1 SEP 2016 · John 8:47-59 47Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.' 48The Jews answered him, 'Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?' 49Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 51 Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.' 52The Jews said to him, 'Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death." 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?' 54Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, "He is our God," 55though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.' 57Then the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?' 58Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.' 59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

1 SEP 2016 · Acts 12:18-25 18When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22The people kept shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!' 23And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

31 AUG 2016 · Job 12:1,14:1-22 Then Job answered: "A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, 2comes up like a flower and withers, flees like a shadow and does not last. 3Do you fix your eyes on such a one? Do you bring me into judgment with you? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one can. 5Since their days are determined, and the number of their months is known to you, and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, 6look away from them, and desist, that they may enjoy, like laborers, their days. 7 "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. 8Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground, 9yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. 10But mortals die, and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they? 11As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, 12so mortals lie down and do not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake or be roused out of their sleep. 13Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If mortals die, will they live again? All the days of my service I would wait until my release should come. 15You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands. 16 For then you would not number my steps, you would not keep watch over my sin; 17my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity. 18"But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; 19the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of mortals. 20You prevail forever against them, and they pass away; you change their countenance, and send them away. 21Their children come to honor, and they do not know it; they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed. 22They feel only the pain of their own bodies, and mourn only for themselves." The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

31 AUG 2016

30 AUG 2016

30 AUG 2016

30 AUG 2016 · John 8:21-32 21 Again he said to them, 'I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.' 22Then the Jews said, 'Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, "Where I am going, you cannot come"?' 23He said to them, 'You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.' 25They said to him, 'Who are you?' Jesus said to them, 'Why do I speak to you at all? 26I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.' 27They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. 29And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.' 30As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

29 AUG 2016 · Acts 11:19-30 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. 20But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. 22News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; 24for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians.' 27 At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. 29The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; 30this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

29 AUG 2016 · Job 12:1-6,13-25 Then Job answered: 2"No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. 3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? 4I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called upon God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, I am a laughingstock. 5Those at ease have contempt for misfortune, but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable. 6 The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hands. 13"With God are wisdom and strength; he has counsel and understanding. 14If he tears down, no one can rebuild; if he shuts someone in, no one can open up. 15If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. 16With him are strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17He leads counselors away stripped, and makes fools of judges. 18He looses the sash of kings, and binds a waistcloth on their loins. 19He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. 20He deprives of speech those who are trusted, and takes away the discernment of the elders. 21He pours contempt on princes, and looses the belt of the strong. 22He uncovers the deeps out of darkness, and brings deep darkness to light. 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away. 24He strips understanding from the leaders of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless waste. 25They grope in the dark without light; he makes them stagger like a drunkard. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

29 AUG 2016