Daily Scripture Reading for the
Liturgical Calendar Year
(beginning the 1st Sunday of Advent)

April 29, 2008

Text taken from the
Third Millennium Bible^® (TMB^®)
(New Authorized Version^TM NAV^TM)

The Lectionary According to the Christian Seasons

Acts 16:16-40

16 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed by a spirit of divination met us. She had brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. 17 The same followed Paul and us, crying out and saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show unto us the way of salvation." 18 And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 and brought them to the magistrates, saying, "These men, being Jews, trouble our city exceedingly, 21 and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive nor to observe, being Romans." 22 And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes and commanded that they be beaten. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. 24 He, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awakening out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here!" 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." 32 And they spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them that same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, "Let those men go." 36 And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart and go in peace." 37 But Paul said unto them, "They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now do they thrust us out privily? Nay verily! Let them come themselves and fetch us out." 38 And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates, and they feared when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them and brought them out, and entreated them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.

Psalm 138

1 I will praise Thee with my whole heart;
before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.
2 I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth,
for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.
3 In the day when I cried, Thou answered me,
and strengthened me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD,
when they hear the words of Thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly,
but the proud He knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
Thou wilt revive me;
Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies,
and Thy right hand shall save me.

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me;
Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of Thine own hands.

John 16:5-11

5 But now I go My way to Him that sent Me, and none of you asketh Me, `Whither goest Thou?' 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. 8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they believe not in Me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to My Father and ye see Me no more; 11 concerning judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Words of Worship - John 10:14

I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep and am known by Mine. 

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 16:8

Better is a little with righteousness, 
than great revenues without righteousness.

Jesus Speaks Morals & Values - Luke 11:35-36
         (see UniversalJesusSpeaks.info for more information)

If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole
shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee
light."