Thursday, April 4, 2019

The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, April 5, 2019

Timothy and Epaphroditus

The Daily Lectionary
FRIDAY, April 5, 2019
(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 126
A Harvest of Joy
A Song of Ascents.
1  When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
     we were like those who dream.
2  Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
     and our tongue with shouts of joy;
   then it was said among the nations,
     “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3  The Lord has done great things for us,
     and we rejoiced.

4  Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
     like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5  May those who sow in tears
     reap with shouts of joy.
6  Those who go out weeping,
     bearing the seed for sowing,
   shall come home with shouts of joy,
     carrying their sheaves.

Isaiah 43:8-15
Restoration and Protection Promised (Cont.)
43:8 Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
     who are deaf, yet have ears!
9  Let all the nations gather together,
     and let the peoples assemble.
   Who among them declared this,
     and foretold to us the former things?
   Let them bring their witnesses to justify them,
     and let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 You are my witnesses, says the Lord,
     and my servant whom I have chosen,
   so that you may know and believe me
     and understand that I am he.
   Before me no god was formed,
     nor shall there be any after me.
11 I, I am the Lord,
     and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,
     when there was no strange god among you;
     and you are my witnesses, says the Lord.
13 I am God, and also henceforth I am He;
     there is no one who can deliver from my hand;

     I work and who can hinder it?

14 Thus says the Lord,
     your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
   For your sake I will send to Babylon
     and break down all the bars,
     and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
     the Creator of Israel, your King.

Philippians 2:25—3:1
Timothy and Epaphroditus (Cont.)
2:25 Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister to my need; 26 for he has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honor such people, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.

Breaking with the Past
To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a safeguard.

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 New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. 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 on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier ...

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, April 5, 2019


2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV) For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 5

Listen to 2 Corinthians 5

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 - Tiempos difíciles y de oportunidades


Tiempos difíciles y de oportunidades

A las montañas levanto mis ojos; ¿de dónde ha de venir mi ayuda? Mi ayuda proviene del Señor, creador del cielo y de la tierra.
~ Salmo 121:1-2 (NVI)

Hace unos meses nuestro jefe P. Mauricio Quintana, inspirado en una enseñanza de su pastor, nos hacía reflexionar en que atravesábamos un tiempo muy difícil, desde el punto vista económico. A decir verdad, muchas personas perdieron sus casas y muchos medios de comunicación hablaban de la crisis. Entonces nos enseñaba que hay dos maneras de ver el problema.

La primera es cuando te montas en la crisis y declaras que son tiempos muy difíciles, que tu vida va de mal en peor y que vas rumbo al abismo.

La segunda es cuando te paras en medio de la misma situación con otra mentalidad. En esta, sabes y aplicas lo que Dios dice en su Palabra cuando promete estar con nosotros y poner a prueba nuestra fe, si es cierto que todo lo que hablamos y decimos a otros lo aplicamos a nuestra propia vida, ahora que las cosas no están tan bien.

El año pasado, mientras algunos hablaban de perder sus casas, otros hablaban de su gran oportunidad para hacer los negocios que soñaron. Esto lo aplicamos para cualquier situación y de allí deberíamos aprender varias cosas: En tiempos difíciles podemos apreciar la misericordia de Dios, crecemos en lo espiritual y aprendemos a depender únicamente de Él.

Recuerda que Dios no da más carga de la que no podamos soportar.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hace unos meses nuestro jefe P. Mauricio Quintana, inspirado en una enseñanza de su pastor, nos hacía reflexionar en que atravesábamos un tiempo muy difícil, desde el punto vista económico. A decir verdad, muchas personas perdieron sus casas y muchos medios de comunicación hablaban de la crisis. Entonces nos enseñaba que hay dos maneras de ver el problema.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FOLLOW ME

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2019/04/05

FOLLOW ME

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
~ John 12:26 (NIV)

I’ll never forget my first visit to the house church of Pastor Samuel Lamb in Quangzhou, China with my wife Dianne. That night we were introduced to his twenty-four-year-old assistant pastor. We soon learned that she had no danwei or work-unit. This was how all people in China were identified and registered. Even some shopping required a danwei.

When asked, “Isn’t it risky for you to work full-time in a house church and not have a danwei?” she simply replied, “It’s the way of the cross!”

One of our Canadian couriers to Cuba asked a leading pastor who received many needed Spanish Bibles from us, “We’re placing you at risk, aren’t we?” He answered with his hand on his heart, “Risk? What risk? I took a risk when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and became a minister. And if they want to shoot me, so much the better. I’ll go into glory sooner.”

Rinaldo Hernandez is a Methodist pastor in Cuba. His father spent five years in prison for political subversion and wanted the family to escape to Miami. But Rinaldo decided that staying in Cuba was a cross he must bear:

“I remember my father told me that I would pay a high price for that decision,” he says. His price was to come later when his seminary education was disrupted by assignment to compulsive military service in a work camp. There conditions were primitive and most of the men were hardened criminals.

He and seven other Christians met secretly at night in the sugar cane fields to pray, read the Bible and encourage one another. “I became a pastor in that work camp, not in seminary,” he concludes.

A Chinese Christian brother from the north-west province of Xinjiang was released after serving twenty years in prison. He shared this poem written by his wife just before her death in prison:

As a real disciple I have dedicated my life hoeing the fields energetically,
Begging for food shamelessly,
Wearing worn-out clothes as if they were formal dresses
Freezing to death at the windy station yet uttering not a word of complaint.
Only if the Gospel would be widely spread
Am I willing to be hung upside down on the cross…with no regret.

The late Jamie Buckingham made this memorable statement: “The risk-free life is a victory-free life. It means life-long surrender to the mediocre and that is the worst of all possible defeats.”[1]

RESPONSE: I will not surrender to the defeat of mediocrity but follow Jesus whatever the risk.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to truly follow You – even to the cross!

1. Jamie Buckingham, “Best Quotes,” Charisma (August, 1995), p. 51.

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 - Samson

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/men-of-the-bible/2019/04/05

Samson

His name means: "Little Sun"

His work: To deliver Israel from the Philistines.
His character: Samson's erotic attachments to foreign women eventually led to his death. A man of mythic strength, he was inwardly weak, given to anger and unfaithful to his Nazirite vows. His prayers as well as his actions against the Philistines seem to have been motivated by the desire for personal vengeance.
His sorrow: To have been blinded and imprisoned by his lifelong enemies.
His triumph: To have killed more Philistines by his death than he had while living.
Key Scriptures: Judges 13-16

A Look at the Man

One of the first Bible stories children hear is the story of Samson, the man who defeated his enemies with a superhuman feat of strength. But it is such an unsavory story that we find ourselves leaving out certain details, for example, Samson's boasting, his visits to prostitutes, or his murderous rage. Even the man's prayers were selfish, focused as they were on his own desire for revenge rather than on God's glory.

Why would God, knowing the future, choose such a person to play such a role, even sending an angel to announce his birth? The question is not easily answered. But it is certainly true that Samson would have been a better man had he paid attention to the call God had placed on his life. Instead, he seems to have squandered the promise of his life by living it in a self-centered, self-directed way.

Ironically, the pattern of his life formed a vivid picture of Israel's own unfaithfulness during a period when it seemed incapable of resisting the allurement of foreign gods. And so the people God had set apart and called his own, the nation he intended to build up and make strong, grew progressively weaker in the land he had promised.

Samson's story reminds us of God's faithfulness, of his ability to deliver his people regardless of the circumstances and despite their sins. It also reminds us of what can happen when we allow ourselves to become attached to things and people, however enticing, that might end in our own self-destruction.

Reflect On: Judges 16:23–31
Praise God: For his sovereignty.
Offer Thanks: For God’s strength working within you.
Confess: Any promises you have made to God and not kept.
Ask God: To make you a person who is strong on the inside.

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.
One of the first Bible stories children hear is the story of Samson, the man who defeated his enemies with a superhuman feat of strength. But it is such an unsavory story that we find ourselves leaving out certain details, for example, Samson's boasting, his visits to prostitutes, or his murderous rage. Even the man's prayers were selfish, focused as they were on his own desire for revenge rather than on God's glory.

Girlfriends in God - The Gift of Giving (Part 1)


The Gift of Giving
Part 1

Today’s Truth

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
~ Luke 6:38 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

My requirements for a car are simple and few. It has to run. And it has to have both air and heat. I don’t like car payments. Cars are not my “thing.” Consequently, we have bought many used cars and have even been given a few cars over the years. We drive them until they die. And then God provides another car.

A year ago, the car I was driving died. Since it was the beginning of summer and Dan was scheduled to have a month sabbatical in addition to his month of study and vacation time, we decided to wait on making a car decision. We could make it a few months with one car … or in our case, one truck.

I had one last speaking engagement to do for a friend, but since the event was within driving distance, we decided to combine it with a trip to Texas to visit family. It was one of those events the Lord told me to do for free. The church was small, and the friend was starting a women’s ministry in a small Kansas town that had literally been blown away by tornadoes several years earlier. I really wanted to help and encourage her in any way that I could.

The plan was simple. Dan and I would drive his truck to Wichita, Kansas and fly to Texas to visit family for several days. We would then fly back to Wichita and drive to Greensburg for my event and then drive home. Simple – right? Not so much.

When we got to the Dallas airport, we discovered that our flight to Wichita was booked for 10:00 pm instead of 10:00 am. You need to know that my husband has booked hundreds of flights over the years and never made that mistake. Since I had to be in Greensburg that night, we rented a car and drove to Wichita where we turned in the rental car and climbed in Dan’s truck.

About an hour down the road, the air in Dan’s truck went out. It was a hot summer’s day. The temperature in Dan’s truck began to climb. When it reached 92 degrees, I began to boil.

I am already calculating how much this “free” event is costing. Yes, I am very human. I have severe back problems. We had already stopped twice between Dallas and Wichita to buy giant bags of frozen peas. They really do work well as ice packs. So my back is killing me, I am sweating like crazy, and well … let’s just say that I am not a happy camper at this point of our “free” event trip.

We found an auto parts store in a small town and decided to see if they could help us. It is 4:50 pm on Friday afternoon. Maybe all the truck needs is Freon! The storeowner comes out, raises the truck hood, shakes his head and says, “Freon is not gonna fix that!” Evidently some belt had shredded which meant some rocker arm had frozen. As I said, cars are not my “thing.”

With a smile, he said, “Pull her around back, and we will see what we can do.” I am thinking he can’t do much. The store is about the size of my kitchen and sits in a town in the middle of nowhere. I am such a giant of faith!

But I did manage to eek out a prayer, “Lord, please send angels with the parts we need!”

Only a few minutes had passed before the storeowner came walking toward us with a grin on his face. As he blew the dust off of two boxes, he said, “Well, what do you know? I do have those parts.”

God came through!

And then the whispers of the enemy also came through. I could only imagine how much the parts and labor would cost. The expenses for this “free” event continued to add up. A rental car … two giant bags of peas … and the now repaired air conditioner on Dan’s truck.

When the parts were installed and we were ready to leave, the storeowner handed Dan the bill. A look of surprise … or maybe shock … covered Dan’s face. I couldn’t bear to ask until we got in the truck and drove away.

“How much was it, honey?” I asked. Dan smiled and said, “About a fourth of what I expected it to cost.”

We drove in silence for a few minutes … basking in the perfect provision of God for every need of our lives … even when our faith is pitifully small. You just can’t out-give God.

Don’t miss the rest of the story in my next devotion. As my Mama used to say, it is a “humdinger!”

Let’s Pray

Father, forgive me for doubting You. I am so human and so weak. Help me grow in my faith and my ability to trust You. Today, I choose faith over fear, trust over worry, and victory over failure!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Think back to a time in your life when God came through … even when you doubted Him. Thank Him for the way He meets every need in your life. Trust Him to meet that need you are facing right now. Read and memorize Proverbs 3:5-6.

More from the Girlfriends

Do you want to grow in your ability to trust God? Get Mary’s E-Book, 10-Day Trust Adventure.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through E-mail, Twitter, Instagram, Shopify, or on Facebook.

Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

https://girlfriendsingod.com/events/
My requirements for a car are simple and few. It has to run. And it has to have ...

LHM Daily Devotions - CROWN MAKER

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20190405

"CROWN MAKER"

Apr. 5, 2019

and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. ...
~ Matthew 27:29 (ESV)

Has it ever occurred to you that someone must have made that crown of thorns for Jesus? Someone came up with the idea. Someone left the barracks to go looking in a field or on the side of the road. Someone (probably wearing gloves) picked those thorny branches and twisted them into the shape of a crown. Somebody took that crown and pushed it down on Jesus' head—a nice little piece of human handiwork to honor the King of the Jews.

We don't know that person's name. We don't know if he was young or old, Roman or provincial. Maybe he was habitually cruel—a man who went home at night and hit his wife and kicked the dog because it was underfoot. Or maybe he was the kind of person who just goes along with the crowd.

It doesn't really matter. Because, in the end, the one who twisted that crown for Jesus was me. It was you. It was every human being has ever done evil, however slight, knowing it was wrong but thinking, "It's such a small thing, it doesn't really matter." It was every one of us who has hardened our hearts against the needs of the poor, the sick, the unwanted, the very old and very young. A crown of thorns doesn't cost much to make. The effort is next to nothing.

But Jesus has made us a crown also, and this one cost Him everything. It's the crown He won for us when He laid down His life for us willingly, dying and rising for us in order to bring us back as God's people. The crown He offers us is His gift to everyone who repents and trusts in Him for forgiveness. James calls it "the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12).

Now, because of what Jesus has done, we can put away those thorns forever. Jesus has given us the crown of life—and on His own head, what do we see? A very different crown-we see Jesus "now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9).

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for the crown You have given us—and thank You that You Yourself are our true, beloved King. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
  • Have you ever grown a thorny plant—a rose, a cactus, or something similar? How did you handle it?
  • What good thing would you like to make for Jesus with your life?
  • How do you glorify and honor Jesus in your daily life?

Lenten Devotions were 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).
Have you ever grown a thorny plant—a rose, a cactus, or something similar? How did you handle it?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 05 de Abril de 2019 - ¿Quién hizo la corona?


ALIMENTO DIARIO

¿Quién hizo la corona?

05 de Abril de 2019

...sobre la cabeza le pusieron una corona tejida de espinas, y en la mano derecha le pusieron una caña.
~ Mateo 27:29a (RVC)

A alguien se le ocurrió. Alguien dejó el cuartel, fue hasta un campo, juntó unas ramas con espinas y las trenzó en forma de corona. Alguien tomó esa corona y la puso en la cabeza de Jesús: una pequeña obra humana para honrar al Rey de los judíos.

No sabemos quién fue. No sabemos si era joven o viejo, romano o provinciano. Tal vez era una persona cruel que golpeaba a su esposa y pateaba al perro sólo porque estaba a sus pies. O tal vez era alguien que se dejaba llevar por la mayoría.

Igual no importa. Porque, al final, quien trenzó esa corona para Jesús fui yo... y tú... y todos los seres humanos de todos los tiempos. Por más leves que sean, todos hemos hecho cosas malas sabiendo que estaban mal, pero pensando: "Es algo tan pequeño, que realmente no importa". Todos hemos endurecido el corazón a las necesidades de los pobres, los enfermos, los no deseados, los muy viejos y los muy jóvenes. No cuesta mucho hacer una corona de espinas.

Pero la corona que Jesús nos ha hecho sí le costó mucho: la ganó al morir y resucitar por nosotros para volver a hacernos hijos de Dios. Esa corona es su regalo para todos los que se arrepienten y confían en él para el perdón. Santiago la llama "la corona de vida, la cual Dios ha prometido dar a quienes lo aman" (Santiago 1:12).

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, gracias por la corona que nos has dado y gracias porque tú mismo eres nuestro verdadero y amado Rey. Amén.

PREGUNTAS DE REFLEXIÓN:
  • ¿Qué bien te gustaría hacer con tu vida para Jesús?
  • ¿Cómo glorificas y honras a Jesús en tu vida diaria?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cómo glorificas y honras a Jesús en tu vida diaria?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Cần Tấm Lòng Mới?

https://vietnamese-odb.org/2019/04/05/can-tam-long-moi/

Cần Tấm Lòng Mới?

Đọc: Ê-xê-chi-ên 36:24-27 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: I Sa-mu-ên 1-3; Lu-ca 8:26-56

Ta sẽ ban lòng mới cho các ngươi và đặt Thần mới trong các ngươi. Ê-xê-chi-ên 36:26

Bố tôi bị đau ngực đã lâu, vì thế bác sĩ cho xét nghiệm để kiểm tra tim. Kết quả là tìm thấy ba vị trí mà động mạch bị tắc nghẽn. Cuộc phẫu thuật bắc cầu ba nhánh động mạch vành được lên lịch vào ngày 14 tháng Hai. Dù có lo lắng, nhưng bố tôi vẫn coi ngày đó như một dấu chỉ của hy vọng: “Bố sắp có quả tim mới cho ngày Valentine”, và thật như thế! Ca mổ diễn ra rất tốt, đã giúp phục hồi việc lưu thông máu tới trái tim đang gặp vấn đề của bố – bố có một quả tim “mới”.

Ca phẫu thuật của bố nhắc tôi nhớ rằng Chúa cũng sẵn ban cho chúng ta sự sống mới. Vì tội lỗi làm tắc nghẽn “các động mạch” tâm linh của chúng ta – tức mối liên hệ của chúng ta với Chúa – nên chúng ta cần được “phẫu thuật” về mặt tâm linh để loại bỏ sự tắc nghẽn đó.

Đó là điều Chúa hứa với dân Ngài trong Ê-xê-chi-ên 36:26. Ngài khẳng định với dân Y-sơ-ra-ên: “Ta sẽ ban lòng mới cho các ngươi… Ta sẽ cất lòng bằng đá khỏi xác thịt các ngươi và ban cho các ngươi lòng bằng thịt.” Ngài cũng hứa: “Ta sẽ tẩy sạch hết mọi sự ô uế và mọi thần tượng của các ngươi” (c.25) và “đặt Thần Ta trong các ngươi” (c.27). Đối với một dân tộc đã đánh mất hy vọng, Chúa hứa ban cho họ một khởi đầu mới, Ngài là Đấng có thể làm mới đời sống họ.

Lời hứa đó được ứng nghiệm trọn vẹn qua sự chết và sự sống lại của Chúa Jêsus. Khi chúng ta tin cậy nơi Ngài, chúng ta sẽ nhận được một trái tim thuộc linh mới, một tấm lòng được tẩy sạch khỏi tội lỗi và tuyệt vọng. Khi được đổ đầy Thánh Linh của Đấng Christ, tấm lòng mới của chúng ta sẽ được duy trì bằng nguồn sống thuộc linh của Đức Chúa Trời, để “chúng ta cũng được sống trong đời mới” (Rô. 6:4).
Lạy Cha, cảm tạ Ngài về niềm hy vọng mới mà Ngài ban cho chúng con trong Chúa Jêsus. Xin giúp chúng con tin cậy Ngài mỗi ngày khi Thánh Linh Ngài dẫn chúng con vào đời sống hoàn toàn mới.
Lời Chúa hứa ban sự sống mới đem lại hy vọng thế nào khi bạn vật lộn với mặc cảm tội lỗi và sự xấu hổ? Hôm nay, làm thế nào để bạn nương cậy vào năng lực của Thánh Linh thay vì của riêng bạn?

bởi Adam Holz

© 2019 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Bố tôi bị đau ngực đã lâu, vì thế bác sĩ cho xét nghiệm để kiểm tra tim. Kết quả là tìm thấy ba vị trí mà động mạch bị tắc nghẽn. Cuộc phẫu thuật bắc cầu ba nhánh động mạch vành được lên lịch vào ngày 14 tháng Hai.