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

DAILY, WEEKEND AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

January 31 Lesson 9 THE DEATH OF A FRIEND DEVOTIONAL READING: Isaiah 25:6–10 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : John 11:1–44 JOHN 11:38–44 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord , by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes , and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth . 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clot...

January 31, 2016 Lesson   The Death of a Friend John 11:38-44 Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson . Scott teaches  preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado . This lesson treatment is published in the January 24 issue of  The Lookout  magazine, and is also available online at  www.lookoutmag.com . ______ By Mark Scott  Jesus and death cannot coexist. Death has no victory around Jesus ( 1 Corinthians 15:54 , 55 ). Jesus destroys the one who has the power of death ( Hebrews 2:14 ). Jesus proved this in his earthly ministry . Prior to his own resurrection, Jesus raised three people from the dead: the widow’s boy at Nain ( Luke 7:11-17 ), Jairus’s daughter ( Mark 5:21-43 ), and Lazarus ( John 11:1-44 ). Five reasons made the raising of Lazarus the most famous: 1) Its proximity to Jerusalem—t...

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 | EPIPHANY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR C              Old Testament       Jeremiah 1:4–10              Old Testament       1 Kings 17:7–16 ( Supplemental )              Psalm       Psalm 78               New Testament       1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13               New Testament       Romans 10:18–11:6 ( Supplemental )              Gospel       Luke 4:20–32 Christian Worship Three Year Lectionary (with Supplemental Lectionary) . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 | EPIPHANY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR C              Old Testament       Jeremiah 1:4–10              Psalm       Psalm 71:1–6 (UMH 794)               New Testament       1 Corinthians 13:1–13              Gospel       Luke 4:21–30 Vanderbilt Divinity Library. United Methodist Revised Common Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 | ORDINARY TIME FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL               First Reading       Jeremiah 1:4–5 , 17–19               Response       Psalm 71:15ab               Psalm       Psalm 71:1–6 , 15 , 17               Second Reading       1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13 or 1                                                          Corinthians 13:4–13               Gospel Acclamation       Luke 4:18               Gospel       Luke 4:21–30 Catholic Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Soft...

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 | EPIPHANY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR C               Old Testament       Jeremiah 1:4–10 ( 17–19 )              Psalm       Psalm 71:1–6 ( 7–11 )              Epistle       1 Corinthians 12:31b–13:13              Gospel       Luke 4:31–44 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 | EPIPHANY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY YEAR C              Psalm       Psalm 71:1–17 or Psalm 71:1–6 , 15–17               First Reading       Jeremiah 1:4–10              Second Reading       1 Corinthians 14:12b–20               Gospel       Luke 4:21–32 The Episcopal Church . Book of Common Prayer (1979) Sunday Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. Print.

The Language Of Testing

Bless this  Sabbath Day of Yahweh

January 30   Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life         Rom. 6:4 That is the life we are called upon to live, and that is the life it is our privilege to lead; for God never gives us a call without its being a privilege, and He never gives us the privilege to come up higher without stretching out to us His hand to lift us up. Come up higher and higher into the realities and glories of the resurrection life, knowing that your life is hid with Christ in God . Shake yourself loose of every encumbrance, turn your back on every defilement, give yourself over like clay to the hands of the potter, that He may stamp upon you the fullness of His own resurrection glory , that you, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord , may be changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord . W. Hay Aitken ...

January 30: Difficult Definitions Genesis 47–48 ; Hebrews 11 ; Ecclesiastes 12:1–8 As an editor, I love definitions. The field of lexicography can be complex, but when a definition is finally solidified, there’s comfort to be found. It becomes something stable. This is also the reason I love the book of Hebrews: the author is keen on definitions, clarifying terminology, and using analogies to prove his points. “Now faith is the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen” ( Heb 11:1 ). In this succinct definition, I have perspective on the essence of faith. There is no room for doubt or error. The hope referred to is Jesus . And the proof is in an assurance that even though we cannot see Him , we have confidence in His work both presently and in the future. The author goes on to say, “For by this [faith] the people of old were approved [by God ]. By faith we understand the worlds were created by the word of God , in order that what is seen did not come ...

January 30th The dilemma of obedience And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 1 Samuel 3:15 . God seldom speaks to us in startling ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand, and we say, ‘I wonder if that is God’s voice ?’ Isaiah said that the Lord spake to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of circumstances. Nothing touches our lives but it is God Himself speaking. Do we discern His hand or only mere occurrence? Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord ,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press, say, “Speak, Lord ” ; make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline, it is meant to get me to the place of saying, “Speak, Lord .” Recall the time when God did speak to you. Have you forgotten what He said? Was it Luke 11:13 , or was it 1 Thess. 5:23 ? As we listen, our ear gets acute, and, like Jesus , we shall hear God all the time. Shall I tell my ‘Eli’ what God has shown to me? That is wher...

Morning, January 30       Go To Evening Reading          “When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shalt bestir thyself.”            — 2 Samuel 5:24 The members of Christ’s Church should be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that his “will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven;” but there are times when God seems especially to favour Zion, such seasons ought to be to them like “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been wont to do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous. The tide is flowing—now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labours. Christ ian , in yourself there are times “when thou heares...

Isaiah

Partridgeberry partridgeberry   par•tridge•ber•ry \-ˌber-ē\ noun 1714: a trailing evergreen plant (Mitchella repens) of the madder family native to the eastern U.S. and Canada with edible slightly acidic scarlet berries also: its berry Mish, Frederick C. “Preface.” Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. 2003 : n. pag. Print.

The Meaning of Shalom in Proverbs Proverbs 3:2 Excerpt Shalom refers to peace, prosperity, wholeness, health, and completeness of life . It is remembering and practicing the wisdom teachings that will bring the learner this reward. Reyburn, William David, and Euan McG. Fry. A Handbook on Proverbs. New York: United Bible Societies, 2000. Print. UBS Handbook Series.

Eternal Life Acts 13:46 , 48 Excerpt This phrase eternal life is probably one of the most difficult expressions of the Bible to render satisfactorily. Literally the meaning of “eternal” or “everlasting” refers to length of time, for example, “life that never ends.” But this can be very seriously misunderstood if people are to conclude that by becoming Christ ians they will never die. On the other hand, to use an expression such as “life which comes from God ” or “true life” is to miss some of the significance of this quality of life which does continue not only throughout one’s earthly lifetime, but even after death. In some languages an attempt has been made to represent both the qualitative and the quantitative factors involved by translating “real life which never ends.” This may ultimately be the best solution. Newman, Barclay Moon, and Eugene Albert Nida. A Handbook on the Acts of the Apostles. New York: United Bible Societies, 1972. Print. UBS Handbook Series.

The Medieval Period, 476–1500 Excerpt ‎Late medieval sermons were characterized by allegorical interpretation with its faulty exegetical method just as it was employed by the interpreters of Homer and introduced into the church by the second- and third-century fathers. While the period produced some famous preachers, such as Peter the Hermit, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Thomas Aquinas, none handled the text in an expository fashion. Faint hints of Bible exposition have been detected among independent groups such as the Paulicians, Waldenses, and Albigenses, despite the fact that these groups are commonly dismissed as “heretics.” ‎As the medieval period drew to a close, several pre-Reformation leaders rekindled the fire of expository preaching. Among these was John Wyclif (1330–1384), who was deeply concerned about proclaiming the Word . He denounced the preaching of his day, stating that all sermons that did not treat the Scripture should be rejected. William Tyndale (1494–1536) held...

Distaff   1 dis•taff \ˈdis-ˌtaf\ noun plural distaffs \-ˌtafs, -ˌtavz\ [Middle English distaf, from Old English dist+f, from dis- (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + st+f staff] before 12th century     1      a: a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning     b: woman’s work or domain   2:      the female branch or side of a family   2 distaff adjective circa 1633   1:      MATERNAL 2 〈the distaff side of the family〉—compare SPEAR   2:      FEMALE 1 〈distaff executives〉   dis•tain \dis-ˈtān\ verb transitive [Middle English disteynen, from Anglo-French desteindre to take away the color of, from de- + teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to wet, dye—more at TINGE] 14th century   1      archaic: STAIN   2      archaic: DISHONOR Mish, Frederick C. “Preface.” Merriam-Webster’s co...

Bethlehem: Greek Orthodox Priests ‎Bethlehem. Greek Orthodox priests in high hats and festive robes in shades of gold and purple waiting in Manger Square for the arrival of the Patriarch on Christ mas Eve. Waiting for the Archangel, who is the Patriarch, symbolizes waiting for the Messiah .

January 29   The living God         Dan. 6:20 How many times we find this expression in the Scriptures , and yet it is just this very thing that we are so prone to lose sight of! We know it is written the living God ; but in our daily life there is scarcely anything we practically so much lose sight of as the fact that God is the LIVING GOD ; that He is now whatever He was three or four thousand years since ; that He has the same sovereign power , the same saving love toward those who love and serve Him as ever He had , and that He will do for them now what He did for others two, three, four thousand years ago, simply because He is the living God , the unchanging One . Oh, how therefore we should confide in Him , and in our darkest moments never lose sight of the fact that He is still and ever will be the LIVING GOD . George Mueller Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn E...

January 29: The New Deal Genesis 45–46 ; Hebrews 10 ; Ecclesiastes 11:5–10 “I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people.” These words were spoken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a speech which unveiled a series of economic strategies for ending the Great Depression. We love newness because it holds hope. The same should be true when we look to the new covenant of Jesus. Although it may not feel quite as new as it did nearly 2,000 years ago—when it altered the spiritual landscape like the New Deal forced economic vitality into America—it still holds the same power today. This covenant is first mentioned in Hebrews 8 ; and in Hebrews 10 , we see the full implications of it: “For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy.… Now where there is forgiveness of [sins], there is no longer an offering for sin” ( Heb 10:14 , 18 ). Prior to Jesus , there was a need for regular sacrifices for sins to be made, but since Jesu...

January 29th But it is hardly credible that one could be so positively ignorant! Who art Thou , Lord ? Acts 26:15 . “The Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand.” There is no escape when Our Lord speaks. He always comes with an arrestment of the understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you in the language you know best, not through your ears, but through your circumstances. God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. ‘I know this is what I should do’ —and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We have shown our ignorance of Him in the very way we determined to serve Him . We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His , we hurt Him by our advocacy for Him , we push His claims in the spirit of the devil. Our words sound all right, but our spirit is that of an enemy. “He rebuked them...

Morning, January 29       Go To Evening Reading          “The things which are not seen.”            — 2 Corinthians 4:18 In our Christ ian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer’s enlightened eye can see death’s river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ , embraced in the arms of Jesus , glorified wi...

Good morning Obedient By: Shirley Thomas 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does ( James 1:25 , NKJV ). I am learning that I do not have to take giant leaps for humanity in your name. You only ask that I be obedient to Your will and word. Please guide me today in all my steps, big or small.

The Victor Greeted The Victor Greeted

Day’s End, Sea of Galilee

Solomon Matthew 6:29 Excerpt The third king of Israel (c. 971–931 bc), son of David and Bathsheba ( 2 Sa. 12:24 ); also named Jedidiah (‘beloved of the Lord’) by Nathan the prophet ( 2 Sa. 12:25 ). Solomon (šʾelōmōh, probably ‘peaceful’) does not figure in the biblical narrative until the last days of David ( 1 Ki. 1:10ff .) despite the fact that he was born (in Jerusalem; 2 Sa. 5:14 ) early in his father’s reign. Hubbard, D. A. “Solomon.” Ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. New Bible dictionary 1996 : 1116. Print.

Portion of a Manuscript in Syriac ‎From a Photograph by Mrs. Lewis. ‎Found in the convent of Sinai in 1892 by Mrs. Lewis. ‎ Luke 7:44–47

The Woman Caught in Adultery Excerpt This story, beloved for its revelation of God’s mercy toward sinners, is found only in John. It was almost certainly not part of John’s original Gospel. The NIV separates this passage off from the rest of the Gospel with the note, “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53 — John 8:11 .” That is, the earliest Greek manuscripts, the earliest translations and the earliest church fathers all lack reference to this story. Furthermore, some manuscripts place it at other points within John (after John 7:36 ,  John 7:44 or  John 21:25 ), others include it in the Gospel of Luke (placing it after  Luke 21:38 ), and many manuscripts have marks that indicate the scribes “were aware that it lacked satisfactory credentials” (Metzger 1994:189). Furthermore, it contains many expressions that are more like those in the Synoptic Gospels than those in John. Whitacre, Rodney A. Jo...

Eve Spins While Adam Digs Eve spins while Adam digs; thirteenth-century stone relief, Sainte Chapelle, Paris. As the narrative continues, Eve is tricked by the “crafty” serpent into eating forbidden fruit ( Gen. 3:1–7 ). In part, she apparently believes that if she does so, she will not die, but will become like God , knowing good and evil (a possible figure of speech for “knowing all things” ). She also wants to eat the fruit, however, because she sees that it is good for food and a delight to the eyes. After eating the fruit, she gives some to her husband, who the text says “was with her” ( i.e. , party to the exchange with the serpent, though silent throughout), and he eats as well. As a consequence of this disobedience, both Adam and Eve are suddenly ashamed of their nakedness, and they create garments of fig leaves for themselves. Then, God expels them from the garden and Eve is specifically punished in two ways: she (and apparently, though not explicitly, all wome...

Strymon River Valley ‎The Strymon River valley near Amphipolis, Greece.

January 28   Not as I will, but as thou wilt         Matt. 26:39 There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God. Faber Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour . Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

January 28: Carpe Diem Genesis 44 ; Hebrews 8–9; Ecclesiastes 11:1–4 The Latin phrase Carpe Diem, means “seize the day.” Taking risks to make your life extraordinary is biblical, if done according to God’s plan and principles. The idea behind this comes from Ecclesiastes: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” ( Eccl 11:1 ). Bread acts as the symbol for substance in the ancient world; the author of Ecclesiastes is suggesting that we should follow God’s plan , even at the possible cost of our livelihood. He then suggests that what we give to God , He will return . This is opposite from a self-protection mentality. The “waters” in the proverb represent chaos, suggesting that in letting go of even the most chaotic circumstances, we learn about God’s ability to give what we need. This is further illustrated when the author says, “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.… He who observes...

January 28th But it is hardly credible that one could so persecute Jesus ! Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? Acts 26:14 . Am I set on my own way for God ? We are never free from this snare until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. Obstinacy and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ . It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit . Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus . Every time we stand on our rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Jesus . Whenever we stand on our dignity we systematically vex and grieve His Spirit ; and when the knowledge comes home that it is Jesus Whom we have been persecuting all the time, it is the most crushing revelation there could be. Is the word of God tremendously keen to me as I hand it on to you, or does my life give the lie to the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet...

Morning, January 28       Go To Evening Reading          “Perfect in Christ Jesus .”           — Colossians 1:28 Do you not feel in your own soul that perfection is not in you? Does not every day teach you that? Every tear which trickles from your eye, weeps “imperfection” ; every harsh word which proceeds from your lip, mutters “imperfection.” You have too frequently had a view of your own heart to dream for a moment of any perfection in yourself. But amidst this sad consciousness of imperfection, here is comfort for you—you are “perfect in Christ Jesus .” In God’s sight , you are “complete in him ;” even now you are “accepted in the Beloved .” But there is a second perfection, yet to be realized, which is sure to all the seed. Is it not delightful to look forward to the time when every stain of sin shall be removed from the believer, and he shall be presented faultless before the throne, without...