The Daily Bible Readings for WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020

The Daily Bible Readings

WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020

Psalm 130; Genesis 44:1-34; Romans 11:13-29

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Psalm 130

With you there is forgiveness

1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Genesis 45:16-28

Pharaoh welcomes Jacob’s family

45:16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's.

21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Matthew 8:1-13

Jesus heals many people

8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

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, King James Version (KJV).

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, 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 Bible Readings for WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020
Psalm 130; Genesis 45:16-28; Matthew 8:1-13 (KVJ)

The Daily Prayer for WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020

The Daily Prayer

WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020

Gregory the Great, the sixth-century monk-become-pope, said, “The dawn intimates that the night is over, but it does not yet proclaim the full light of day. Are not all of us who follow the truth in this life both daybreak and dawn? We do some things which already belong to the light, but we are not free from the remnants of darkness. It will be fully day for the church when she is no longer darkened by the shadow of sin. It will be fully day for her when she shines with the perfect brilliance of interior light. This dawn is an ongoing process. When the dawn has come, the day will retain nothing belonging to the darkness of night.”

Thank you, Lord, for working through us despite our sinfulness. By the power of your glorious resurrection, give us grace to love sinners like ourselves. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2020

1 John 5:12

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Read all of 1 John 5

Listen to 1 John 5

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

LHM Daily Devotions — Transformed

Transformed

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

— Romans 12:1-2

It makes me squirm when I hear people talk about self-improvement. They make resolutions, write up check lists, or just resolve to live as better people. Some of them seem to keep a mental tally of the good deeds they do—rather like doing reps in a gym. The more good deeds they do, the better people they will be—right?

But that's not what the Bible says. That's not what Paul writes about in our reading for today. He tells us to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God ... be transformed by the renewal of your mind." That's pretty comprehensive! God is not asking for a stack of good deeds, or even a cleaned up section of our lives. He is asking for it all—body, mind, the works. He wants all of us, all the time. He has plans for us.

"Sanctification" is the word we use for what God intends to do with us. God is remaking us, day by day, more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. There will be a strong family resemblance between us and Him when the Holy Spirit is through. People will be able to look at us and see that we are part of God's family.

But family resemblances don't come by hard work—at least, not by our hard work! You have your nose or eyebrows or the family thumb because of your DNA. It is none of your doing, it is a gift. The Bible calls it "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27b).

So what is our part in this great transformation process? It is simply to let it happen—to let God do what He's going to do—to relax and enjoy the process, and every so often, try something new that God is putting before us—a new challenge, a small change or an insight into a difficult situation that might make a difference.

We may not see the changes God is working in us over time—in fact, other people will almost certainly see them long before we do. But they will be there. After all, the same Lord who suffered, died, and rose for us, will certainly see to it that we become all that He means us to be. Paul writes: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Father, make me more and more in Jesus' image. Amen.

Dr. Kari Vo

Reflection Questions:

1. Name a fellow Christian who shows a family resemblance to Jesus.

2. Why do you say so? In what ways?

3. What is one area of your life where God is working to make you more like Jesus?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Name a fellow Christian who shows a family resemblance to Jesus.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — FAITHFUL PERSEVERANCE

FAITHFUL PERSEVERANCE

The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

— Hebrews 10:38-39

Alice Yuan continues her testimony we began yesterday:

“The second trial came from the Communist party. Every day for nineteen years, I had to report to the police station, where for six hours, they put pressure on me. They said that I would never see my husband again, that I should divorce him, and that I should give up my faith. With God’s help, I kept going. Praying with my eyes closed, I endured the interrogations every day.

“The third trial consisted of hard work. After I had been pressured by the security police for six hours, I still had to work for eight hours to earn a living. I had to push handcarts filled with building materials. The carts were much too heavy. I was completely exhausted and was already tired before I started. In the winter, it was even worse. Sometimes I had to shovel cement up onto a floor above my head. The work was dirty, hard, and cold, but I achieved my quota. The others were surprised and wondered where I got the energy from.

“The fourth trial had to do with my natural desires. I was thirty-nine-years-old when my husband was taken away. The authorities put me under pressure to marry someone else. All my papers would be changed so that I could start a new life without all the difficulties. I was offered money and clothing. God loved me so much that He gave me the strength to resist all these temptations. When I prayed to God, He gave me everything I needed, and even more than that.

“My favorite text is Psalm 68:6, God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains.”

It is a miracle that her husband, Allen Yuan, got out of the labor camp alive. In December 1979, he was released after twenty-one years and eight months. He was then sixty-five years old, thin but still healthy. At an age when many people are enjoying retirement, Allan again took up his vocation as a pastor. He died on August 16th, 2005 at the age of ninety-one. Alice joined him in heaven in early August 2010 to hear her own “Well done!”

RESPONSE: I resolve to persevere, with faith in a good God, through all the trials that come my way.

PRAYER: Lord, may all Your children experiencing severe persecution today be filled with faith and refuse to shrink back. Help me to emulate these great examples of faithful perseverance.

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

John Piper Devotional — What the Resurrection Means

What the Resurrection Means

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

— Romans 10:9

The meaning of the resurrection is that God is for us. He aims to close ranks with us. He aims to overcome all our sense of abandonment and alienation.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s declaration to Israel and to the world that we cannot work our way to glory but that he intends to do the impossible to get us there.

The resurrection is the promise of God that all who trust Jesus will be the beneficiaries of God’s power to lead us in paths of righteousness and through the valley of death.

Therefore, believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is much more than accepting a fact. It means being confident that God is for you, that he has closed ranks with you, that he is transforming your life, and that he will save you for eternal joy.

Believing in the resurrection means trusting in all the promises of life and hope and righteousness for which it stands.

It means being so confident of God’s power and love that no fear of worldly loss or greed for worldly gain will lure us to disobey his will.

That’s the difference between Satan and the saints. O, might God circumcise our hearts to love him and to rest in the resurrection of his Son.

Un dia a la Vez — Palabras, palabras, palabras

Palabras, palabras, palabras

En las muchas palabras no falta pecado; mas el que refrena sus labios es prudente.

— Proverbios 10:19, RV-60

Tus palabras tienen más valor de lo que quizá te hayas imaginado. ¿Cuántas veces por palabras dichas sin pensar te has visto comprometido, atado y metido en problemas?

Hay un refrán popular que dice que las palabras se las lleva el viento. Yo diría que esto sucede en algunos casos. Por lo general, toda palabra que sale de tu boca toma una fuerza que va más allá de lo razonable. Por eso es tan importante que pensemos antes de hablar, que pensemos antes de dar nuestra palabra.

Dar nuestra palabra implica compromiso y a veces por emoción, o por las circunstancias, nos vemos comprometidos a aceptar negocios, llamados ministeriales e incluso relaciones que sabemos que no son la voluntad de Dios. Entonces, cuando queremos retractarnos de lo que dijimos, nos interpretan mal y una vez más se perjudica el testimonio.

Dos consejos en este día: Primero, piensa antes de hablar y comprometer tu palabra.

Segundo, debemos tener como prioridad consultarlo todo con nuestro Dios.

No hagas nada por pena. Es mejor ponerse rojo por un momento que rosado por el resto de tus días.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Cuántas veces por palabras dichas sin pensar te has visto comprometido, atado y metido en problemas?

Devocional CPTLN — Transformados

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Transformados

Así que, hermanos, yo les ruego, por las misericordias de Dios, que se presenten ustedes mismos como un sacrificio vivo, santo y agradable a Dios. ¡Así es como se debe adorar a Dios! Y no adopten las costumbres de este mundo, sino transfórmense por medio de la renovación de su mente, para que comprueben cuál es la voluntad de Dios, lo que es bueno, agradable y perfecto.

— Romanos 12:1-2

Me retuerzo cuando escucho hablar a las personas sobre la superación personal. Hacen resoluciones y escriben listas para tratar de vivir como mejores personas. Algunos hasta parecen llevar un recuento mental de las buenas acciones que hacen. Cuantas más buenas obras hagan, mejores personas serán, ¿verdad?

Pero eso no es lo que dice la Biblia. Eso no es lo que Pablo escribe en nuestra lectura de hoy. Nos dice que "se presenten ustedes mismos como un sacrificio vivo, santo y aceptable a Dios... transfórmense por medio de la renovación de su mente". ¡Qué completo! Dios no está pidiendo un montón de buenas obras, o que tengamos una sección limpia en nuestra vida. Nos está pidiendo todo: cuerpo, mente, obras. Él nos quiere a todos totalmente, todo el tiempo. Él tiene planes para nosotros.

"Santificación" es la palabra que usamos para lo que Dios tiene la intención de hacer con nosotros. Dios nos está rehaciendo día a día, cada vez más a la imagen de Jesucristo. Habrá un fuerte parecido familiar entre nosotros y Él cuando el Espíritu Santo haya terminado. Los demás verán que somos parte de la familia de Dios. Pero las semejanzas familiares no vienen por el trabajo duro, al menos ¡no por nuestro trabajo duro! Todo es un regalo. La Biblia lo llama "Cristo en ti, la esperanza de gloria" (Colosenses 1: 27b).

Entonces, ¿cuál es nuestra parte en este gran proceso de transformación? Es simplemente dejar que suceda, dejar que Dios haga lo que va a hacer, relajarse y disfrutar el proceso y, de vez en cuando, probar algo nuevo que Dios nos presenta: un nuevo desafío, un pequeño cambio o una idea en una situación difícil que podría marcar la diferencia.

Es posible que no veamos los cambios que Dios está obrando en nosotros; de hecho, es casi seguro que otras personas los verán mucho antes que nosotros. Pero lo está haciendo. Después de todo, el mismo Señor que sufrió, murió y resucitó por nosotros, ciertamente se encargará de que seamos todo lo que Él quiere que seamos. Pablo escribe: "Porque el Señor es el Espíritu; y donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad. Por lo tanto, todos nosotros, que miramos la gloria del Señor a cara descubierta, como en un espejo, somos transformados de gloria en gloria en la misma imagen, como por el Espíritu del Señor" (2 Corintios 3:17-18).

ORACIÓN: Padre, hazme más y más a imagen de Jesús. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Conoces a alguien que se parezca a Jesús? ¿Por qué?

* ¿En qué área de tu vida está Dios obrando para hacerte más como Jesús?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Conoces a alguien que se parezca a Jesús? ¿Por qué?

Ministérios Pão Diário — Criador maravilhoso

Criador maravilhoso

Escritura de hoje: Salmo 104:24-34
Bíblia em um ano: Salmos 103–104; 1 Coríntios 2

Ó Senhor, que variedade de coisas criaste! Fizeste todas elas com sabedoria…

— Salmo 104:24

Como fotógrafa amadora, gosto de capturar os vislumbres da criatividade de Deus. Vejo as Suas digitais em cada pétala de flor, cada nascer ou pôr do sol, em nuvens pintadas e telas salpicadas de estrelas. O poderoso zoom da câmera me permite tirar fotos das criaturas do Senhor. Fotografei um esquilo batendo numa cerejeira em flor, uma borboleta colorida voando de flor em flor, e tartarugas-marinhas tomando sol numa praia rochosa. Cada uma dessas imagens únicas me induzem a adorar meu maravilhoso Criador.

Não sou a primeira a louvar a Deus enquanto admiro Suas criaturas ímpares. O escritor do Salmo 104 celebra em versos as muitas obras de arte do Senhor na natureza (v.24). Ele olha “…o oceano, vasto e imenso, cheio de seres de todo tipo…” (v.25) e se alegra em Deus pelo cuidado constante e completo de Suas obras-primas (vv.27-31). Considerando a grandiosidade da criação divina ao seu redor, o salmista irrompe agradecido em adoração: “Cantarei ao Senhor enquanto viver; louvarei meu Deus até meu último suspiro” (v.33).

Enquanto refletimos sobre a magnífica e imensa criação do Senhor, podemos olhar mais de perto a Sua criatividade e dar atenção aos detalhes. E, como o salmista, podemos cantar ao nosso Criador com louvor de gratidão pelo quanto Ele é e sempre será poderoso, majestoso e amoroso. Aleluia!

Por:  Xochitl Dixon

Refletir & Orar

Amoroso Senhor, obrigado por cada detalhe da criação que afirma o Teu cuidado constante e incomparável criatividade. Compartilhe sua foto favorita da criação de Deus em www.facebook.com/ministeriospaodiario

As obras de Deus são maravilhosas, e Ele também.

© 2020 Ministérios Pão Diário
Como fotógrafa amadora, gosto de capturar os vislumbres da criatividade de Deus.