The Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday, December 1, 2020

 

The Daily Readings
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Psalm 79; Micah 4:6-13; Revelation 18:1-10
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

John 1:1-2, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

There had been 400 years of silence since God had spoken through His prophet Malachi. As happens with any prolonged time of quiet, the people’s ears strained for a word. So God sent the Word. But first, He readied the world for the gospel. Under the influence of Alexander the Great, Greek—the language of science, medicine, and philosophy—made communication much easier than it had ever been. Also, because of the roads and general peace of the Roman Empire, missionaries could travel everywhere with less difficulty. Finally, with all the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire, evangelists had many synagogues from which to preach the Good News throughout the known world.

Jesus is far more than just a great teacher or a mighty prophet; in fact, He is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Jesus is “the exact representation” of God’s nature because He is God Himself (Heb. 1:3). Whatever Jesus does, He does with grace. Whatever He says, He says in truth. If you want to understand what God is like, look to Jesus (John 1:18; 14:9).

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 79
Prayer for deliverance

1 O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

5 How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

Commentary
God is complained to: whither should children go but to a Father able and willing to help them? See what a change sin made in the holy city, when the heathen were suffered to pour in upon them. God's own people defiled it by their sins, therefore he suffered their enemies to defile it by their insolence. They desired that God would be reconciled. Those who desire God's favour as better than life, cannot but dread his wrath as worse than death. In every affliction we should first beseech the Lord to cleanse away the guilt of our sins; then he will visit us with his tender mercies.

Those who persist in ignorance of God, and neglect of prayer, are the ungodly. How unrighteous soever men were, the Lord was righteous in permitting them to do what they did. Deliverances from trouble are mercies indeed, when grounded upon the pardon of sin; we should therefore be more earnest in prayer for the removal of our sins than for the removal of afflictions. They had no hopes but from God's mercies, his tender mercies. They plead no merit, they pretend to none, but, Help us for the glory of thy name; pardon us for thy name's sake. The Christian forgets not that he is often bound in the chain of his sins. The world to him is a prison; sentence of death is passed upon him, and he knows not how soon it may be executed. How fervently should he at all times pray, O let the sighing of a prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die! How glorious will the day be, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, the church beholds the adversary disarmed for ever! while that church shall, from age to age, sing the praises of her great Shepherd and Bishop, her King and her God.

Micah 4:6-13
A promise of restoration after exile

4:6 In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;

7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

Commentary
Many nations would assemble against Zion to rejoice in her calamities. They would not understand that the Lord had collected them as sheaves are gathered to be threshed; and that Zion would be strengthened to beat them to pieces. Nothing has yet taken place in the history of the Jewish church agreeing with this prediction. When God has conquering work for his people to do, he will furnish them with strength and ability for it. Believers should cry aloud under distresses, with the prayer of faith, not with despondency.

Revelation 18:1-10
Judgment upon human pride

18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Commentary
The downfall and destruction of the mystical Babylon are determined in the counsels of God. Another angel comes from heaven. This seems to be Christ himself, coming to destroy his enemies, and to shed abroad the light of his gospel through all nations. The wickedness of this Babylon was very great; she had forsaken the true God, and set up idols, and had drawn all sorts of men into spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury kept them in her interest. The spiritual merchandise, by which multitudes have wickedly lived in wealth, by the sins and follies of mankind, seems principally intended. Fair warning is given to all that expect mercy from God, that they should not only come out of this Babylon, but assist in her destruction. God may have a people even in Babylon. But God's people shall be called out of Babylon, and called effectually, while those that partake with wicked men in their sins, must receive of their plagues.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2021, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2020 was Year A. 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 Readings for Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Psalm 79; Micah 4:6-13; Revelation 18:1-10 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, December 1, 2020

 

Prayer of the Day
Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Say to Daughter of Zion, "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." … The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

— Matthew 21:5, 9 (NIV)

Lord our God, we thank you for letting hosannas rise from people's hearts and for letting us cry out to you all the more fervently in dark times. Help us, O Almighty God, and help your king, Jesus Christ, to his final victory. For he shall be victor, bringing grace, peace, life, and victory for all that is good, on earth as in heaven. He shall be victor at all times in our lives, enabling us to keep faith in trouble, fear, and need, yes, even in death. Hosanna to the victor, Jesus Christ, the victor you have chosen! O Almighty God, proclaim him on earth. Let all the people know he is on his way, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Tuesday, December 1, 2020

 

Verse of the Day
Tuesday, December 1, 2020

John 1:1-2, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

There had been 400 years of silence since God had spoken through His prophet Malachi. As happens with any prolonged time of quiet, the people’s ears strained for a word. So God sent the Word. But first, He readied the world for the gospel. Under the influence of Alexander the Great, Greek—the language of science, medicine, and philosophy—made communication much easier than it had ever been. Also, because of the roads and general peace of the Roman Empire, missionaries could travel everywhere with less difficulty. Finally, with all the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire, evangelists had many synagogues from which to preach the Good News throughout the known world.

Jesus is far more than just a great teacher or a mighty prophet; in fact, He is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Jesus is “the exact representation” of God’s nature because He is God Himself (Heb. 1:3). Whatever Jesus does, He does with grace. Whatever He says, He says in truth. If you want to understand what God is like, look to Jesus (John 1:18; 14:9).

Read all of John 1

Listen to John 1

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Standing Strong Through the Storm — DISCIPLESHIP FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

 

DISCIPLESHIP FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

— Matthew 28:20

Another related function of the church is discipleship. Once we have seen a friend or loved-one come to Christ, we have a responsibility to see that they grow in the Lord. In some cultures, if a person saves another’s life, that person becomes responsible for the one saved. This is a good concept for the Christian. If we lead someone else into a new life in Christ, we are responsible to see that person learns what the Bible teaches about the Christian life.

The Bible is so important to Christian growth that many Christians want to immediately give a Bible to anyone they may lead to the Lord. In some countries, like China or North Korea, faithful Christians have carried on for years without Bibles, but it wasn’t easy. They had to depend on Scripture verses that one of their members memorized at some earlier time or perhaps heard on a Christian radio broadcast. The almost desperate hunger for the Bible among Christians who have been cut off from it for an extended period dramatically illustrates just how important the Bible is to the Christian life.

If formal training centers have been closed, it is especially imperative that local churches take their responsibilities very seriously to teach (II Timothy 2:2). This teaching may have to be done on a one-to-one basis whenever a mature Christian and a young Christian can get together.

There are many examples in the Bible of leaders being trained in this way. Besides the clear example of Christ teaching His disciples, we see Barnabas teaching Mark (Acts 12:25; 15:39), Priscilla and Aquila helping Apollos (Acts 18:24-26), and Paul training Timothy (Acts 16:1-3). Paul gives us the most detailed approach to “disciple” a young believer. He taught first by example (I Corinthians 4:16), then he openly gave himself to his disciples, living with them and sharing all he had (Acts 20:34). His relationship with them was not just “student/ teacher.” Instead, he became very personally involved with them (I Timothy 1:1-2). He gave them responsibilities while they were still in training and kept in close touch with them even after they had become leaders themselves (I & II Timothy and Titus).

In a prison in Sudan, a pastor quietly discipled a young believer from a Muslim background as they were forced to work together. After his release, the young Christian became a dynamic witness for Christ.

RESPONSE: Discipleship is another function of the church and is crucial in the life of a follower of Jesus.

PRAYER: Pray for those in difficult circumstances—such as prison—trying to disciple new believers.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Once we have seen a friend or loved-one come to Christ, we have a responsibility to see that they grow in the Lord.

John Piper Devotional — Prepare the Way

 

Prepare the Way

“He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

— Luke 1:16–17

What John the Baptist did for Israel, Advent can do for us. Don’t let Christmas find you unprepared. I mean, spiritually unprepared. Its joy and impact will be so much greater if you are ready!

That you might be prepared…

First, meditate on the fact that we need a Savior. Christmas is an indictment before it becomes a delight. It will not have its intended effect until we feel desperately the need for a Savior. Let these short Advent meditations help awaken in you a bittersweet sense of need for the Savior.

Second, engage in sober self-examination. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Let every heart prepare his room…by cleaning house.

Third, build God-centered anticipation and expectancy and excitement into your home—especially for the children. If you are excited about Christ, they will be too. If you can only make Christmas exciting with material things, how will the children get a thirst for God? Bend the efforts of your imagination to make the wonder of the King’s arrival visible for the children.

Fourth, be much in the Scriptures, and memorize the great passages! “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord!” Gather ‘round that fire this Advent season. It is warm. It is sparkling with colors of grace. It is healing for a thousand hurts. It is light for dark nights.
What John the Baptist did for Israel, Advent can do for us.

Un dia a la Vez — Oración por restitución

 

Oración por restitución

A ti clamo, oh Dios, porque tú me respondes; inclina a mí tu oído, y escucha mi oración.

— Salmo 17:6

Padre santo, ¡qué bonito es poderte buscar cuando te necesitamos y saber que escuchas nuestras peticiones!

Bendecimos tu santo nombre y te reconocemos como el Dios Todopoderoso.

Ahora, te pedimos perdón por nuestros pecados y por las malas decisiones que tomamos. También por las promesas que te hicimos y nunca cumplimos. Por habernos dejado llevar por las cosas del mundo y no darte el primer lugar. Te agradecemos por tu ternura y amor, porque nos guardaste en medio de nuestra necedad.

Señor, este año está a punto de terminar. Hemos llegado al último mes y queremos aprovecharlo al máximo. Por eso, te pedimos que pongas en nosotros tanto el querer como el hacer y podamos cumplir con esas metas que nos habíamos trazado desde el año pasado.

Dios mío, en ti confía mi corazón, en ti espera mi alma y mi ser descansa en ti, así que puedo ser feliz porque sé que estás obrando en mi vida y estás mostrando tu perfecta voluntad.

Te amo y bendigo.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Oración por restitución: Padre santo, ¡qué bonito es poderte buscar cuando te necesitamos y saber que escuchas nuestras peticiones…

Nuestro Pan Diario — Estar allí

 

Estar allí

La escritura de hoy: Job 2:11-13
La Biblia en un año: Ezequiel 40–41; 2 Pedro 3

Así se sentaron con él en tierra por siete días y siete noches…

— Job 2:13

Cuando Gina, una empleada de un parque temático, vio que Renzo caía al suelo llorando, fue corriendo a ayudar. Renzo, un niño autista, lloraba porque había esperado todo el día para disfrutar de un juego que acababa de romperse. En lugar de insistirle que se parara o se tranquilizara, Gina se sentó en el suelo con él, comprendiendo sus sentimientos y dándole tiempo para que llorara.

El proceder de Gina es un ejemplo hermoso de cómo podemos acompañar a los que están tristes o sufren. La Biblia nos cuenta sobre el dolor devastador de Job después de perder su casa, sus animales (su ingreso), su salud y a sus diez hijos, quienes murieron simultáneamente. Cuando los amigos de Job se enteraron de su angustia, «vinieron cada uno de su lugar […] para consolarle» (Job 2:11). Job estaba sentado en el suelo lamentándose. Cuando sus amigos llegaron, se sentaron con él —durante siete días—, sin decir nada, ya que veían la intensidad de su sufrimiento.

Como eran seres humanos, los amigos de Job le dieron más tarde consejos insensibles. Pero durante los primeros siete días, le brindaron el silencioso y tierno regalo de su presencia y compañía. Tal vez no entendamos el dolor de una persona, pero no necesitamos entenderlo para amarla bien al simplemente estar con ella.

De:  Kirsten Holmberg

Reflexiona y ora

Dios, ayúdame a acompañar a quienes pongas en mi camino.
¿Quién ha estado «contigo» en momentos difíciles? ¿Quién necesita tu presencia hoy?

© 2020 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Cuando Gina, una empleada de un parque temático, vio que Renzo caía al suelo llorando, fue corriendo a ayudar.