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

5:18 The story about the yôḏ from Sarai’s name appears often in rabbinic texts (e.g., b. Sanhedrin 107a–b; p. Sanhedrin 2:6, §2; Gen. Rab. 47:1; Lev. Rab. 19:2). Likewise, sages declared that when Solomon threatened to uproot a yôḏ from the law, God responded that he would uproot a thousand Solomons rather than a word of his law (p. Sanhedrin 2:6, §2). That nothing will pass away until everything is accomplished means until the consummation of the kingdom, when heaven and earth pass away ( Mt 24:34–35; compare Jer 31:35–37; Ps-Philo 11:5; Sib. Or. 3:570–72 ). Keener, Craig S. Matthew. Vol. 1. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997. Print. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.

Jesus' High View of Scripture Jesus’ High View of Scripture (5:17–18) Jesus’ view of Scripture did not simply accommodate his culture, a fact that has implications for the view of Scripture Jesus’ followers should hold (J. Wenham 1977:21; D. Wenham 1979). Here Jesus responds to false charges that he and his followers undermine the law. First, when Jesus says that he came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them, he uses terms that in his culture would have conveyed his faithfulness to the Scriptures (v. 17). Second, Jesus illustrates the eternality of God’s law with a popular story line from contemporary Jewish teachers (5:18). Jesus’ smallest letter (NIV), or “jot” (KJV), undoubtedly refers to the Hebrew letter yôḏ, which Jewish teachers said would not pass from the law. They said that when Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah, the yôḏ removed from her name cried out from one generation to another, protesting its removal from Scripture, until finally, when M...

Two Coins with the Feast of the Booths ‎One of the two coins dates back to the time of the First Jewish Revolt (on the right: year 4 = 69/70 CE), the other to the Second Jewish Revolt (on the left: year 3 = 134/5 CE). Both coins show things that are of great importance for the Feast of the Booths: a date palm frond (lulav) and a lemon-like citrus fruit (etrog). ‎ 1 Macc 10:21; 2 Macc 1:18; 10:6; John 7:2

Begin at the Beginning (John 1:1-18) John 1:1-18 By beginning at the beginning as he does, John opens a door on the whole creative process. He gets things in perspective. We are not just dealing with certain events in Palestine 2,000 years ago: we are concerned with the purpose of God in history. The meaning of life and the universe is not ‘42’, as the Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy facetiously claims. Understanding is disclosed through the ‘Word’. That is how God displays his nature and how he is known. All this is proclaimed in the opening words of this amazing Gospel. We perceive and know through our senses: hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste. For John, the basis of perception is the ‘Word’—the mind or ‘essence’ of God. The ‘Word’ is the conveyor of life and meaning. Without the ‘Word’ nothing is understood, and if it is not understood then it might as well not exist (v. 3). The ‘Word’ illuminates and enlivens creation. Constantly available, it is there for those...

Quarreling with God Numbers 20:13 Israelites quarreled with the LORD But they had quarreled only with Moses (v. 3). Elsewhere Israel’s quarrel with Moses implies that their real object is God (14:2–4, 11, 27, esp. v. 9).25 Indeed, the next quarrel (21:5) makes this explicit. Moreover, Deuteronomy bears the tradition that the people are responsible for Moses’ punishment (Deut. 1:37; 3:26; 4:21) as does Psalms 106:32–33, “They provoked wrath at the waters of Meribah and Moses suffered on their account, because they rebelled against Him [or “embittered his spirit”] and he spoke rashly.”26 Psalms 95:7–11 bears yet another variant tradition: Israel’s forty years in the wilderness was due to its sin at Massah-Meribah (see Exod. 17:7 and Excursus 50) and not to the scout episode (14:26–35; Deut. 1:34–35). Hence, Moses and Aaron must die with them in the wilderness.27 Milgrom, Jacob. Numbers. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990. Print. The JPS Torah Commentary.

June 30   Let us not sleep, as do others         1 Thess. 5:6 There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let me strongly advise Christians to converse together concerning the ways of the Lord. Christian and Hopeful, as they journeyed toward the Celestial City, said to themselves: “To prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.” Christians who isolate themselves and walk alone are very liable to grow drowsy. Hold Christian company, and you will be kept wakeful by it, and refreshed and encouraged to make quicker progress in the road to Heaven. Spurgeon Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

June 30: By Your Example Esther 8:1–10:3; 3 John 5–15; Psalm 118:17–29 By nature, we are creatures of imitation. Children mimic the traits of their parents, and even in later life we are influenced by the habits of our friends. People naturally imitate, even if they don’t realize it or intend to. This is one reason why “lead by example” is such a powerful principle. It’s also why leaders can change the direction of a whole community—for better or worse (Jas 3:1). Diotrephes, an ambitious member of the early church who misused his power, was unwilling to heed the advice of John and others who reprimanded him. In his letter to Gaius, a church leader known for his faithfulness and love, John gives this advice regarding Diotrephes: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God” ( 3 John 11 ). Throughout his letters, John emphasizes that people’s actions reflect their heart. Diotrephes’ acti...

June 30th Do it now Agree with thine adversary quickly. Matthew 5:25 . Jesus Christ is laying down this principle—Do what you know you must do, now, and do it quickly; if you do not, the inevitable process will begin to work and you will have to pay to the last farthing in pain and agony and distress. God’s laws are unalterable; there is no escape from them. The teaching of Jesus goes straight to the way we are made up. To see that my adversary gives me my rights is natural; but Jesus says that it is a matter of eternal and imperative importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it does not matter whether I am defrauded or not; what does matter is that I do not defraud. Am I insisting on my rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint? Do the thing quickly, bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must do it at once; if you do not, the inexorable process will begin to work. God is det...

June 30th Do it now Agree with thine adversary quickly. Matthew 5:25 . Jesus Christ is laying down this principle—Do what you know you must do, now, and do it quickly; if you do not, the inevitable process will begin to work and you will have to pay to the last farthing in pain and agony and distress. God’s laws are unalterable; there is no escape from them. The teaching of Jesus goes straight to the way we are made up. To see that my adversary gives me my rights is natural; but Jesus says that it is a matter of eternal and imperative importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it does not matter whether I am defrauded or not; what does matter is that I do not defraud. Am I insisting on my rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint? Do the thing quickly, bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must do it at once; if you do not, the inexorable process will begin to work. God ...

Morning, June 30                                                  Go To Evening Reading          “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them.”          — John 17:22 Behold the superlative liberality of the Lord Jesus, for he hath given us his all. Although a tithe of his possessions would have made a universe of angels rich beyond all thought, yet was he not content until he had given us all that he had. It would have been surprising grace if he had allowed us to eat the crumbs of his bounty beneath the table of his mercy; but he will do nothing by halves, he makes us sit with him and share the feast. Had he given us some small pension from his royal coffers, we should have had cause to love him eternally; but no, he will have his bride as rich as himself, and he will not have a glory or a grace in...

July 2: Conflict and Certainty 1 Samuel 2:22–4:22; James 1:9–18; Psalm 119:17–32 Conflict drives fiction and riveting movies, but if we had it our way, we’d live stable, stress-free lives. We might crave the excitement or change of a vacation, but we rarely welcome an unexpected complication. So when James says to “count it all joy … when you meet trials of various kinds” ( Jas 1:2 ), we are tempted to dismiss his perspective as something that works on paper but should not disrupt our real lives. James shows us how to internalize a faithful response to unwelcome conflict. He starts by describing a negative reaction: When difficult times come, we might be like the person who prays and then doubts that God will provide him with wisdom for the situation. This person complicates the conflict by internalizing it with uncertainty and doubt. He is “like the surf of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about” ( Jas 1:6 ). The irony is that, although we only create more conflict wh...

WILBERFORCE, WILLIAM (1759–1833) English philanthropist; antislavery crusader Born in Hull, Wilberforce studied in desultory fashion at Cambridge, then in 1780 entered Parliament and became a strong supporter of William Pitt, who persuaded Wilberforce to devote himself to the abolition of the slave trade. In this cause he opposed many in the empire who had powerful vested interests, and he opposed those who regarded slavery as “a natural and scriptural institution.” The reformers finally triumphed in 1807 when the slave trade was done away with, though abolition of slavery itself had to wait until 1833. Wilberforce, who had been converted at twenty-five, was the most famous figure associated with the Clapham Sect, which sought to do for the upper classes what Wesley had done for the lower. They used their wealth and influence in Christian outreach. He supported missions, fought to improve the condition of the poor and prisoners, and in 1804 helped to form the British and Forei...

Lamps ‎Some unusual lamps are collected here. The first one is a seven-mouthed lamp. Perhaps the second and third lamps were used with candles. The fourth is a metal oil lamp dating back to the Byzantine era. It can hold three wicks. ‎ Zech 4:2

Chrismata Romans 12:6-8 Paul then applied what he had just said (vv. 3–5) to the exercise of God-given abilities for spiritual service (vv. 6–8). He built on the principle, We have different gifts (cf. v. 4, “not all have the same function”; cf. 1 Cor. 12:4). The grace-gifts (charismata) are according to God’s grace (charis). He listed seven gifts, none of which—with the possible exception of prophesying—is a sign gift. The Greek text is much more abrupt than any English translation; let him is supplied for smoother English. One’s “prophesying” is to be done in proportion to his faith; a better translation would be “in agreement to the (not ‘his’) faith.” That is, prophesying—communicating God’s message, to strengthen, encourage, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3)—is to be in right relationship to the body of truth already revealed (cf. “faith” as doctrine in Gal. 1:23; Jude 3, 20). The other six gifts mentioned here are serving … teaching … encouraging … contributing … leadership, and s...

City names on Shoshenq's List ‎The pharaoh Shoshenq or Shishaq (945–924 BCE) led a military campaign to Palestine in order to extend the Egyptian sphere of influence in this region. The Great Temple of Karnack shows the cartouches with the names of the conquered cities and places passed through in this campaign carved into depictions of bound Syrian captives. ‎1 Kings 11:40; 14:25; 2 Chron 12:2–9

June 29   Sleep on now, and take your rest         Mark 14:41 Never did that sacred opportunity to watch with Christ return to His disciples. Lost then, it was lost forever. And now when Jesus is still beholding the travail of His soul in the redemption of the world, if you fail to be with Him watching for souls as they that must give account, remember that the opportunity will never return. “Watch, therefore,” says your Lord , “lest coming suddenly, he may find you sleeping.” A. J. Gordon Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

June 29th Direction of discipline And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:30 . Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off the right hand, but—‘If your right hand offends you in your walk with Me, cut it off.’ There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says if it hinders you in following His precepts, cut it off. This line of discipline is the sternest one that ever struck mankind. When God alters a man by regeneration, the characteristic of the life to begin with is that it is maimed. There are a hundred and one things you dare not do, things that to you and in the eyes of the world that knows you are as your right hand and your eye, and the unspiritual person says—‘Whatever is w...

June 29th Direction of discipline And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:30 . Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off the right hand, but—‘If your right hand offends you in your walk with Me, cut it off.’ There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says if it hinders you in following His precepts, cut it off. This line of discipline is the sternest one that ever struck mankind. When God alters a man by regeneration, the characteristic of the life to begin with is that it is maimed. There are a hundred and one things you dare not do, things that to you and in the eyes of the world that knows you are as your right hand and your eye, and the unspiritual person says—‘Whateve...

Morning, June 29                                                  Go To Evening Reading           “Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”          — 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Let us not imagine that the soul sleeps in insensibility. “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise,” is the whisper of Christ to every dying saint. They “sleep in Jesus,” but their souls are before the throne of God, praising him day and night in his temple, singing hallelujahs to him who washed them from their sins in his blood. The body sleeps in its lonely bed of earth, beneath the coverlet of grass. But what is this sleep? The idea connected with sleep is “rest,” and that is the thought which the Spirit of God would convey to us. Sleep makes each night a Sabbath for the day. Sleep shuts fast the door of the soul, and bi...

June 28 Lesson 4 GOD WILL NEVER FORGET DEVOTIONAL READING: Hosea 11:1–7 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Amos 8 AMOS 8:1–6, 9, 10 1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. 2 And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. 3 And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. 4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? 9 And it sh...

Lesson for June 28, 2015 God Will Never Forget Amos 8 This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD . It is published in the June 21 issue of  The Lookout  magazine, and is also available online at  www.lookoutmag.com . ______ By Sam E. Stone  This month we have focused attention on Amos, one of the most important of the minor prophets. As James E. Smith pointed out, “The oracle which follows the fourth vision may have been delivered in Judah during a second phase of Amos’s ministry. In any case, these verses contain one of the strongest indictments against covetousness found anywhere in the Bible .” Previously in his message, Amos had announced God’s coming judgment on Israel. This had been emphasized by the command “Hear this word” ( Amos 3:1; 4:1; 5:1 ) and “Woe” ( 5:18; 6:1 ). All of the warnings had promised the coming destruction of Israel. Amos explained wha...

SUNDAY , JUNE 28, 2015 | PENTECOST FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST YEAR B               Old Testament       Job 38:1–11               Old Testament       Proverbs 30:4, 5 ( Supplemental )               Psalm       Psalm 46               New Testament       2 Corinthians 5:14–21               New Testament       Acts 27:13–26 ( Supplemental )               Gospel       Mark 4:35–41 Christ ian Worship Three Year Lectionary (with Supplemental Lectionary). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY , JUNE 28, 2015 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 8 YEAR B               Old Testament       2 Samuel 1:1, 17–27               Psalm       Psalm 130 ( UMH 848 )              New Testament       2 Corinthians 8:7–15               Gospel       Mark 5:21–43 Vanderbilt Divinity Library. United Methodist Revised Common Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY , FEBRUARY 15, 2015 | ORDINARY TIME SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL               First Reading       Leviticus 13:1–2, 44–46               Response       Psalm 32:7               Psalm       Psalm 32:1–2, 5, 11               Second Reading       1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1               Gospel Acclamation       Luke 7:16               Gospel       Mark 1:40–45 Catholic Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY , FEBRUARY 15, 2015 | EPIPHANY THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD YEAR B               Old Testament       2 Kings 2:1–12 or Exodus 34:29–35               Psalm       Psalm 50:1–6              Epistle       2 Corinthians 3:12–13 ( 14–18 ) 4:1–6               Gospel       Mark 9:2–9 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY , FEBRUARY 15, 2015 | EPIPHANY LAST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY YEAR 1               Psalms (Morning)       Psalm 148, 149, 150               Psalms (Evening)       Psalm 114, 115              Old Testament       Deuteronomy 6:1–9              New Testament       Hebrews 12:18–29               Gospel       John 12:24–32 The Episcopal Church . Book of Common Prayer Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. Print.

June 27   Be perfect, be of good comfort         2 Cor. 13:11 A glance at the words is enough to make us feel how contradictory they are. Be perfect—that is a word that strikes us with despair; at once we feel how far away we are from our own poor ideal, and alas! how much further from God’s ideal concerning us. Be of good comfort—ah, that is very different! That seems to say, “Do not fret; do not fear. If you are not what you would be, you must be thankful for what you are.” Now the question is this—How can these two be reconciled? It is only the religion of Jesus Christ that reconciles them. He stands in our midst, and with the right hand of His righteousness He pointeth us upward, and saith, “Be perfect.” There is no resting-place short of that. Yet with the left hand of His love He doth encompass us , as He saith, “Soul, be of good comfort; for that is what I came to do for thee.” Mark Guy Pearse Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Mo...

June 27: The Truth about Truth Nehemiah 12:1–13:31; 2 John 1–6; Psalm 115:1–115:18 John the Evangelist’s letter to the “elect lady” presents a picture of joy and hope, as he “rejoiced greatly to find some of [her] children walking in truth, just as we were commanded by the father” ( 2 John 4 ). One word keeps reappearing in John’s letter, focusing his message: truth. John says that he loves the elect lady and her children “in truth” ( 2 John 1 ). He says that all who know the truth also love them. His reason is simple: “the truth … resides in us and will be with us forever” ( 2 John 2 ). When John speaks of truth, he’s referring to Jesus ( John 14:6 ). After his initial greeting, John goes on to express his wishes: May “Grace, mercy, [and] peace … be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love” ( 2 John 3 ). In acknowledging the source of truth, John acknowledges his connection to it. All believers live in truth because the...

June 27th The overshadowing personal deliverance I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord . Jeremiah 1:8 . God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “Thy life will I give unto thee for a prey.” That is all God promises His children . Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are a matter of indifference, we have to sit loosely to all these things; if we do not, there will be panic and heartbreak and distress. That is the inwardness of the overshadowing of personal deliverance. The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on Jesus Christ’s errands, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says , in effect, ‘Do not be bothered with whether you are being justly dealt with or not.’ To look for justice is a sign of deflection from devotion to Him . Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will begin to grouse and to indulge in the disconten...

Morning, June 27                                                Go To Evening Reading          “Only ye shall not go very far away.”          — Exodus 8:28 This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor bondage Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms, and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world loves not the non-conformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent; it would have us be more charitable and not carry matters with too severe a hand. Death to the world, and burial with Christ , are experiences which carnal minds treat with ridicule, and hence the ordinance which sets them forth is almost universally neglected, and even conde...

Frances Ridley Havergal June 26   Small things         Zech. 4:10 It is the little words you speak, the little thoughts you think, the little things you do or leave undone, the little moments you waste or use wisely, the little temptations which you yield to or overcome—the little things of every day that are making or marring your future life. Selected Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

June 26: A Famous God Nehemiah 10:28–11:36; 1 John 5:17–21; Psalm 113 :1–114:8 Fame can have startling effects on people. Those who attain power and influence suddenly become less available: They’re selective with the phone calls they take, the emails they answer, and the people they associate with. Those who receive their attention tend to feel special. When we call on God , we expect Him to answer us and help us. Sometimes, we are so confident that He will or should help us that we forget how amazing it is that He interacts with us in the first place. Psalm 113 reminds us that God is beyond our comprehension. The psalm praises the power and glory of God , who is “high above all nations.” God isn’t just ruling over the earth, though. His realm of power extends even “above the heavens” ( Psa 113:4 ). Both earthly and heavenly powers are subject to Him . His power is astounding, but what is most confounding is His nature and character . Psalm 113 points out that even...

June 26th Always now We … beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 Cor. 6:1 . The grace you had yesterday will not do for to-day. Grace is the overflowing favour of God ; you can always reckon it is there to draw upon. “In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses”— that is where the test for patience comes. Are you failing the grace of God there? Are you saying— ‘Oh, well, I won’t count this time?’ It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you; it is taking the grace of God now. We make prayer the preparation for work, it is never that in the Bible . Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God . Don’t say— ‘I will endure this until I can get away and pray.’ Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need. Prayer is the most practical thing, it is not the reflex action of devotion. Prayer is the last thing in which we learn to draw on God’s grace . “In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in...

Morning, June 26                                                 Go To Evening Reading           “Art thou become like unto us?”          — Isaiah 14:10 What must be the apostate professor’s doom when his naked soul appears before God ? How will he bear that voice, “Depart, ye cursed; thou hast rejected me , and I reject thee; thou hast played the harlot, and departed from me : I also have banished thee for ever from my presence , and will not have mercy upon thee.” What will be this wretch’s shame at the last great day when, before assembled multitudes, the apostate shall be unmasked? See the profane, and sinners who never professed religion, lifting themselves up from their beds of fire to point at him. “There he is,” says one, “will he preach the gospel in hell?” “There he is ,” says another, “he r...

Love Leads to Fellowship 1 John 4:17-21 Moreover, love must be perfected (or, matured; 4:17–21 ). Love stands completed by the mutual abiding ( v. 16 ); the result ( NIV so that) is that believers will have “confidence” on the day of judgment. (Another interpretation is that John means that love stands completed when one has confidence on judgment day.) This is so because in this evil world we are abiding in the Father and in his love ( John 14:10–11, 20; 15:9–10; 17:21–23, 26 ). Now and on judgment day there is no fear because complete love “drives out” fear ( v. 18 ). Fear of punishment and love are incompatible. Sin breeds fear; fearless love breeds confidence. Verse 19 echoes verse 10 . Christ ians do not fear but love. Yet all our love, whether of God or of men, is only a response to his first and greater demonstration of love in Christ at the cross. Another test of love is set forth in verse 20 . The phrase if anyone says introduces a false claim ( see also 1:6, 8,...