Monday, June 3, 2019

The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, June 4, 2019


The Daily Lectionary
TUESDAY, June 4, 2019
(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 29
The Voice of God in a Great Storm
A Psalm of David.
1  Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2  Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
     worship the Lord in holy splendor.

3  The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
     the God of glory thunders,
     the Lord, over mighty waters.
4  The voice of the Lord is powerful;
     the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
     the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6  He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
     and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7  The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8  The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
     the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9  The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
     and strips the forest bare;
     and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
     the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
     May the Lord bless his people with peace!

2 Chronicles 5:2-14
The Ark Brought into the Temple
5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3 And all the Israelites assembled before the king at the festival that is in the seventh month. 4 And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites carried the ark. 5 So they brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 6 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be numbered or counted. 7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. 9 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel after they came out of Egypt.

11 Now when the priests came out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to their divisions), 12 all the levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kindred, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with one hundred twenty priests who were trumpeters. 13 It was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,

   “For he is good,
     for his steadfast love endures forever,”

the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

Acts 26:19-29
Paul Tells of His Preaching
26:19 “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul Appeals to Agrippa to Believe
24 While he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

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
Paul shared his testimony as a prisoner with people in authority. While Paul did not know how they would respond, he extended an invitation to consider the claims of Christ. He wanted to give them an opportunity to respond to the gospel.

Verse of the Day TUESDAY, June 4, 2019


1 Chronicles 29:11 (NIV) Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Read all of 1 Chronicles 29

Listen to 1 Chronicles 29

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 - Tuesday, June 4, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2019/06/04

Aprovecha tu juventud

Alégrate, joven, en tu juventud; deja que tu corazón disfrute de la adolescencia.

El matrimonio a temprana edad no es recomendable. Hoy en día, es muy común escuchar de alguien que se casó entre dieciocho a veinte años de edad. No generalizo, pues a muchos les va bien. Sin embargo, hay otros que no están seguros de lo que quieren y se casan por huir de sus padres o por meter la patita. Entonces, se aburren del matrimonio, se alejan de la iglesia y desean otras experiencias para vivir lo que no disfrutaron por casarse tan temprano.

Joven, no te cases por imitación y disfruta tu juventud. La vida de matrimonio no es fácil y menos con hijos. Vive y date el tiempo para casarte con la persona adecuada y en el tiempo prefecto de Dios.

Padres, no patrocinen eso de que Dios me habló para que esa persona fuera el cónyuge de mi hija. No apoyes uniones solo porque creas que Dios le habló a alguien. Si Dios lo hizo, que sea Él mismo dando el tiempo para realizarlo.

Abuelos, nunca dejen de aconsejar a los nietos. Las canas tienen experiencia y sabiduría. Yo le agradezco a mi madre que siempre ha tenido el carácter y el amor para aconsejar a sus nietas.

Por último, pastores y líderes, no auspicien el hecho de que del primer noviazgo de nuestros adolescentes tengan que salir los cónyuges. Ese es un grave error y es muy común en nuestras iglesias. Es preferible que conozcan más gente y no que se cometan errores que a veces son irreparables.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
El matrimonio a temprana edad no es recomendable.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, June 4, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2019/06/04
HOPE IN THE FACE OF BAD NEWS

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
~ Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

Our Open Doors colleague, Ron Boyd-MacMillan, shares the following insight from his teaching, “Why I Need to Encounter the Persecuted Church.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have an idea of what God is really up to in this world? One thing we can be very sure of—that the story of the world as we find it in history books and newspapers, is not to be confused with the real story of what God is doing underneath. But what is God’s story as opposed to history? What’s he really up to? Must the daily diet of wars, murder and mayhem in my newspaper always get me down. Can I ever be sure something is going on underneath? Well, we can’t know perfectly as “his ways are so much higher than our ways” (Isaiah 55:9). But we are afforded glimpses. This glimpsing really excited the early Christians. You can hear the delight in Paul when he writes, “God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us...” (Ephesians 1:9). The persecuted seem to get more glimpses than most.

I think of China. The headlines said in June of 1989 a terrible massacre took place. Five thousand young people were mowed down by the Chinese army. The headlines all mourned the death of the pro-democracy movement. It was terrible, but what was God up to underneath? Out of that massacre came a remarkable turning to Christ among China’s students for the first time in history! The headlines never saw it. It’s not part of history. But “His story” went on.

I think of Afghanistan. When the Soviet Union invaded that country in 1980 the world was outraged. The headlines were all full of fierce denunciations of the action, and rightly so. But I remember meeting a missionary from Kabul who said, “Yes, what the Russians did was wrong, but the fact is it is now much easier under the Russians for Christians to evangelize than it was before under the Islamic regime.” Again, another more significant story, of God building his kingdom, was going on undetected by the world at large.

I think of Sudan. The headlines in the 1980’s were full of a dreadful civil war which isolated the Danka people from the outside world. It was terrible. There was untold suffering on vast scale. But underneath, God was bringing the 2 million Dinks to himself. By 1993, 80% of them were Christians and this among a tribe that was historically very resistant to the gospel.

Notice that these are all stories from the persecuted. They seem to be better placed to notice the real story. And so I need to keep in touch with them because this glimpse delivers me from despair. In 1989 in China, there was not just a massacre, but a revival. In 1980 in Afghanistan, there was not just an occupation, but new missionary opportunities. In Sudan, there was not just a brutal war that killed millions, but a new kingdom of believers among an unreached people.

So every day when I open my newspaper, I remind myself of two things, thanks to the persecuted: the story I see is not to be confused with the kingdom story; and underneath even the saddest news, God is surely up to something good. There is hope because God is always at work.

RESPONSE: Today when I read or hear the news, I will thank God that He is at work behind the scenes.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, for Your promise to bring good out of the terrible events of this world.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have an idea of what God is really up to in this world?

Girlfriends in God - Tuesday, June 4, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/girlfriends-in-god/2019/06/04

I Give Up!

Today’s Truth

Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
~ Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

From the moment of birth, we are taught that successful people never give up. Yet, I have discovered the paradoxical secret that true success can only be found in complete surrender.

Dr. Billy Graham tells the story of a little child who was playing with a very valuable vase. The child put his hand into the vase but could not pull it out. His father tried to free the little boy’s hand but couldn’t. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, “Son, let’s try one more time. Open your hand and hold your fingers out really straight and then pull.” The look of alarm on the boy’s face surprised the dad until the little boy explained, “Oh no, Father. I can’t hold my fingers like that. If I did, I would drop my penny.”

Many of us are like that little boy – holding onto something that is keeping us from letting go and letting God have His way in our lives. It doesn’t really matter what that something is. If it is keeping us from surrendering to God, it is our captor and we are its hostage.

Jesus longs for us to come to Him in total surrender. Not because He wants to win or prove His power, but because He longs to set us free. Matthew 22:37 goes straight to the heart of surrender and abandonment when it says, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'” Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of this verse:
“Heart” means “thought and emotion.”

“Soul” means “life or whole person.”

“Mind” means “understanding.”

In other words, to truly experience God, we must lay down everything. Every thought and emotion, every dream and plan, every bit of human knowledge or understanding, our past, present and future – everything - just like the woman in Luke did.

Luke tells us that a certain woman came to Jesus bringing “an alabaster jar of perfume.” In Jesus’ day, alabaster jars were very common and of little value. It was the substance hidden inside that was so precious. The perfume was the woman’s most priceless possession. It was very expensive but very necessary in her line of work as a prostitute, working the streets, selling her body in order to live. The money given to her by the men she slept with paid for the perfume she brought to Jesus. She could have put a small amount on His feet, and it would have been a great financial sacrifice. But she brought it all and she gave it all. She came to God with a “yes” in her heart and a “whatever” in her soul, totally abandoning herself and all that she had to Him. “Abandon” literally means “without restraint or hindrance, a total relinquishment.” This woman came to Jesus, walking through her shame, straining against every hindrance and relinquishing her old way of life. She came, ignoring the ugly whispers and judgmental stares of those who knew her so well.

Why? I believe she was simply worn out. The emptiness and sin were eating away at her soul. She was tired of being used, unloved and unwanted. She came ready to give up everything and in a desperation that is always winsome to God. He met every need of her heart and changed the course of her life.

Today, dear friend, He is calling you to that same kind of abandonment. Are you ready to exchange your life for a life far beyond your greatest hopes and dreams? Are you desperate for Him? The Father is patiently and tenderly calling you to His arms. Come and rest in Him.

Let’s Pray

God, I am so tired of trying to live without You. I come today, desperately longing for You and seeking Your presence. Right now, I surrender completely to You, giving everything, I know about myself to everything I know about You. Thank You for meeting me at my point of need.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn
  • List the things in your life that keep you from fully surrendering to God.
  • Confess them and choose against each one.
  • Destroy that list as a sacrifice of complete abandonment to God.
  • Choose to walk in the freedom He brings.
More from the Girlfriends

I know that plans are rampant in your life. But the only plan that really matters is the one God has for you. Don’t settle for anything less.

Need peace? Get Mary’s E-Book Bible Study How to Find Your Missing Peace. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

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/
From the moment of birth, we are taught that successful people never give up.

LHM Daily Devotions - Making a Name for Ourselves

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20190604

"Making a Name for Ourselves"

Jun. 4, 2019

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ... Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, ... "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech." So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.

My city sells "naming rights" to the local convention center. Pretty much anyone who wants to name the center can do so, provided he or she plunks down an enormous pile of cash for the privilege. This means that every few years the convention center gets a new name, usually that of a local company—and we all get confused about what we're supposed to call it now!

The people after the flood had a similar desire to "make a name for themselves." They said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." Notice what they're afraid of. They wanted to stick together in one place. Why? Probably because this would make them stronger and more powerful as a people. The city-with-a-tower would say to everybody, "This is our territory. See what we are capable of!"

But this wasn't what God wanted. In Genesis 9:1 God said to Noah's family, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." He wanted them to spread out—to fill the world full of humanity—so that ultimately there would be people from every tribe and nation, a world of variety and beauty.

But human fears and desires led them to disobey God. The people were short-sighted, frightened, unadventurous, power-hungry. So God took steps to force the issue. Boom! Suddenly everyone was speaking different languages. The false dream was over. They had no choice but to spread out and move away.

Sadly, our ancestors aren't the only ones who fall into this trap. We do it too, don't we? We do it every time we take the safe, comfortable, self-glorifying option instead of doing what, in our heart of hearts, we know God would prefer. Every time we prioritize buildings over people, programs over care, "building a legacy" over meeting the practical (and unattractive) needs that are right before us at this moment, we want to make a name for ourselves, and preferably in the safest, most obvious way possible.

Today God still calls us away from our dreams of power and safety through His Holy Spirit. He reminds us that He has already given us a name—that He has put Jesus' Name upon us, and that is a name better than any other. We belong to Jesus, the One who conquered the powers of evil on the cross, and who broke the power of death when He rose from the grave. With such a powerful Savior, we don't have to be afraid or play it safe. We can follow Him out into the world to care for our neighbors, even when it makes us feel uncomfortable or nervous. He will not leave us—He will be with us. And the result of His work through us will be glorious.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to choose Your will rather than my own safety or glory. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
  • Is seeking recognition or the praise of others a bad thing? Why or why not?
  • What do you think was the driving motivation of the people in today's main verse?
  • Does seeking to do everything for God's glory help simplify our lives or make them more complicated?

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).
Is seeking recognition or the praise of others a bad thing? Why or why not?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 04 de Junio de 2019 - Haciéndonos de renombre


ALIMENTO DIARIO

Haciéndonos de renombre

04 de Junio de 2019

En la tierra todos tenían entonces una sola lengua y unas mismas palabras, pero sucedió que, cuando salieron de oriente, hallaron una llanura en la tierra de Sinar y se establecieron allí.... y dijeron: «Vamos a edificar una ciudad, y una torre cuya cúspide llegue hasta el cielo. Hagámonos de renombre, por si llegamos a esparcirnos por toda la tierra.» Pero el Señor descendió para ver la ciudad y la torre que los hijos de los hombres estaban edificando, y dijo: «Esta gente es una sola, y todos ellos tienen un solo lenguaje. Ya han comenzado su obra, y ahora nada los hará desistir de lo que han pensado hacer. Así que descendamos allá y confundamos su lengua, para que ninguno entienda la lengua de su compañero.» Así fue como el Señor los esparció por toda la tierra, y como dejaron de edificar la ciudad.

Mi ciudad vende "derechos de denominación" al centro de convenciones local. Cualquier persona que quiera darle un nombre al centro lo puede hacer, luego de pagar una enorme cantidad de dinero por tal privilegio. Esto significa que cada tanto, el centro de convenciones recibe un nuevo nombre, generalmente el de una empresa local, ¡y todos quedamos confundidos sobre cómo llamarlo!

Después del diluvio, las personas tuvieron un deseo similar de "hacerse de renombre": "Vamos a edificar una ciudad y una torre cuya cúspide llegue hasta el cielo. Hagámonos de renombre, por si llegamos a esparcirnos por toda la tierra". Nota cuál era su temor: querían permanecer juntos en un solo lugar. ¿Por qué? Probablemente porque esto los haría más fuertes y poderosos como pueblo. La ciudad con la torre daría el mensaje: "Este es nuestro territorio. ¡Miren lo que somos capaces de hacer!"

Pero eso no era lo que Dios quería. En Génesis 9: 1, Dios le dijo a la familia de Noé: "Reprodúzcanse y multiplíquense: ¡llenen la tierra!" Dios quería que se esparcieran para llenar el mundo de humanidad, para que al final hubiera personas de todas las tribus y naciones. Un mundo de variedad y belleza.

Pero los miedos y deseos humanos los llevaron a desobedecer a Dios. Tenían poca visión de futuro, estaban asustados, eran poco aventureros y estaban hambrientos de poder. Entonces Dios tomó medidas. ¡Y de repente todos hablaban diferentes idiomas! El sueño falso había terminado. No tenían más remedio que esparcirse y alejarse.

Lamentablemente, nuestros ancestros no fueron los únicos que cayeron en esa trampa. Nosotros también lo hacemos, ¿verdad? Lo hacemos cada vez que tomamos la opción segura, cómoda y auto glorificadora en lugar de hacer lo que, en el fondo de nuestro corazón, sabemos que Dios preferiría. Cada vez que damos prioridad a los edificios sobre las personas, a los programas sobre el cuidado, a "construir un legado" sobre atender a las necesidades prácticas (y poco atractivas) que tenemos delante nuestro en el momento. Queremos hacernos un nombre y, preferiblemente, de la manera más segura y obvia posible.

Hoy Dios sigue llamando a través de su Espíritu Santo a alejarnos de nuestros sueños de poder y seguridad. Nos recuerda que ya nos ha dado un nombre, que nos ha puesto el Nombre de Jesús, que es un nombre mejor que cualquier otro. Pertenecemos a Jesús, quien conquistó los poderes del mal en la cruz y rompió el poder de la muerte cuando se levantó de la tumba. Con un Salvador tan poderoso, no debemos tener miedo ni jugar a lo seguro. Podemos seguir a Jesús en el mundo para cuidar a nuestro prójimo, incluso cuando nos hace sentir incómodos o nerviosos. Él nunca nos dejará, sino que estará con nosotros siempre. El resultado de su obra a través de nosotros será glorioso.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, ayúdame a elegir tu voluntad en lugar de mi propia seguridad o gloria. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo. © Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Es la búsqueda de reconocimiento o la alabanza de los demás algo malo? ¿Por qué o por qué no?

Nuestro Pan Diario - ¿Podemos relajarnos?

https://nuestropandiario.org/2019/06/podemos-relajarnos/

¿Podemos relajarnos?

Leer: Juan 14:25-31 | La Biblia en un año: 2 Crónicas 21–22 Juan 14

… No se turbe vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo (v. 27).

Darío entró a la oficina de la kinesióloga sabiendo que experimentaría mucho dolor. Después de sostenerle el brazo en varias posiciones incómodas durante algunos segundos, la kinesióloga le dijo con suavidad: «Bueno, puedes relajarte». Más adelante, él comentó: «Creo que lo escuchaba al menos 50 veces en cada sesión de kinesiología: “Bueno, puedes relajarte”».

Al pensar en esas palabras, Darío se dio cuenta de que también podía aplicarlas al resto de la vida. Podía relajarse en la bondad y la fidelidad de Dios en vez de preocuparse.

A medida que la muerte de Jesús se acercaba, Él sabía que sus discípulos tendrían que aprender esto. Pronto, enfrentarían un tiempo de agitación y persecución. Para animarlos, Jesús declaró que enviaría al Espíritu Santo para que viviera con ellos y les recordara todo lo que Él les había enseñado (Juan 14:26). Por eso, les dijo: «La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; […]. No se turbe vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo» (v. 27).

En nuestra vida cotidiana, sobran razones para estar tensos. Pero podemos crecer en nuestra confianza en Dios, recordándonos que su Espíritu vive en nosotros y que nos ofrece su paz. Al recurrir a sus fuerzas, podemos escucharlo en las palabras de la kinesióloga: «Bueno, puedes relajarte».
Señor, enséñame a confiar en ti y a experimentar tu paz… a relajarme.
¿Qué te produce estrés? ¿Qué cualidades de Dios pueden ayudarte a confiar más en Él?


© 2019 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
¿Qué te produce estrés?