So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent" (Mark 6:12). Now we've got a problem. As the disciples passed through the countryside, those they met could handle the miracles, even process the extreme cases involving illness or death. But repentance—"Whoa, buddy! Let's slow it down a bit. In fact, better yet, why don't you just mosey on down the road, and we'll call it good."

Here God shows His hand. In this world there are countless things that besiege us as humans—and God can cure them all. But an unrepentant heart—a heart turned away from Him and His offer of grace and forgiveness—is the reason Jesus came, and died, and rose again. Just like those whom the disciples met, we too must heed God's call for repentance.

Among those first traveling disciples was Peter, who later delivered a similar message to a much larger audience in Jerusalem (non-Jews included): "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your call to faith is on every one of our lives. Give us hearts of daily repentance and new lives that burn brightly for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever gone on a mission trip to a foreign country? How was that experience?

2. Jesus tells His disciples things could get hard for them. How would you react to such news before entering the mission field?

3. Do you spend much time repenting for your sins? Do you feel you need to?

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).
This Daily Devotion was written by Paul Schreiber.

Devocional CPTLN del 18 de junio de 2020 - Noticias inquietantes

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Noticias inquietantes

18 de Junio de 2020

Jesús envió a estos doce, con las siguientes instrucciones: «No vayan por camino de paganos, ni entren en ciudad de samaritanos, 6 sino vayan más bien a las ovejas perdidas de la casa de Israel... El hermano entregará a la muerte al hermano, y el padre al hijo. Los hijos se levantarán contra los padres, y los harán morir. Por causa de mi nombre todo el mundo los odiará, pero el que resista hasta el fin será salvado. Cuando los persigan en una ciudad, huyan a otra; porque de cierto les digo que no terminarán de recorrer todas las ciudades de Israel, antes que venga el Hijo del Hombre. El discípulo no es más que su maestro, ni el siervo más que su señor. Al discípulo debe bastarle con ser como su maestro, y al siervo como su señor. Si al dueño de la casa lo han llamado Beelzebú, ¿cuánto más a los de su familia? »Así que, no los teman, porque no hay nada encubierto que no haya de ser manifestado, ni nada oculto que no haya de saberse... No teman a los que matan el cuerpo, pero no pueden matar el alma. Más bien, teman a aquel que puede destruir alma y cuerpo en el infierno. ¿Acaso no se venden dos pajarillos por unas cuantas monedas? Aun así, ni uno de ellos cae a tierra sin que el Padre de ustedes lo permita, pues aun los cabellos de ustedes están todos contados. Así que no teman, pues ustedes valen más que muchos pajarillos.

— Mateo 10:5-6, 21-26, 28-31 (RVC)

Aquí Jesús está enviando a sus discípulos en un viaje misionero, sin él. Su destino: "las ovejas perdidas de la casa de Israel". Su tarea era hacer lo que Jesús hizo: sanar a los enfermos, resucitar a los muertos, limpiar a los leprosos y expulsar demonios (ver Mateo 10:8a). En otras palabras: poner en práctica todo lo que habían aprendido de Jesús.

No hace falta decir que la gira de los discípulos recibió críticas mixtas. Por un lado, toda la sanidad, limpieza y expulsión de demonios probablemente fueron recibidos con gusto. Pero eso de resucitar muertos pudo haber sido un poco exagerado. Aun así, y a pesar de lo terrible que esto debe haber sido para los judíos, probablemente no sea lo que más les inquietó sobre la visita de los discípulos.

Lo que más los inquietó fue el mensaje añadido a su predicación sobre la llegada inminente del reino de Dios. "Los doce salieron e iban predicando a la gente que se arrepintiera" (Marcos 6:12). Ahora sí tenemos un problema. Quienes conocían a los discípulos podían manejar los milagros, incluso procesar los casos extremos que involucraban enfermedad o muerte. Pero eso del arrepentimiento ya era otra cosa.

Aquí es donde Dios nos muestra su mano. En este mundo hay innumerables cosas que nos asedian, pero Dios puede curarlas a todas. Pero un corazón impenitente, un corazón alejado de Él y de su oferta de gracia y perdón, es la razón por la que Jesús vino, murió y resucitó. Al igual que aquellos con quienes se encontraron los discípulos, nosotros también debemos escuchar el llamado de Dios al arrepentimiento.

Entre esos primeros discípulos viajeros estaba Pedro, quien luego transmitió un mensaje similar a una audiencia mucho más grande en Jerusalén (incluidos los no judíos): "Y Pedro les dijo: «Arrepiéntanse, y bautícense todos ustedes en el nombre de Jesucristo, para que sus pecados les sean perdonados. Entonces recibirán el don del Espíritu Santo" (Hechos 2:38).

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, tu llamado a la fe está en cada una de nuestras vidas. Ayúdanos a arrepentirnos a diario y haz que tu luz brille a través de nosotros hacia quienes nos rodean. En el Nombre de Jesús oramos. Amén.

Paul Schreiber

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Practicas el arrepentimiento diario? ¿Te sirve para algo?

* ¿Qué mensaje llevas tú de parte de Cristo a quienes te rodean?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Practicas el arrepentimiento diario? ¿Te sirve para algo?

Хлеб наш насущный - Вперед по прямой

Вперед по прямой

Читать сейчас: 4 Царств 22:1-2, 8-13 | Библия за год: Неемии 10-11; Деяния 4:1-22

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И делал он угодное в очах Господних... и не уклонялся ни направо, ни налево.

— 4 Царств 22:2

Чтобы водить трактор или комбайн, фермеру нужен верный глаз и твердая рука. Без этого прямые ряды не получатся. Но даже самые зоркие глаза могут подвести, а к концу дня и самые сильные руки устают. Зато теперь на помощь фермерам приходит автопилот – технология, основанная на GPS, которая ведет машину в процессе посадки, культивирования и орошения с точностью до одного дюйма. Она невероятно производительна и не требует участия человека. Только представьте: вы сидите в огромном комбайне и, вместо того чтобы держать руль, держите вкуснейший сэндвич. Потрясающий инструмент направляет вас вперед по прямой.

Вероятно, вы помните Иосию. Он стал царем в возрасте «восьми лет» (4 Цар. 22:1). Годы спустя, когда Иосии было уже за двадцать, первосвященник Хелкия нашел в храме «книгу закона» (ст. 8). Свиток прочитали молодому царю, и он разорвал свои одежды в знак скорби оттого, что его предки не повиновались Богу. Иосия решил делать «угодное в очах Господних» (ст. 2). Книга стала инструментом, который направлял народ, не позволяя ему уклониться ни направо, ни налево. Божьи повеления указывали людям прямой путь.

Если мы позволим Писанию каждый день руководить нами, то наша жизнь будет направлена к познанию Бога и Его воли. Библия – удивительный инструмент, который, если его применять, направит нас вперед по прямой.

Как вы включаете чтение Библии в свое ежедневное расписание? Какие тексты Бог использовал, чтобы выравнивать вашу жизнь?

Боже, Писание – это дар, который приносит в нашу жизнь истину и свободу. Пошли мне голод и жажду Твоего слова.

автор: Джон Блэйз

© 2020 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Чтобы водить трактор или комбайн, фермеру нужен верный глаз и твердая рука. Без этого прямые ряды не получатся.