The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, July 13, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, July 13, 2020

Psalm 142; Micah 1:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 142

God my refuge and portion

1  I cry aloud to the Lord;
     I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
2  I pour out before him my complaint;
     before him I tell my trouble.

3  When my spirit grows faint within me,
     it is you who watch over my way.
   In the path where I walk
     people have hidden a snare for me.
4  Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
     no one is concerned for me.
   I have no refuge;
     no one cares for my life.

5  I cry to you, Lord;
     I say, “You are my refuge,
     my portion in the land of the living.”

6  Listen to my cry,
     for I am in desperate need;
   rescue me from those who pursue me,
     for they are too strong for me.
7  Set me free from my prison,
     that I may praise your name.
   Then the righteous will gather about me
     because of your goodness to me.

Micah 1:1-5

Judgment for Jacob’s transgression

1:1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2  Hear, you peoples, all of you,
     listen, earth and all who live in it,
   that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you,
     the Lord from his holy temple.

3  Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling place;
     he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.
4  The mountains melt beneath him
     and the valleys split apart,
   like wax before the fire,
     like water rushing down a slope.
5  All this is because of Jacob’s transgression,
     because of the sins of the people of Israel.
   What is Jacob’s transgression?
     Is it not Samaria?
   What is Judah’s high place?
     Is it not Jerusalem?

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

A life pleasing to God

4:1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

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 MONDAY, July 13, 2020
Psalm 142; Micah 1:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

The Daily Prayer for MONDAY, July 13, 2020

The Daily Prayer

MONDAY, July 13, 2020

This prayer is from the second-century Christian writings known as the Acts of John: “To thee I call who art God alone: the one who is exceedingly great, the Unutterable One, the Incomprehensible One; to whom all powers of government are subject; before whom every authority bows, and before whom all that is high falls down and remains silent; at whose voice the demons take fright; and beholding whom all creation surrenders in silent adoration.”

God of all grace, in foolishness and humility we often dare to speak on your behalf, claiming to know your ways and making promises we struggle to keep. Help us learn to be still, trusting that you indeed are God. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, July 13, 2020

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Read all of Philippians 2

Listen to Philippians 2

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 - Lunes 13 de julio de 2020

Oración por los compromisos con Dios

Guárdame como a la niña de tus ojos; escóndeme bajo la sombra de tus alas.

— Salmo 17:8, RV-60

Dios mío, esta semana ha sido una semana de pacto contigo. A través de estas pequeñas enseñanzas he comprendido que no solo debo cuidar mi vida, sino también debo guardar todo mi ser.

Gracias, Señor, porque quiero hacer el compromiso de guardarme por completo a ti. Ayúdame a estar limpio en lo que escucho, en lo que veo, en lo que toco, en lo que hablo.

Conviérteme en una persona de carácter y dame tanto el querer como el hacer. No te quiero fallar jamás.

Padre, entrego este día en tus manos y te declaro el Rey de mi vida y el Rey de mi corazón.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Oración por los compromisos con Dios

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Monday, July 13, 2020

MOURNING

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

— Matthew 5:4

Mourning is the kind of grief that cannot be hidden. It can be a deep sorrow for our own unworthiness that leads us to trust the Lord as our total Provider, seeking His presence and counsel (authority). Such action is rewarded by the Father’s gracious comfort.

It can also be for grief over the sorrow and suffering of this world. Blessed is the man who cares intensely for the sufferings, sorrows, and needs of others. And so again we can paraphrase this Beatitude:

Blessed are those whose hearts are broken for the world’s suffering and are deeply sorry for their sin and unworthiness, for they will find the joy and comfort of God.

As we meditate on this, what comes to mind is the need to mourn for the state of the church and Christians generally. In many countries, churches are weak and nominal or are split by internal conflicts. There is a need to mourn. There is a need to mourn also for believers who have quit the struggle and crossed to the other side.

Mourn for the poor quality of preaching, the lack of prayer, and the deficiency of spiritual power. Mourn for those who come to the church only to find they are unwelcome. Mourn for Christians unwilling to introduce the light of Christ to them. Mourn for a church hiding its light, too scared to let it shine. Yes, there is much to mourn for. Yet, the promise is, if we mourn, comfort will come.

A self-sufficient Bible trainer from the West spent time in China with young leaders needing biblical training. He felt inadequate at first but later wrote, “As I left them, I wept. I wept because I had to go back to a world where God was not taken half as seriously. I wept to return to a church where if I do not insert enough clever illustrations, eyes glaze over and no one listens to my talks. I wept to go back to a world of unread Bibles and dry eyes. I wept to return to a lifestyle that would regard me as mad if I kept trying to rise at 4.30 a.m. for prayer. I wept because I really wanted to stay with those fifty teachers and learn to love God as they did.”

RESPONSE: Today I will repent of my self-sufficiency.

PRAYER: Lord, I truly mourn over my own sin and unworthiness. And I mourn too for the deep and painful suffering that I see around our globe. May I receive Your joy and comfort.

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

Women of the Bible - Monday, July 13, 2020

The Shunammite Woman

Her character: Generous and hospitable, she was a wealthy and capable woman who showed great kindness to one of God's prophets.
Her sorrow: To lose the son that had been promised her.
Her joy: To experience just how deep God's faithfulness goes.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 4:8-37; 8:1-6

Her Story

Just a few miles north of Jezreel, where Jezebel's story had drawn to its grim conclusion, lived a wealthy Israelite woman whose sharp eye kept track of travelers from Nazareth to Jerusalem. One of the more colorful characters who frequented the road outside her house was Elisha, the prophet who succeeded Elijah.

One day the Shunammite woman invited Elisha to linger for a meal. Afterward, she said to her husband, "Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us."

Moved by her kindness, Elisha inquired, through his servant, Gehazi, whether he could use his influence with Israel's king on her behalf. But the woman wasn't looking for favors at court, so Elisha pressed his servant, saying, "What, then, can be done for her?"

Gehazi merely pointed out the obvious: the woman and her aging husband were childless, without an heir to carry on the family name. So Elisha summoned the woman and made an incredible promise: "About this time next year you will hold a son in your arms."

"No, my lord," she objected. "Don't mislead your servant, O man of God!"

Yet, a year later, just as Elisha had foretold, the woman held a squalling infant in her arms, laughing as she told others the story of God's surprising gift. Unlike so many of her female forebears—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Tamar, Hannah—the Shunammite woman seemed content without children. Elisha's promise, however, was an arrow homing straight to its target, fulfilling the unspoken desire of her heart.

One morning, a few years later, a servant entered the house with the little boy in his arms, explaining that the child had complained of a headache while visiting his father in the fields. Perhaps he had lingered too long in the sun.

The boy's face was flushed, his forehead hot as his mother caressed it, hushing him with soothing sounds and songs. But despite murmured words of reassurance, she felt her own fear spreading. The tighter she held him, the more his spirit seemed to retreat. His breathing was labored, his eyes listless. At about noon he died.

Without a word, she carried his small body to the prophet's room, laying it tenderly on Elisha's bed. Closing the door, she summoned a servant and left immediately for Mount Carmel, where she hoped to find Elisha.

Spotting her in the distance, the prophet wondered aloud what could prompt her to make the twenty-five-mile journey north. "Run to meet her," he urged Gehazi, "and ask, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?'"

But the woman merely brushed Gehazi aside with polite words and rushed straight to Elisha, exclaiming: "Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn't I tell you, 'Don't raise my hopes'?"

Immediately the prophet instructed Gehazi: "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand, and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face."

The woman, however, wasn't about to settle for a stand-in. So the prophet hurried to Shunem just behind Gehazi, who had gone on ahead to carry out his master's orders. When Elisha arrived, he found the boy lying quiet and cold on his couch. Elisha closed the door behind him. Praying, he stretched his body across the boy's so that hands, mouth, and eyes touched. As he lay there, he could feel the chilled body warming beneath him. He got up and paced the room for a while. At last, he stretched himself across the lifeless body again and prayed. The boy's chest lifted. Then he sneezed! Then sneezed again.

The Shunammite woman may, in fact, have heard the story of how Elijah had raised the son of the widow of Zarephath in similar circumstances. If so, that miracle would certainly have fueled her hope, giving her the courage to seek her own miracle rather than collapse under so great a weight of grief. Now, as she saw for herself the irrefutable sign of God's loving-kindness, she fell at Elisha's feet and bowed to the ground. God had been true to his word, fulfilling his promise to her and then preserving it in the face of impossible circumstances.

Her Promise

The Shunammite woman knew there was hope even in the most devastating of circumstances. She had been promised a son when she was barren, and now she tenaciously held on to that promise even though her little son lay dead on Elisha's couch. "It's all right," she said to her husband, knowing full well that their boy was gone. The God who had given her the promise wasn't gone. She knew he wouldn't forsake her.

"It's all right." Can you express that sentiment even when your world is crashing in on you? Perhaps not. Remember, however, that even in the most agonizing of circumstances, even when you feel abandoned, even when tragedy strikes—God is there. Trust his word and gain assurance from the Shunammite woman who, in the midst of appalling circumstances, could say, "It's all right."

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
Just a few miles north of Jezreel, where Jezebel's story had drawn to its grim conclusion, lived a wealthy Israelite woman whose sharp eye kept track of travelers from Nazareth to Jerusalem.

LHM Daily Devotions - July 13, 2020 - "Companions"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Companions"

July 13, 2020

I am a companion of all who fear You, of those who keep Your precepts. The earth, O LORD, is full of Your steadfast love; teach me Your statutes!

— Psalm 119:63-64

When you meet someone for the first time, do you try to find something in common with your new acquaintance? We might share information about our families and about the work we do. People may be drawn into friendly conversations about their hometowns or the success (or lack thereof) of favorite sports teams. Sometimes common challenges unite us—the joys and frustrations of work or the shared experience of a long illness.

When we meet brothers or sisters in Christ, what do we have in common with them? We share a common faith in the crucified and risen Savior. We are fellow citizens of the kingdom of God and together we seek, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to follow Jesus' teachings. We understand some things that the world around us does not grasp, such as sin, repentance, and forgiveness. We share with our brothers and sisters the comfort and hope of Jesus' return on the Last Day and a future home in His presence forever.

In speaking with fellow Christians, although we may share interests and exchange words of encouragement in the faith, it was never really our own interests that brought us together. It was Christ Jesus, who by His death and resurrection, delivered us from sin, death, and the devil and brought us by faith into His kingdom. Through faith in Jesus, we are "called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours" (1 Corinthians 1:2b).

We share the joy of the psalmist, who is a companion of all who fear the Lord and keep His precepts. However troubling the world in which we live, we share with brothers and sisters in Christ the insight that it is a world filled with the steadfast love of God, who sent His Son to be this world's Savior. We pray that the Lord would fill us with His love and teach us His commands. We share what we know with our companions in Christ, letting His Word dwell richly within us, and "teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" with thankfulness in our hearts to God (Colossians 3:16b).

We meet our brothers and sisters in Christ when we come together to worship or study God's Word together. We may meet fellow Christians in ways and times when we least expect it. In this earthly life, we will never meet them all. It is a fellowship created by the Holy Spirit that stretches back through history and extends around the world. One day we will join with them all, that "great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages," gathered before the Lamb who was sacrificed to save us. Together we will cry out, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation7:9b, 10b).

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we are blessed through the fellowship we have in Your Name with our brothers and sisters in faith. Help us to reach out in loving witness so that more people will be drawn by the Spirit into the community of saints. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you generally feel comfortable hanging out with other Christians?

2. What does it mean to say the earth is full of God's steadfast love? Can you give an example or two?

3. What special benefits do you receive when you gather with other Christians?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you generally feel comfortable hanging out with other Christians?

Devocional CPTLN del 13 de julio de 2020 - Amigos

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Amigos

13 de Julio de 2020

Soy amigo de todos los que te honran, de todos los que obedecen tus preceptos. Señor, tu misericordia llena la tierra; ¡enséñame tus decretos!

— Salmo 119:63-64

Cuando conocemos a alguien por primera vez, por lo general tratamos de encontrar qué tenemos en común. Para ello, compartimos información sobre nuestra familia o sobre el trabajo, o sobre nuestro lugar de origen o equipo de fútbol favorito. Otras veces son los desafíos comunes los que nos unen: las alegrías y las frustraciones de la vida o la experiencia compartida de una larga enfermedad.

Cuando nos encontramos con hermanos en Cristo, ¿qué tenemos en común con ellos? Compartimos una fe común en el Salvador crucificado y resucitado, somos conciudadanos del Reino de Dios y juntos buscamos, en el poder del Espíritu Santo, seguir las enseñanzas de Jesús. Entendemos algunas cosas que el mundo que nos rodea no entiende, como el pecado, el arrepentimiento y el perdón. Compartimos con ellos el consuelo y la esperanza del regreso de Jesús en el último día y de un futuro hogar en su presencia para siempre.

Ahora, si bien con otros cristianos podemos compartir intereses e intercambiar palabras de aliento en la fe, nunca fueron nuestros intereses los que nos unieron. Fue Cristo Jesús quien, por su muerte y resurrección, nos libró del pecado, la muerte y el diablo y nos trajo por fe a su reino. A través de la fe en Jesús, estamos "llamados a ser santos, junto con todos los que en todas partes invocan el nombre del Señor Jesucristo, Señor suyo y nuestro" (1 Corintios 1:2b).

Compartimos la alegría del salmista, que es amigo de todos los que temen al Señor y guardan sus preceptos. Por preocupante que sea el mundo en el que vivimos, compartimos con los hermanos en Cristo la idea de que es un mundo lleno del amor de Dios, quien envió a su Hijo a ser el Salvador de este mundo. Oramos para que el Señor nos llene de su amor y nos enseñe sus mandamientos. Compartimos lo que sabemos con nuestros amigos en Cristo, dejando que su Palabra habite ricamente dentro de nosotros.

Un día nos uniremos a todos ellos, esa "gran multitud compuesta de todas las naciones, tribus, pueblos y lenguas... en presencia del Cordero, y vestían ropas blancas; en sus manos llevaban ramas de palma, y a grandes voces gritaban: 'La salvación proviene de nuestro Dios, que está sentado en el trono, y del Cordero'" (Apocalipsis 7:9b, 10).

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, somos bendecidos por la comunión que tenemos en tu Nombre con nuestros hermanos en la fe. Ayúdanos a ser buenos testigos tuyos para que el Espíritu atraiga a más personas a la comunidad de los santos. Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Qué significa decir que la tierra está llena del amor de Dios? ¿Puedes dar un ejemplo o dos?

* ¿Qué beneficios especiales recibes cuando te reúnes con otros cristianos?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué significa decir que la tierra está llena del amor de Dios? ¿Puedes dar un ejemplo o dos?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Levez les yeux !

Levez les yeux !

Lisez : Psaume 8.4,5 ; Apocalypse 21.22-25
La Bible en un an : Psaumes 10 – 12 ; Actes 19.1-20

[Là] il n’y aura point de nuit.

— Apocalypse 21.25

Lorsque le cinéaste Wylie Overstreet a montré à des inconnus une photo de la Lune prise par son puissant télescope, ceux-ci se sont étonnés de la voir de si près et ont exprimé des murmures d’émerveillement. Comme l’a dit Overstreet, une vue aussi glorieuse « nous remplit d’une admiration telle qu’elle nous procure le sentiment qu’il existe quelque chose nous étant de beaucoup supérieur ».

Le psalmiste David s’est aussi émerveillé devant la gloire céleste de Dieu : « Quand je contemple les cieux, ouvrage de tes mains, la lune et les étoiles que tu as créées : Qu’est-ce que l’homme, pour que tu te souviennes de lui ? Et le fils de l’homme, pour que tu prennes garde à lui ? » (PS 8.4,5.)

La question empreinte d’humilité de David met notre admiration en perspective lorsque nous apprenons qu’après que Dieu aura créé son nouveau ciel et sa nouvelle terre, nous n’aurons plus besoin de la lune et du soleil. Comme le dit l’apôtre Jean, la gloire éclatante de Dieu nous procurera toute la lumière nécessaire. « La ville n’a besoin ni du soleil ni de la lune pour l’éclairer ; car la gloire de Dieu l’éclaire, et l’Agneau est son flambeau […] là il n’y aura point de nuit » (AP 21.23-25).

Quelle pensée formidable ! Nous pouvons néanmoins goûter sa lumière céleste aujourd’hui même – simplement en recherchant Christ, la Lumière du monde. De l’avis d’Overstreet, « nous devrions lever les yeux plus souvent ». Ce faisant, puissions-nous voir Dieu.

Dieu merveilleux, ta sainte gloire nous émerveille, et nous te louons pour ta magnifique lumière.

Dieu mérite toute notre gloire et toutes nos louanges.

par Patricia Raybon

© 2020 Ministères NPQ
Lorsque le cinéaste Wylie Overstreet a montré à des inconnus une photo de la Lune prise par son puissant télescope, ceux-ci se sont étonnés de la voir de si près et ont exprimé des murmures d’émerveillement.