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

August 2, 2008

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

The Lectionary According to the Christian Seasons

Jeremiah 26:8-24

8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, "Thou shalt surely die! 9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant'?" And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the LORD'S house. 11 Then spoke the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, "This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears." 

12 Then spoke Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. 13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent of the evil that He hath pronounced against you. 14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. 15 But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for truly the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears."

16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets, "This man is not worthy to die, for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!" 17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 "Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, `Thus saith the LORD of hosts: 

"`Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, 
and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.' 

19 "Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? Did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented of the evil which He had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls." 

20 And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. 21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went into Egypt. 22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him into Egypt. 23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. 

24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

Psalm 69:19-36

19 Thou hast known my reproach and my shame and my dishonor;
mine adversaries are all before Thee.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart,
and I am full of heaviness;
I looked for some to take pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat,
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table become a snare before them, 
and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; 
and make their loins continually to shake. 
24 Pour out Thine indignation upon them, 
and let Thy wrathful anger take hold of them. 
25 Let their habitation be desolate, 
and let none dwell in their tents. 
26 For they persecute him whom Thou hast smitten, 
and they talk of the grief of those whom Thou hast wounded. 
27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity, 
and let them not come into Thy righteousness. 
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, 
and not be written with the righteous.

29 But I am poor and sorrowful;
let Thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox
or a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this and be glad,
and your heart shall live, that seek God.
33 For the LORD heareth the poor,
and despiseth not His prisoners.

34 Let the heaven and earth praise Him,
the seas and every thing that moveth therein.
35 For God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah,
that they may dwell there and possess it.
36 The seed also of His servants shall inherit it,
and them that love His name shall dwell therein.

Words of Worship - Matthew 5:10

"Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 14:1-12

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus 2 and said unto his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works show forth themselves in him." 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 4 For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for thee to have her." 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 7 whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being beforehand instructed by her mother, said, "Give me here John the Baptist's head on a charger." 9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless for the oath's sake, and those who sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought on a charger and given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 23:17

Let not thine heart envy sinners, 
but be thou in fear of the LORD all the day long. 

Jesus Speaks Morals & Values - Matthew 7:21
         (see UniversalJesusSpeaks.info for more information)

"Not every one that saith unto Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven.