The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, August 7, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, August 7, 2020

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b; Genesis 36:1-8; Acts 18:24-28

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

(Semicontinuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b

Remembering Joseph

1  Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
     make known among the nations what he has done.
2  Sing to him, sing praise to him;
     tell of all his wonderful acts.
3  Glory in his holy name;
     let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4  Look to the Lord and his strength;
     seek his face always.

5  Remember the wonders he has done,
     his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
6  you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
     his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

16 He called down famine on the land
     and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
     Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,
     his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold came to pass,
     till the word of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
     the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him master of his household,
     ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes as he pleased
     and teach his elders wisdom.

45b Praise the Lord.

Genesis 36:1-8

Esau’s household moves

36:1 This is the account of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).

2 Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite— 3 also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan.

6 Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob. 7 Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock. 8 So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.

Acts 18:24-28

A new disciple preaches

18:24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

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, August 7, 2020
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b; Genesis 36:1-8; Acts 18:24-28

The Daily Prayer for FRIDAY, August 7, 2020

The Daily Prayer

FRIDAY, August 7, 2020

Hear these words of church father Augustine of Hippo: “Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We actually progress by means of trial. We do not know ourselves except through trial, or receive a crown except after victory.”

Lord, we take comfort in knowing that you have shared in our trials. You know pain and betrayal, and you are familiar with suffering. Strengthen us in hard times and remind us that you have overcome the evil of this world. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, August 7, 2020

Isaiah 33:22

For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.

Read all of Isaiah 33

Listen to Isaiah 33

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 07 de agosto de 2020

Hijos abusivos

Hijo mío, escucha las correcciones de tu padre y no abandones las enseñanzas de tu madre. Adornarán tu cabeza como una diadema.

— Proverbios 1:8-9

Hace unos días me contaron de un hecho que uno pensaría que es increíble.

Hijos que maltratan a sus padres e hijas que le pegan a su mamá. Un abuso que puede ser más común de lo que creemos. En este caso, madre e hija se congregan en la iglesia y aparentan tener una vida normal. Sin embargo, la gran realidad es que la hija, que es una mujer hecha y derecha, le pega a su mamá.

Lo más triste de esta situación es que la mamá le tiene miedo a su hija y nunca se ha atrevido a denunciarla ni a hablar del problema en la iglesia. ¿Cómo es posible que suceda algo así?

Lo que estas personas están sembrando es destrucción, fracaso y un juicio de Dios sobre sus vidas.

Sé que a veces los papás somos exigentes, pero nada les da el derecho a los hijos de maltratarlos. Dios diseñó a los padres con suficiente carácter para disciplinar y con mucho amor. Es más, hagan lo que hagan los hijos, el corazón de padre no va a cambiar. Esto no quiere decir que tú los maltrates con palabras groseras, mucho menos que les pongas una mano encima.

Padres, si están viviendo una situación así con sus hijos, deben buscar ayuda de inmediato.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Lo que estas personas están sembrando es destrucción, fracaso y un juicio de Dios sobre sus vidas.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, August 7, 2020

THE PROCESS OF PERSECUTION–2: DISINFORMATION

Blessed are you when people…falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

— Matthew 5:11

This stage of persecution is characterized by unchecked ridicule and disinformation against a targeted group (Christian or others) most often spread through media. In this stage, Christians are robbed of their good reputation and the right to answer the accusations made against them. Media, politics, entertainment, publications, and schools are most often the avenues used to spread such insinuations or lies.

If disinformation about any group is disseminated long enough, no one will help in later stages because of this negative brain-washing about them. It essentially dehumanizes the person and is a pattern of thinking that may make it easier for milder wrongs to ignite a chain reaction of events. It creates an “us-versus-them” mentality.

A classic historic example is the gross disinformation the German Nazis spread about the Jews which then developed into a literal negative symbol when Jewish homes and businesses were marked with Stars of David and then targeted.

This also can result in verbal stereotyping. In the Rwanda genocide, the term “cockroach” became a negative classification of all Tutsi as conspirators against the government.

There are many significant global examples of disinformation used against our Christian brothers and sisters. The influence and impact of negative television programs against Protestant Christians in an autonomous region in Central Asia are very strong. A local pastor was shown on TV and, without reference to any evidence, labeled “an enemy of the state.” His family members’ pictures were also shown at the same time causing them to be despised by their community.

Recently a Christian woman who was shown on TV was not able to continue her work in a kiosk in the market. Other vendors forced her to leave the bazaar.

One local pastor says, “Since the program is shown regularly on TV, persecution has become worse. Some people have left the church out of fear. When you start to preach (to the public), people close up and say, we have heard about you, we don’t want to listen.”

In North Korea, the entire society is controlled by propaganda and disinformation. Persecution is so severe that in many Christian families, children are not even told about the family’s faith in Jesus until they are young adults because they are encouraged and expected to inform on their parents while in their school years. Christians are considered enemies of the state and the disinformation about this is widespread.

Similarly, in countries like Laos, the government disinformation is that Christianity is an American religion being used to infiltrate their country rather than the former military methods. All Christians are thus portrayed as being traitors and working for America.

RESPONSE: Today I will work for truth and quash all attempts at disinformation against followers of Jesus everywhere.

PRAYER: Lord, grant Your blessing today on Your followers suffering from lies and untruths.

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, August 7, 2020

Job

His work: Job was a wealthy farmer, herdsman, and landowner.
His character: Next to Jesus Christ, no one in the Bible carries a more remarkable résumé. "This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil…. He was the greatest man among all the peoples of the East."
His sorrow: Except for his own life and the life of his spouse, Job lost everything: cattle, camels, sheep, buildings, servants, and ten children. No one in all of Scripture—except Jesus—suffered more than he. Then to add to the physical devastation, Job had to endure the cross-examination and derision of three friends who clearly did not know what they were talking about.
His triumph: In the end, Job was vindicated by the Lord, and God blessed him with more wealth than he had before. The Lord also gave him ten more children.
Key Scriptures: Job 1; 2; 40

A Look at the Man

It all seems so unfair. God and Satan climbed into opposing grandstands and thrust the unsuspecting Job into the arena.

"There is no one on earth like him," God asserted. "He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

"Of course he's faithful," Satan sneered. "Job's no fool. Look at what you've given him. Who wouldn't be upright with all that prosperity? He's got a good thing going." God knew exactly where this conversation was headed. He wrote the script before the earth was formed. "But open your hand and let me strike everything he has," Satan scoffed. "If I do this, he will curse you to your face. Destroy his things, and then we'll see how upright he is."

"Very well," God replied. "His possessions are all yours."

At that moment Job walked into the arena alone. And in less than a single day, he lost everything—five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels. In just a few hours, nearly all of Job's servants were dead, and then, in a final devastating blow, his seven sons and three daughters were destroyed in a tornado.

Job was broken yet steadfast.

But Satan was not ready to concede. "Open your hand and let me strike his body," Satan chortled to God. "No one can deal with that kind of pain. He will surely curse you to your face."

"Very well," God repeated. "His body is yours, but you may not kill him."

Then, just as Job was burying his last child, painful sores broke out over his entire body. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, he was covered with horrible wounds.

His wife had seen enough. "Are you still holding on to your God? What's the use?" she mocked. "Curse him and die!"

But Job refused. "Should we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Then three of Job's friends appeared. For one week they sat quietly with their suffering friend. Not a single word was spoken. At first, their kindness opened Job's heart. Then it opened his mouth. He began the slow and downward spiral of asking "why?" "Why?" he asked one friend, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why?" he asked another, clinging to his hands. "Why?" he screamed at the sky. He cursed the day of his birth and expressed his longing to die.

Then Job and his three friends entered into a dialogue that lasted for many days. The conversation was deeply philosophical, tedious, and depressing. The words of Job's friends were neither comforting nor helpful.

"How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?" Job finally lamented.

Then God spoke to Job. "Brace yourself like a man," the Almighty began. "I will question you, and you shall answer me."

Job had never heard anything like this.

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?" the sovereign God asked. "Tell me, if you understand, who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!"

God's soliloquy continued uninterrupted. He exposed the greatness of his creation and the mystery and power of his being.

Job was stunned by God's words and overwhelmed by God's very presence amid his pain. "My ears had heard of you," Job finally said. "But now my eyes have seen you."

Reflect On: Job 40:1–7
Praise God: For this lesson graphically illustrated by his faithful servant.
Offer Thanks: For allowing us to draw closer to him no matter how painful our circumstances.
Confess: Our propensity to accuse God of unfairness when he allows suffering to come our way.
Ask God: To show you his perspective on your pain and your doubts and to grant you his peace—the peace that transcends understanding.

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.
Next to Jesus Christ, no one in the Bible carries a more remarkable résumé.

LHM Daily Devotions - August 7, 2020 - "God at Work"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"God at Work"

August 7, 2020

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

— Philippians 1:6

It's very interesting to watch a master potter work, especially if you can track the whole progress of making a single bowl.

First, he prepares the clay, which involves wetting it, beating it, cutting it, and kneading it over and over again.

It often takes several hours over two or three days to make the clay just right.

When the clay is ready, the potter places it on a wheel that spins, while he presses on it to make the shape emerge. He pushes and pulls and cuts and carves until the shape he has in mind comes into being.

Then, he sets it on a shelf for a few days to dry before firing it.

After the first firing, the potter applies glaze to the bowl. The glaze is a very thin clay with chemicals that will change into beautiful colors as they melt. At this point, the piece still looks like some carefully shaped and hardened mud.

The final firing heats the bowl to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the bowl very hard and durable. It also reveals the colors and designs the potter has applied to the surface.

Only after the clay has been beaten, shaped, stretched, and fired can we see the beauty that was in the mind of the potter from the very beginning.

Therefore, remember that the Triune God is the Master Potter of your life. He has great hopes and plans for you. Granted, you may not like the way He works on you, but His shaping through life's circumstances is part of the process He uses to make you into what He wishes.

This is why He will, with the patience of a potter, keep on working, forgiving and training you, throughout your entire life. He may even turn up the heat or give you times of rest and peace—all part of His grand design for you. He will do what is necessary for your greater good.

The most important point to remember is this: God loves you and in His hands You are being shaped to His good purpose.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Master Potter, melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. This I ask with confidence in the Name of the Savior whose life, death, and resurrection has made me Yours. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you make or create things from scratch?

2. What does it mean that God will bring a good work to completion when Jesus returns?

3. As God works in your life, do you see how He's molded and shaped you over time?

This Daily Devotion was written by Sosana Yousef, a volunteer with LHM in the Middle East. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you make or create things from scratch?

Devocional CPTLN del 07 de agosto de 2020 - Obra de Dios

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Obra de Dios

07 de Agosto de 2020

Estoy persuadido de que el que comenzó en ustedes la buena obra, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo.

— Filipenses 1:6

Es muy interesante ver trabajar a un maestro alfarero, especialmente si puedes seguir el proceso para hacer un tazón. Primero prepara la arcilla: la humedece, la golpea, la corta y la amasa una y otra vez. Este proceso a menudo requiere varias horas durante dos o tres días.

Cuando la arcilla está lista, el alfarero la coloca en una rueda que gira, a la vez que va presionando sobre ella para que emerja la forma que quiere. Empuja, tira, corta y talla, hasta que la forma que tiene en mente se hace realidad.

Luego lo deja en un estante durante unos días para que se seque antes de hornearlo.

Después de la primera cocción, el alfarero aplica esmalte. El esmalte es una arcilla muy fina con productos químicos que cambian en hermosos colores a medida que se van derritiendo. En este punto, la pieza todavía se ve como un barro cuidadosamente formado y endurecido. El horneado final calienta el tazón a más de 2,000 grados Fahrenheit. Esto hace que el recipiente sea muy duro y duradero, a la vez que revela los colores y diseños que el alfarero ha aplicado a la superficie.

Solo después de que la arcilla ha sido batida, moldeada, estirada y horneada podemos ver la belleza que estaba en la mente del alfarero desde el principio.

Esto nos lleva al punto de esta devoción: el Dios Trino es el Maestro Alfarero de tu vida. Él tiene grandes esperanzas y planes para ti. Puede que no te guste la forma en que obra en ti, pero su moldeado a través de las circunstancias de la vida es parte del proceso que utiliza para convertirte en lo que desea.

Es por eso que Él, con la paciencia de un alfarero, seguirá obrando, perdonándote y entrenándote durante toda tu vida. A veces puede subir la temperatura o darte momentos de descanso y paz, pero todo es parte de su gran diseño para ti. Él hará lo que sea necesario para tu bien mayor.

El punto más importante para recordar es este: Dios te ama y en sus manos estás siendo moldeado para su buen propósito.

ORACIÓN: Padre Celestial, Maestro Alfarero, derríteme, moldéame, lléname, úsame. Esto lo pido con confianza en el nombre del Salvador cuya vida, muerte y resurrección me han hecho tuyo. Amén.

Sosana Yousef, voluntaria de LHM en el Medio Oriente

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Qué significa para ti que Dios llevará a cabo una buena obra cuando Jesús regrese?

* ¿Puedes ver cómo Dios te ha moldeado a través del tiempo?

© 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 para ti que Dios llevará a cabo una buena obra cuando Jesús regrese?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Buông Tay

Buông Tay

Đọc: Giăng 11:21-36 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Thi Thiên 72-73; Rô-ma 9:1-15

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Sự chết của những người thánh là quý báu dưới mắt Đức Giê-hô-va.

— Thi Thiên 116:15

Cô y tá cho biết: “Bố anh đang hấp hối ở giai đoạn cuối”. Thuật ngữ đó chỉ về giai đoạn cuối của quá trình hấp hối và là khái niệm mới đối với tôi, cảm giác lạ lẫm như đi một mình trên đường một chiều vậy. Vào ngày cuối cùng của bố, không biết liệu ông có còn nghe được hay không, tôi và chị gái ngồi bên giường ông. Chúng tôi hôn lên vầng trán hói đẹp đẽ của bố. Chúng tôi thì thầm với bố về những lời hứa của Chúa. Chúng tôi hát thánh ca “Thành Tín Chúa Rất Lớn Thay” và đọc Thi Thiên 23. Chúng tôi nói yêu bố và cảm ơn ông vì là bố của chúng tôi. Chúng tôi biết lòng ông đang mong mỏi được gặp Chúa Jêsus, và chúng tôi nói rằng bố có thể ra đi. Nói những lời đó là bước đau đớn đầu tiên chấp nhận để ông ra đi. Ít phút sau đó, bố của chúng tôi đã được vui mừng chào đón vào nhà đời đời.

Lời tạm biệt sau cùng đối với người thân yêu rất đau lòng. Chúa Jêsus cũng đã khóc khi bạn thân của Ngài là La-xa-rơ qua đời (Gi. 11:35). Nhưng nhờ lời hứa của Chúa, chúng ta có niềm hy vọng vượt trên cả sự chết. Thi Thiên 116:15 nói rằng “những người thánh của Đức Chúa Trời” – những người thuộc về Ngài – là “quý báu” đối với Chúa. Dù họ chết đi, nhưng họ sẽ sống lại.

Chúa Jêsus hứa: “Ta là sự sống lại và sự sống. Người nào tin Ta thì sẽ sống, mặc dù đã chết rồi. Còn ai sống mà tin Ta thì sẽ không bao giờ chết” (Gi. 11:25-26). Thật được yên ủi khi biết rằng chúng ta sẽ mãi mãi ở trong sự hiện diện của Ngài.

Chúa Jêsus đã hoàn tất điều gì bởi sự chết của Ngài trên thập tự giá? Sự hy sinh của Ngài ảnh hưởng đến mọi người từng sống trên đất này như thế nào?

Lạy Cha cao quý, cảm ơn Ngài vì lời hứa về sự sống đời đời trong sự hiện diện của Ngài.

bởi Cindy Hess Kasper

Chú Giải

Khi Ma-thê nói anh trai mình là La-xa-rơ “sẽ sống lại trong kỳ phục sinh vào ngày cuối cùng” (Giăng 11:24), bà đang nói lên niềm hy vọng của người Do Thái về sự sống sau khi chết. Sự phục sinh của người chết là niềm tin cổ xưa của dân Do Thái (Gióp 19:26-27). Họ tin rằng sẽ có một tương lai khi “nhiều người ngủ trong bụi đất sẽ thức dậy, người thì để hưởng sự sống đời đời, kẻ thì để chịu tủi nhục ghê tởm đời đời” (Đa-ni-ên 12:2; xem thêm Ê-sai 26:19; Giăng 5:28-29). Tuy nhiên, khi Chúa Jêsus nói: “Anh con sẽ sống lại” (Giăng 11:23), Ngài không chỉ đơn thuần nhắc đến niềm hy vọng phục sinh trong tương lai, nhưng Ngài hứa về sự sống lại ngay lập tức của La-xa-rơ (c.40-44).

K. T. Sim

© 2020 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Vào ngày cuối cùng của bố, không biết liệu ông có còn nghe được hay không, tôi và chị gái ngồi bên giường ông.