The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, July 14, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, July 14, 2020

Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17—5:2

(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.

Jeremiah 49:7-11

Edom children of Esau punished

49:7 Concerning Edom:

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

   “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?
     Has counsel perished from the prudent?
     Has their wisdom decayed?
8  Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,
     you who live in Dedan,
   for I will bring disaster on Esau
     at the time when I punish him.
9  If grape pickers came to you,
     would they not leave a few grapes?
   If thieves came during the night,
     would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
10 But I will strip Esau bare;
     I will uncover his hiding places,
     so that he cannot conceal himself.
   His armed men are destroyed,
     also his allies and neighbors,
     so there is no one to say,
11 ‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive.
     Your widows too can depend on me.’”

Ephesians 4:17—5:2

The old life and the new

4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5:1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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 TUESDAY, July 14, 2020
Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17—5:2

The Daily Prayer for TUESDAY, July 14, 2020

The Daily Prayer

TUESDAY, July 14, 2020

Listen to these words from the Shepherd of Hermas, whose second-century writings were cherished by the early Christians: “You know that you who are God’s servants are living in a foreign country, for your own city-state is far away from this City-state. Knowing, then, which one is to be your own City-state, why do you acquire fields, costly furnishings, buildings, and frail dwellings here? Instead of fields, buy for yourselves people in distress in accordance with your means. It is far, far better to buy this kind of field, property, or building, which is quite different and which you can find again in your own City when you come home. This ‘extravagance’ is beautiful and holy; it brings no grief and no fear; it brings nothing but joy.”

Lord, apart from you our fragile lives would crumble into ruins. Sustain us by your mighty power, and help us rebuild our lives among those who have no home to call their own—the poor of heart and pocket, the homeless, the hungry, the unattended sick, and the imprisoned. Amen.

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, July 14, 2020

John 15:10

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

Read all of John 15

Listen to John 15

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 - Martes 14 de julio de 2020

De día en día

Soy yo mismo el que los consuela. ¿Quién eres tú, que temes a los hombres, a simples mortales, que no son más que hierba?

— Isaías 51:12

A veces nos pasa que hemos tenido un fin de semana bien activos con Dios. Hemos tratado de estar en comunicación con Él y hacer su voluntad. Entonces, ¡sorpresa! Llega un nuevo día, una nueva semana, y con ellos las luchas y los problemas. Así que dices: «Dios mío, ¿hasta cuándo? Dios mío, ayúdame, no puedo más».

Para esos momentos es que viene este recordatorio de vivir de día en día. No te llenes la cabeza pensando en lo que fue y ya no es… vive el presente, tu presente, y procura vivir el hoy. De ese modo, cuando llegue la preocupación, tendrás cabeza para pensar y evitarás tomar una decisión equivocada.

Recuerda que aunque la situación que atraviesas hoy sea más difícil que tus fuerzas, Dios está allí presente en tus noches de angustia. Te da la compañía cuando te sientes solo.

Incluso, a veces permite esta breve preocupación para que le busques de manera exclusiva a Él. No quiere que tu enfoque sea carnal, sino espiritual.

Hoy es una excelente oportunidad para rendirle tu problema al número uno en la solución de las crisis. Su nombre es «Jesús».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
A veces nos pasa que hemos tenido un fin de semana bien activos con Dios. Hemos tratado de estar en comunicación con Él y hacer su voluntad. Entonces, ¡sorpresa! Llega un nuevo día, una nueva semana, y con ellos las luchas y los problemas.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, July 14, 2020

THE MEEK

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

— Matthew 5:4

Meekness is not to be confused with weakness. In scripture, meekness means “power under control.” In this context, the contrite, praying person is blessed with the indwelling control of the Holy Spirit and the inheritance promised to the believer even in conflict.

History shows that it is the people who have learned this, people with their passions, instincts, and impulses under disciplined control, who have been great. (see Numbers 12:3 and Proverbs 16:32) Thus:

Blessed are those whose every instinct, every impulse, and every passion is under the control of God’s Spirit! They will be right with God, self, and others and enter the life which God alone can give.

Pray for this meekness when entering into dialogue with those of opposing positions. There will be times when patience and self-control will be sorely tested. There may also be times when the Spirit will suggest a change of direction in the dialogue or a strategic retreat that looks suspiciously like defeat. To be meek is to be able to willingly accept temporary defeat in order that there may later be victory in the Spirit.

A co-worker in China was struggling with the attitudes of a house church group who forbade hand-clapping during the singing of hymns. One leader complained bitterly. Every evening in the brothers’ sleeping quarters, he would complain further. The group would then debate endlessly on whether or not clapping hands during singing was permissible. It was like the black smoke pouring out from the weeds.

This continued until the afternoon of the last day, when God used His Word, and the Holy Spirit did an amazing work. This brother stood up and admitted his wrongdoing. He asked God to forgive his ignorance, stubbornness, and defensiveness. With his confession, Christ’s love tore down an invisible wall. It was as if the Lord “broke down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.” The response of the workers as they prayed together was, “The glorious King has come.” Thank and praise the Lord. He was completely victorious.

RESPONSE: Today I will quit calling the shots and surrender complete control to God.

PRAYER: Lord, today I completely surrender to the control of Your Spirit in my life. Help me to be meek.

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

LHM Daily Devotions - July 14, 2020 - "It's Me; Don't Be Afraid"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"It's Me; Don't Be Afraid"

July 14, 2020

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides Me there is no god. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before Me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are My witnesses! Is there a God besides Me? There is no Rock; I know not any."

— Isaiah 44:6-8

Have you ever thought you were alone in a house, only to hear a door open behind you? "Don't be afraid," your spouse or friend says. "It's only me."

God has much the same tone in our reading for today. "Fear not, nor be afraid," He says. "Is there a God besides Me? There is no Rock; I know not any." It's okay. He's the only God out here. We don't need to worry about any other gods sneaking up on us.

That sounds weird to most of us, who have been used to the idea of only one God since we were born. "Well, of course there are no other gods!" we may think. "Why would the possibility worry us? What's this fear thing about, anyway?"

But we are spoiled by our good fortune. Throughout history, humanity has had a tendency to think of gods as bad news—as beings who have to be placated and praised and sacrificed to, or else they will make you sick or kill your family or destroy your farm. Think of the Greek gods from mythology. They are not helpful or kind or benevolent. If they get involved with humanity, it's because they want something. At best they ignore you; at worst .... Let's not go there.

"Well," we may say, "We've come a long way from that." But have we, really? We may not actually worship the so-called "gods" of our own culture, but they exist: money, prestige, power. And those who possess a great deal of these things act like the old Greek gods, don't they? By and large, they use their power to oppress, to harm, to exploit other people. They are not safe gods. They are dangerous.

Against all of this, the real God says to us: "I am the first and I am the last; besides Me there is no god. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim it. Fear not, nor be afraid .... Is there a God besides Me? There is no Rock; I know not any."

We do not have to be afraid of the great powers of our own culture—government overreach, business corruption, greedy and uncaring people who are rich and powerful. They are not gods, no matter how much they may wish us to think so. They do not have ultimate power. That belongs to the true God, to our Rock.

The Lord is our safety, the Rock on which we stand, the refuge that will never fail us. And He will stand firm like a great rock when the power of all these so-called "gods" breaks against Him like ocean waves. We belong to Him; we will not be shattered. This is why we can sing with the writer of Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling" (Psalm 46:1-3).

THE PRAYER: Father, help us to trust in You alone as our safety. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. What great powers make you most nervous?

2. When you are afraid, what do you do?

3. The one true God is above every power. How does this strengthen and comfort you?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). 
What great powers make you most nervous?

Devocional CPTLN del 14 de julio de 2020 - Soy yo; no tengas miedo

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Soy yo; no tengas miedo

14 de Julio de 2020

Así dice el Señor, el Rey y Redentor de Israel, el Señor de los ejércitos: «Yo soy el primero; yo soy también el último. Fuera de mí no hay otro Dios. ¿Quién puede proclamar lo que está por venir? ¿Quién puede declararlo y ponerlo en orden ante mí, como lo hago yo desde que establecí al pueblo antiguo? ¡Anuncien lo que viene, lo que está por venir! No temas; no te intimides. ¿Acaso no te lo dije y te lo hice saber desde la antigüedad? Por lo tanto, ustedes son mis testigos. No hay más Dios que yo. No hay otro Fuerte; no conozco a ninguno.»

— Isaías 44: 6-8

Si alguna vez, estando solo en tu casa, te asustaste al escuchar que se abría una puerta detrás de ti, te dio gran alivio cuando tu cónyuge o amigo dijo: "No tengas miedo. Soy yo."

Lo mismo sucede en nuestra lectura de hoy. "No temas, no te intimides", dice, "No hay más Dios que yo. No hay otro Fuerte; no conozco a ninguno." Todo está bien. Él es el único Dios. No tenemos que preocuparnos de que otros dioses nos sigan sigilosamente.

Eso suena extraño para la mayoría de nosotros, que hemos estado acostumbrados a la idea de un solo Dios desde que nacimos. Pero a lo largo de la historia, la humanidad ha tenido la tendencia de asociar los dioses como malas noticias, como seres a los que hay que aplacar o de lo contrario te enfermarán o matarán a tu familia o destruirán tu granja. Recordemos los dioses de la mitología griega. No eran útiles, amables o benevolentes. Si se involucraban con la humanidad, era porque querían algo.

Es cierto que las cosas han cambiado mucho desde entonces, pero en nuestra cultura también existen dioses: dinero, prestigio, poder. Y quienes poseen una gran cantidad de estas cosas actúan como los antiguos dioses griegos, ¿no? En general, usan su poder para oprimir, dañar, explotar a otras personas. No son dioses seguros. Son peligrosos.

En contraste con todo esto, el verdadero Dios nos dice: "Yo soy el primero; yo soy también el último. Fuera de mí no hay otro Dios. ¿Quién puede proclamar lo que está por venir?... No temas; no te intimides.... No hay más Dios que yo. No hay otro Fuerte; no conozco a ninguno."

No tenemos que temer a los grandes poderes de nuestra cultura: los abusos de poder de los gobernantes, la corrupción, la codicia e indiferencia de los ricos y poderosos. No son dioses, por mucho que deseen que pensemos así. No tienen todo el poder. Eso le pertenece solo al Dios verdadero.

El Señor es nuestra seguridad, el refugio que nunca nos fallará. Y se mantendrá firme como una gran roca cuando el poder de todos los llamados "dioses" se rompa contra Él como las olas del océano. Le pertenecemos a Él; no seremos destrozados. Es por eso que podemos cantar con el escritor del Salmo 46: "Dios es nuestro amparo y fortaleza, nuestro pronto auxilio en todos los problemas. Por eso no tenemos ningún temor. Aunque la tierra se estremezca, y los montes se hundan en el fondo del mar; aunque sus aguas bramen y se agiten, y los montes tiemblen ante su furia" (Salmo 46:1-3).

ORACIÓN: Padre, ayúdanos a confiar solo en ti. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Qué haces cuando tienes miedo?

* ¿De qué manera te fortalece y consuela el saber que el único Dios verdadero está por encima de todo poder?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué haces cuando tienes miedo?

Nuestro Pan Diario - Hacer el tonto

Hacer el tonto

La escritura de hoy: Santiago 4:4-12
La Biblia en un año: Salmos 10–12; Hechos 19:1-20

… Dios resiste a los soberbios, y da gracia a los humildes.

— Santiago 4:6

La experiencia más humillante que tuve fue cuando hablé ante profesores, estudiantes y amigos para el 50.° aniversario de un seminario. Caminé hacia el atril con mi manuscrito en la mano y miré a la multitud, pero mi ojo se enfocó en los distinguidos profesores sentados en la primera fila, con vestimenta académica y aspecto muy serio. Al instante, me descontrolé. Se me secó la boca y se desconectó de mi cerebro. Tartamudeé las primeras frases y, luego, comencé a improvisar. Como no tenía idea de dónde iba en el discurso, empecé a dar vuelta las hojas frenéticamente, mientras decía una serie de tonterías que dejaron perplejos a todos. De alguna manera terminé, volví a mi asiento y miré al piso. Me quería morir.

Sin embargo, aprendí que la humillación puede ser buena si lleva a la humildad, porque esta es la llave que abre el corazón de Dios. La Biblia dice: «Dios resiste a los soberbios, y da gracia a los humildes» (Santiago 4:6). Él derrama gracia sobre los humildes. Dijo: «miraré a aquel que es pobre y humilde de espíritu, y que tiembla a mi palabra» (Isaías 66:2). Al humillarnos delante de Dios, Él nos exalta (Santiago 4:10).

La humillación y la vergüenza pueden acercarnos a Dios para que Él nos moldee. Cuando caemos, hemos caído en sus manos.

De:  David H. Roper

Reflexiona y ora

Dios, ayúdame a aceptar la humillación si esta te glorifica.

¿Cuál fue tu situación más humillante y embarazosa? ¿Qué beneficio te trajo como resultado?

© 2020 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
La experiencia más humillante que tuve fue cuando hablé ante profesores, estudiantes y amigos para el 50.° aniversario de un seminario.