DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

Bible in a Year  :   Psalms 148–150; 1 Corinthians 15:29–58

Today's Scripture : Leviticus 19:9–18  (NIV)

Insight  The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) is found in a chapter containing a variety of rules for godly living that many scholars consider a counterpart of the Ten Commandments. Leviticus 19:18, like the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17), is about responsibility toward one’s neighbor. But it goes a step further by saying our care for others includes love, which extends not only to members of the believing community but also to “foreigners” (Leviticus 19:34). Jesus quoted this golden rule as an extension of our love for God: “The most important [commandment] . . . [is to] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Mark 12:29–31). By:  Alyson Kieda

Through Christ’s Spirit living in us, we can love God and others because He loved us first (Galatians 5:22–23; 1 John 4:19). Can we say with Shirley, “Yes, I will” ? By:    Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray How have you been cared for by someone when you felt alone? Who can you reach out to this week to show the love of Jesus? Loving God, thank You for the love You’ve shown me. Please, Holy Spirit, love others through me so that You might be glorified.

September 6: Faith for Every Moment Hosea 13:1–14:9; Acts 6:1–15 ; Job 17:1–16 Sometimes it’s tempting to imagine ourselves as the hero of a dramatic scene where we’re called upon to give an account of our faith. But in real life, every action and every moment of our lives is a witness—even the ordinary ones. Stephen, a leader in the early church, knew this to be true. Stephen was appointed by the apostles to care for widows in need because he was “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). People recognized his witness because he was faithful when no one was watching. His devotion brought him to a place of influence and leadership in the community. But Stephen didn’t limit his witness to one area of leadership. In the next verses, we find him witnessing about Christ by performing great wonders and signs. That’s when he came under fire, and his response was above reproach: “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6...

Fri, Sep 6, 2019 (Aug 24, 2019) | Octoechos Twelfth Friday after Pentecost Epistle 2 Corinthians 7:10–16 Gospel Mark 2:18–22   Byzantine Lectionary (Julian) . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016. Print.

Friday, September 6, 2019 | Ordinary Time Friday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year 1 | Roman Missal | Lectionary First Reading Colossians 1:15–20 Response Psalm 100:2 b Psalm Psalm 100:1 b–5 Gospel Acclamation John 8:12 Gospel Luke 5:33–39   Catholic Daily Readings . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2009. Print. Friday, September 6, 2019 | After Pentecost Proper 17, Friday Year 1 Psalms ( Morning ) Psalm 31 Psalms ( Evening ) Psalm 35 Old Testament 1 Kings 11:26–43 New Testament James 4:13–5:6 Gospel Mark 15:22–32   The Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2010. Print. Friday, September 6, 2019 | After Pentecost Friday before Proper 18 Year C Psalm , First Reading & Second Reading, Option I Psalm Psalm 1 First Reading Deuteronomy 7:12–26 ( Complementary ) Second Reading Colossians 4:7–17 o...

Bible in a Year  :  Psalms 129–131; 1 Corinthians 11:1–16

Today's Scripture : Psalm 126  (NIV)

Insight  Psalm 126 is one of the songs of ascent, a title given to fifteen of the psalms ( 120–134 ). These psalms are also known as pilgrim songs and were most likely sung by Jewish worshipers as they ascended the road to the temple in Jerusalem to attend the three required festivals or feasts ( Passover, or Festival of Unleavened Bread ; Pentecost , or Feast of Weeks ; and Tabernacles , also known as Tents or Booths ). We read about this requirement in Deuteronomy 16:16. Other scholars believe these songs were sung by the Levite singers as they ascended the steps to minister at the temple. Psalm 126 calls worshipers to rejoice as they remember how God “restored the fortunes of Zion” ( v . 1 ), or Jerusalem, most likely when the people returned from captivity in Babylon during Ezra’s time. By:  Alyson Kieda

You and I need not look far in our own experiences for examples of great things from God, especially if we believe in God through His Son, Jesus. Nineteenth-century hymn writer Fanny Crosby captured this sentiment when she wrote, “Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son.” Yes, to God be the glory, great things He has done! By:    Arthur Jackson

Reflect & Pray What great things have you experienced from the hand of God? How does reflecting on these increase your trust and hope? Great things in the past can inspire great joy, great prayer, and great hope.

August 30: Dawning of a New Era Isaiah 63:1–64:12; Luke 23:26–24:12 ; Job 14:1–10 Jesus’ resurrection brings a new era. Although Jesus told His disciples and loved ones that He would suffer, die, and be raised on the third day (Luke 9:22), they didn’t fully comprehend His promise. The women preparing fragrant spices and perfumes for a burial ritual fully expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb. Instead, at the dawn of the first day of the week, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. The women were perplexed by their discovery, but the angels challenged them, reminding them of Jesus’ promise: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men who are sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise?” (Luke 24:5–7). Jesus’ resurrection presents new hope for the disciples and those who believe in H...

Friday, August 30, 2019 | Octoechos Twelfth Friday after Pentecost Epistle 2 Corinthians 7:10–16 Gospel Mark 2:18–22   Byzantine Lectionary (Gregorian) . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2015. Print. Fri, Aug 30, 2019 (Aug 17, 2019) | Octoechos Eleventh Friday after Pentecost Bright Vestments Epistle 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 Gospel Matthew 24:27–33, 42–51   Byzantine Lectionary (Julian) . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016. Print. Friday, August 30, 2019 | Octoechos Eleventh Friday after Pentecost Epistle 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 Gospel Matthew 24:27–33, 42–51   Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2015. Print.

Friday, August 30, 2019 | Ordinary Time Friday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year 1 | Roman Missal | Lectionary First Reading 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 Response Psalm 97:12a Psalm Psalm 97:1, 2b , 5–6 , 10–12 Gospel Acclamation Luke 21:36 Gospel Matthew 25:1–13   Catholic Daily Readings . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2009. Print. Friday, August 30, 2019 | After Pentecost Proper 16, Friday Year 1 Psalms ( Morning ) Psalm 16 , 17 Psalms ( Evening ) Psalm 22 Old Testament 1 Kings 5:1–6:1, 6:7 New Testament Acts 28:1–16 Gospel Mark 14:27–42   The Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2010. Print. Friday, August 30, 2019 | After Pentecost Friday before Proper 17 Year C Psalm , First Reading & Second Reading, Option I Psalm Psalm 112 First Reading Proverbs 18:6–12 ( Complementary ) Second Reading 1 ...

Servant’s Heart Bible in a Year :   Psalms 113–115; 1 Corinthians 6 Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. Mark 9:35

Today's Scripture : Mark 9:33–37  (NIV)

Insight  In the world of first-century Israel, opening one’s home to travelers was of great social importance. According to one rabbinic tradition, hospitality was greater than welcoming the  shekinah , which signaled God’s glory or presence in His temple . The same culture, however, didn’t require men to open the doors of their hearts to members of their own community they considered beneath their dignity. They regarded servants, wives, and children as property and often treated them accordingly. As a result, Christ’s disciples had no natural understanding of a kingdom that would be led by a servant-king willing to die for His vision of a better world ( Mark 9:30–32 ). Jesus turned their views of His kingdom upside down by embracing and honoring a little child to illustrate a humility they’d not yet begun to understand. Then He expanded the implications of who we welcome into our hearts ( v . 37 ). By:  Mart DeHaan

As you have opportunities to serve in your family or community, be encouraged that Jesus greatly values the time and effort you give in service to others. By:    Lisa M. Samra