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

July 19, 2008

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

The Lectionary According to the Christian Seasons

Micah 2:1-5

1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, 
and work evil upon their beds! 
When the morning is light they practice it, 
because it is in the power of their hand. 
2 They covet fields and take them by violence, 
and houses, and take them away. 
So they oppress a man and his house, 
even a man and his heritage. 
3 Therefore thus saith the LORD: "Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, 
neither shall ye go haughtily; for this time is evil. 
4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, 
and lament with a doleful lamentation and say, 
`We are utterly despoiled; 
He hath changed the portion of my people. 
How hath He removed it from me! 
Turning away, He hath divided our fields.'" 
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot 
in the congregation of the LORD.

Psalm 10

1 Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD?
Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor;
let them be caught in the devices that they have contrived.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire,
and blesseth the covetous whom the LORD abhorreth.
4 The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God;
God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; Thy judgments are far above, out of his sight;
as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, "I shall not be moved,
for I shall never be in adversity."
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud;
under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages; in secret places doth he murder the innocent;
his eyes are privily set against the poor.
9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; he lieth in wait to catch the poor;
he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth and humbleth himself,
that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11 He hath said in his heart, "God hath forgotten;
He hideth His face, He will never see it."

12 Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Thine hand!
Forget not the humble.
13 Why doth the wicked contemn God?
He hath said in his heart, "Thou wilt not keep account."
14 But Thou hast seen it,
for Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with Thy hand.
The poor committeth himself unto Thee;
Thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break Thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
seek out his wickedness until Thou find none.

16 The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the heathen have perished out of His land.
17 LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble;
Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear,
18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed,
that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Words of Worship - 2 Corinthians 5:19

to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.

Matthew 12:9-21

9 And when He had departed thence, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?" -- that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said unto them,

"What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will not lay hold on it and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days."

13 Then He said to the man,

"Stretch forth thine hand."

And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole like the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Jesus knew of it, He withdrew Himself from thence.

And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 And He charged them that they should not make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18 "Behold My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased:
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive nor cry,
neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall He not break,
and smoking flax shall He not quench
till He send forth judgment unto victory;
21 and in His name shall the Gentiles trust."

Words of Wisdom - Wisdom of Solomon 5:18-20

He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate 
and true judgment instead of a helmet. 
He shall take holiness for an invincible shield; 
His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise.

Jesus Speaks Morals & Values - Matthew 6:27-30a
         (see UniversalJesusSpeaks.info for more information)

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Therefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you,