The Daily Lectionary for SATURDAY, August 3, 2019

"Christ and the Rich Young Ruler" by Heinrich Hofmann, 1889
Mark 10:17-22

The Daily Lectionary

SATURDAY, August 3, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 107:1-9, 43

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles
1  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
     for his steadfast love endures forever.
2  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
     those he redeemed from trouble
3  and gathered in from the lands,
     from the east and from the west,
     from the north and from the south.

4  Some wandered in desert wastes,
     finding no way to an inhabited town;
5  hungry and thirsty,
     their soul fainted within them.
6  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
     and he delivered them from their distress;
7  he led them by a straight way,
     until they reached an inhabited town.
8  Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
     for his wonderful works to humankind.
9  For he satisfies the thirsty,
     and the hungry he fills with good things.

43 Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
     and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Hosea 10:1-15

Israel’s Sin and Captivity
10:1 Israel is a luxuriant vine
     that yields its fruit.
   The more his fruit increased
     the more altars he built;
   as his country improved,
     he improved his pillars.
2  Their heart is false;
     now they must bear their guilt.
   The Lord will break down their altars,
     and destroy their pillars.

3  For now they will say:
     “We have no king,
   for we do not fear the Lord,
     and a king—what could he do for us?”
4  They utter mere words;
     with empty oaths they make covenants;
   so litigation springs up like poisonous weeds
     in the furrows of the field.
5  The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
     for the calf of Beth-aven.
   Its people shall mourn for it,
     and its idolatrous priests shall wail over it,
     over its glory that has departed from it.
6  The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
     as tribute to the great king.
   Ephraim shall be put to shame,
     and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.

7  Samaria’s king shall perish
     like a chip on the face of the waters.
8  The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,
     shall be destroyed.
   Thorn and thistle shall grow up
     on their altars.
   They shall say to the mountains, Cover us,
     and to the hills, Fall on us.

9  Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
     there they have continued.
     Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah?
10 I will come against the wayward people to punish them;
     and nations shall be gathered against them
     when they are punished for their double iniquity.

11 Ephraim was a trained heifer
     that loved to thresh,
     and I spared her fair neck;
   but I will make Ephraim break the ground;
     Judah must plow;
     Jacob must harrow for himself.
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
     reap steadfast love;
     break up your fallow ground;
   for it is time to seek the Lord,
     that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

13 You have plowed wickedness,
     you have reaped injustice,
     you have eaten the fruit of lies.
   Because you have trusted in your power
     and in the multitude of your warriors,
14 therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people,
     and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
   as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle
     when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
     because of your great wickedness.
   At dawn the king of Israel
     shall be utterly cut off.

Mark 10:17-22

The Rich Man
10:17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

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
Jesus teaches us that it’s not "all about me" in this world, but "All about Christ."

The Morning Prayer for SATURDAY, August 3, 2019

Saturday Morning Prayer

Lord on this preparation day, I jump into all that You have given me. Might I embrace each part of this glorious time, enjoying the service, relishing in the challenges, engaging with the fun and celebrating with laughter.

Lord on this day, may I enjoy the beauty of the created world all around me. Might I run, drive, walk and sing in the freedom of this day! Thank you that right now I can feel Your love flowing through each vein of my being, causing me to pulsate with vision and life. Lord, on this day I jump into all that You have given me. Amen.

Lord, on this preparation day, I wake to live and give.

May it be a worthwhile day, fill up to the brim.

A day with service, laughter, work and play,

A time to run and sing.

May Saturday be a day I walk

And breathe your goodness in,

Enjoy the beauty all around

And freedoms joy within.

Verse of the Day for SATURDAY, August 3, 2019

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Read all of 1 Samuel 16

Listen to 1 Samuel 16

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 - Saturday, August 3, 2019

La unción

Pero tenemos este tesoro en vasos de barro, para que la excelencia del poder sea de Dios, y no de nosotros.

~ 2 Corintios 4:7, RV-60

Cuando uno llega a los caminos de Dios, empieza a escuchar ciertas palabras que no conocemos y que a menudo repetimos, sin tener idea.

¿Qué es la unción? No es importante solo conocer el significado de la palabra como tal, sino también el modo de manifestarse en nuestras vidas.

La unción, según la describe la misma Biblia, es Dios haciendo cosas en la gente que solo Él puede hacer y que lo lleva a cabo por medio de nosotros, pero con su poder. A menudo vemos pastores y líderes que hacen cosas que solo son posibles con el poder de Dios y ahí es cuando decimos: «Esa persona tiene unción». El significado en la Biblia de la unción es «derramar, esparcir sobre algo». Mediante la unción Dios consagra al ungido para una función en particular dentro de sus propósitos y lo capacita para el servicio. Por lo tanto, Dios es el que prepara a esas personas.

Mi consejo es que no cuestiones cuando veas personas haciendo cosas que te sorprenden porque es Dios en ellas. Ahora bien, no todo el mundo tiene el poder para hacerlo. Hay muchas iglesias en las que se manipula a la gente y no hay ninguna unción, sino un montaje. Sé que es duro, pero es la verdad. Muchas iglesias usan el nombre de Dios para hacer cosas que Él no aprueba o que sencillamente no son su voluntad. Por ejemplo, una rosa, un manto o ciertos rituales que se apartan de la cobertura de nuestro Dios. Ten mucho cuidado con la iglesia que escoges y con lo que sucede allí dando por sentado que se hace en el nombre de Dios.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Qué es la unción? No es importante solo conocer el significado de la palabra como tal, sino también el modo de manifestarse en nuestras vidas.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Saturday, August 3, 2019

FLEEING PERSECUTION

When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.

~ Matthew 10:23a (NIV)

One of the clear biblical responses to persecution is to flee. But it is not the only response. Thus it is imperative that the persecuted believer is sure that his running away is in the will of God. History is full of examples of Christians who relocated because of religious persecution.

The early Christians in Jerusalem were not obeying Jesus’ orders in Acts 1:8 (evangelize to the ends of the earth) so God allowed an Acts 8:1 (persecution) to send them on their way. The original text indicates the persecution accomplished the will of God for as they scattered abroad, they went “gossiping” the gospel (Acts 8:4). The first meaning of the word “gossip” was “to chat” or “rehearse.” The early Christians, when scattered by persecution, could not help but repeat the glorious message of the gospel to everyone they met.

The Apostle Paul left Damascus over the wall in a basket when a life threat was discovered early in his ministry. He was not just trying to avoid persecution, but he knew it was not yet God’s timing for his life and ministry to end. That occurred years later in Rome.

Today an Egyptian Christian leader is in hiding because he has the highest price on his head—four times more than Osama Bin Laden ever had. Zakaria Botross’ entire life story is that of defying death. The total price for his elimination (a fatwa), at last report, was one hundred million dollars. This is because his ministry to Muslims is so challenging, effective and productive. If his arguments cannot be countered then his voice must be silenced.

He was one of the most striking figures of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In 1964 he had a conversion experience which changed the direction of his ministry to thousands of people. Not only did Father Zakaria preach for conversions to Christ and to strengthen believers, he also effectively rebutted accusations against Christianity made by Islamic leaders. He is a scholar of ancient Arabic and knows the Koran and the Hadith (Islamic traditions) so thoroughly that Islamic scholars find it difficult to refute his teaching or counter his challenges.

His zealous activities could not help but attract the notice of the authorities of the State. He was removed from his church. Twice he experienced imprisonment for ministering to Muslims and leading them to faith in Jesus. He was accused of the ultimate crime, evangelizing Muslims and thereby inciting religious factionalism. Then he was deported and exiled from Egypt. His subsequent ministry in Australia and the UK was successful but not with everyone’s approval.

Today as an elderly senior, he lives in hiding in the West because more than sixty million people—most are Muslims—watch his satellite TV programs and visit his website. Countless millions across the Arabic speaking world are turning to Christ annually because of his ministry.

Like the Apostle Paul, Father Zakaria runs and hides, not because he is afraid of dying, but by defying death has been able to have the most effective ministry in the world to Muslim people.

RESPONSE: Today I will resolve to only run from persecution when I know it is the will of God.

PRAYER: Pray for leaders like Zakaria Botross who have to live in hiding because of their effective ministry for the Lord and His church.

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

The NIV Couples Devotional - Saturday, August 3, 2019

When Is My Burden Yours?

Galatians 6:1–10

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

~ Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

People who work with ocean-going ships will tell you that it’s critical to check the way the cargo load is distributed in the vessel. If the cargo is too heavy, the ship will ride too low in the water and won’t be able to travel at a good speed. If the load is too light, the ship will ride too high in the water and bob like a cork, especially when storms hit. The ship needs the proper amount of cargo for it to make the best progress across the ocean.

Life works like that for Christians too. When our burdens are too heavy, we can become so depressed and weary that we can hardly do our work, much less be a testimony of God’s grace to others. When our burdens are too light, we find it difficult to empathize with others who are carrying a heavy load, or we find ourselves aimless and restless. We need the proper balance between load carrying and load sharing to progress in our Christian walk.

Paul knew this. By commanding us to share each other’s burdens, he was echoing Jesus’ words: “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34). The apostle warns us not to question the loads of others, thinking we’re better than they are because we don’t have their particular problems. “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves,” he said (Galatians 6:3). Instead, Paul tells us to examine ourselves, pick up our own loads and help others when we are called to do so.

When we look at problems in marriage, we see the same principle in place: If one spouse is sinking under a load of guilt, troubles or sin, while the other is bobbing around with seemingly no concern, anger and resentment will build. An unbalanced load will only stress and slow down the marital relationship. So to keep moving together in the right direction, we must remain firmly yoked together as we lovingly share each other’s problems and do what we can to help each other deal with them.

But what do we do when our problems become too heavy for the two of us to carry? There may come a time when we need to look for help from others outside the marriage. When we feel overwhelmed by severe problems such as sexual addiction, alcohol abuse or clinical depression, it’s time to get help. Going to a Christian doctor, counselor or pastor is not taking the easy way out—for some, admitting a problem in the marriage is an agonizing first step. But it is a necessary step for many couples that need help adjusting to life’s problems, to a family crisis or simply to each other.

One caution: It is tempting to turn to friends, family and coworkers to vent our marital problems. This is rarely a good idea. Problems inside a marriage can almost never be solved by taking them outside the marriage, unless it’s to a qualified professional. Letting too many people know about our marital struggles just burdens us with the responsibility of keeping others updated. It may force friends or family members to side with one spouse while distancing themselves from the other. And it will drain emotional energy from a marital relationship. Offering our spouses privacy within the marital relationship will keep trust in each other intact and will demonstrate our continued love and respect for each other as we learn better ways of sharing our load.

Valerie Van Kooten

Let’s Talk

• What burdens have each of us had to shoulder in our marriage? What burdens have we weathered together?
• What are some practical ways we can help each other manage the burdens we are carrying right now?
• How can we help others who are struggling with marital problems? What are some cautions to exercise in doing that?

People who work with ocean-going ships will tell you that it’s critical to check the way the cargo load is distributed in the vessel.

LHM Daily Devotions - August 3, 2019 "Count on That"

"Count on That"

Aug. 3, 2019

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge-even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you-so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

~ 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (ESV)

Two thousand years ago, a bustling city stood at the crossroads of a flourishing culture. The city was Corinth, and the country and culture was Greece. Corinth was critically positioned at the crossroads of commerce. Many goods flowed through this city. But that's not all. Corinth was also a major harbor city located on a busy waterway. Interestingly, the town of "Korinthia" still exists today.

It was in this Grecian city of Corinth in St. Paul's day that the streets were clanging with peddlers, and the wharfs were echoing with sounds of heavy cargo being loaded and unloaded. One can imagine hearing the "clop-clop-clop" of horses' hooves on the stone streets, and the cry of salesmen hawking goods from countries far and wide. Corinth was indeed a beehive of commercial activity.

But Corinth was also a magnet for vice and sexual immorality. In fact, in those days, if you used the expression that a particular person "acted like a Corinthian," this meant that person was very, very, immoral. And for that reason the city of Corinth of 2,000 years ago has a lot to say to us today.

You see, in our fast-paced era in a time of sexual looseness and lack of integrity, many of the conflicts, frustrations, and challenges we face today are very much like those found in Corinth two millennia ago. Because of a lack of godly morality in Corinth, families were often broken; because of a lack of integrity, business dealings were strained. It was not unusual for friends to turn upon each other, and it was not unusual for acquaintances to be constantly suspicious of one another; nobody seemed to be faithful.

In the midst of these difficult conditions, the apostle Paul wrote words of encouragement and hope to the small community of Grecian Christians. The apostle encouraged these people by reminding them, "God is faithful." With this pointed statement and promise of the Lord in those days, Paul lifted up the weary, strengthened the weak, and gave hope to the dying.

This, my friends, may also be the type of uplifting message you need at this hour. Perhaps you haven't been to church recently. Maybe you're sensing you're far, far away from God. Or perhaps life has you at a crossroad and you're wondering what life is all about and who you can turn to. Whatever the case may be, you need to know that even though others may let you down, and even though your closest friends may disappoint or even desert you—God is always faithful. In Jesus Christ, God is the one Friend you can always count on. Just as the writer to the Hebrews conveyed when he penned God's message to us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b).

And you can count on that.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, when life is difficult and the road ahead is dark, remind us of Your promises and constant love in Jesus. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Do we face challenges in our lives as Christians that are beyond what the Corinthians faced? What are they?
• What do you think Paul means when he says the Corinthians were "not lacking any gift"?
• Do you have a friend who has been consistently faithful in his dealings with you?

From "God Is Faithful," a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do we face challenges in our lives as Christians that are beyond what the Corinthians faced?

Хліб Наш Насущній - Вічне чи тимчасове?

Вічне чи тимчасове?

Читати: Луки 19:1-10 | Біблія за рік: Псалми 63–65 ; Римлян 6

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Глядіть, остерігайтеся всякої зажерливости, – бо життя чоловіка не залежить від достатку маєтку його. — Луки 12:15

Ірландський поет Оскар Уайльд сказав: “У юному віці я думав, що гроші були найважливішою річчю в житті; тепер у похилому віці я знаю, що це так і є”. Сказав він це з іронією, бо прожив лише сорок шість років, тому насправді ніколи не був у похилому віці. Уайльд цілком розумів, що гроші – це не головне у житті.

Гроші – тимчасові. Вони з’являються і щезають. Отже, суть життя має полягати не у грошах і тому, що можна купити. Ісус Христос закликав людей Свого покоління, заможних і бідних, переглянути систему цінностей. В Євангелії від Луки 12:15 Він сказав: “Глядіть, остерігайтеся всякої зажерливости, – бо життя чоловіка не залежить від достатку маєтку його”. В нашій культурі з її незмінним фокусом на більшому, новішому і кращому, є що сказати стосовно задоволення і погляду на гроші та майно.

Після зустрічі з Ісусом багатий молодий начальник засмутився, бо мав велике багатство і не хотів від нього відмовлятися (див. Лк. 18:18-25). Натомість митник Закхей роздав велику частину набутого за життя багатства (Лк. 19:8). Різниця полягає у тому, як вони сприйняли слова Христа. В Його благодаті ми можемо віднайти належний погляд на речі, якими ми володіємо, аби вони не стали володіти нами.

Без чого ви не можете жити? Чому? Це щось вічне чи тимчасове?

Напишіть своє свідоцтво про те, як Бог діє у вашому житті, на сторінці: Поділіться своєю історією.

Отче, сповни мене Твоєю мудрістю, аби я міг мати правильний погляд на речі і мати систему цінностей, яка відображає вічність.

Автор Білл Краудер

© 2019 Хліб Наш Насущні

Ірландський поет Оскар Уайльд сказав: “У юному віці я думав, що гроші були найважливішою річчю в житті; тепер у похилому віці я знаю, що це так і є”.