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

July 17, 2008

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

The Lectionary According to the Christian Seasons

Isaiah 26:1-19

1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city;
salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open ye the gates,
that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee,
because he trusteth in Thee.
4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever,
for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

5 For He bringeth down them that dwell on high;
the lofty city, He layeth it low;
He layeth it low, even to the ground;
He bringeth it even to the dust.
6 The foot shall tread it down,
even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy."

7 The way of the just is uprightness;
Thou, Most Upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
8 Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee;
the desire of our soul is to Thy name and to the remembrance of Thee.
9 With my soul have I desired Thee in the night;
yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early;
for when Thy judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10 Let favor be shown to the wicked,
yet will he not learn righteousness;
in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly,
and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
11 LORD, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will not see;
but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them.
12 LORD, Thou wilt ordain peace for us; 
for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 

13 O LORD our God, other lords besides Thee have had dominion over us;
but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name.
14 They are dead, they shall not live;
they are deceased, they shall not rise;
therefore hast Thou visited and destroyed them,
and made all their memory to perish.
15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD,
Thou hast increased the nation.
Thou art glorified;
Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

16 LORD, in trouble have they visited Thee, 
they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them. 
17 As a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs, 
so have we been in Thy sight, O LORD. 
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind; 
we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 
19 Thy dead men shall live; 
together with my dead body shall they arise. 
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; 
for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Psalm 102

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and let my cry come unto Thee.
2 Hide not Thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble;
incline Thine ear unto me. In the day when I call,
answer me speedily.
3 For my days are consumed like smoke,
and my bones are burned as a hearth.
4 My heart is smitten and withered like grass,
so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning
my bones cleave to my skin.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
7 I watch, and am as a sparrow
alone upon the housetop.
8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day,
and them that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread
and mingled my drink with weeping,
10 because of Thine indignation and Thy wrath;
for Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth,
and I am withered like grass.

12 But Thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever,
and Thy remembrance unto all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion;
for the time to favor her, yea, the set time has come.
14 For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones,
and favor the dust thereof.
15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD,
and all the kings of the earth Thy glory.
16 When the LORD shall build up Zion,
He shall appear in His glory.
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute,
and not despise their prayer.

18 This shall be written for the generation to come,
and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
19 For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
from heaven did the LORD behold the earth,
20 to hear the groaning of the prisoner,
to loose those that are appointed to death,
21 to declare the name of the LORD in Zion,
and His praise in Jerusalem,
22 when people are gathered together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23 He weakened my strength on the way;
He shortened my days.
24 I said, "O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days;
Thy years are throughout all generations.
25 Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.
26 They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure;
yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment;
and as a vesture shalt Thou change them,
and they shall be changed.
27 But Thou art the same,
and Thy years shall have no end.
28 The children of Thy servants shall continue,
and their seed shall be established before Thee."

Words of Worship - Matthew 11:28

"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 22:28

Remove not the ancient landmark 
which thy fathers have set.

Jesus Speaks Morals & Values - Matthew 6:24
         (see UniversalJesusSpeaks.info for more information)

"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.