Daily Lectionary Readings for February 28, 2025

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Daily Lectionary Readings for February 28, 2025 By Daily Lectionary Readings, Friday, February 28, 2025 12:00 AM Morning Psalm 88 1   O LORD, God of my salvation,      when, at night, I cry out in your presence, 2   let my prayer come before you;           incline your ear to my cry. 3   For my soul is full of troubles,           and my life draws near to Sheol. 4   I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;           I am like those who have no help, 5   like those forsaken among the dead,           like the slain that lie in the grave,      like those whom you remember no more,           for they are cut off from your hand. 6   You have put me in the depths of the Pit,           in the regions dark and deep. 7   Your wrath lies heavy upon me,           and you overwhelm me with all your waves.               Selah 8   You have caused my companions to shun me;           you have made me a thing of horror to them.      I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 9        my eye grows dim through sorrow.      Every day I call on you, O LORD;           I spread out my hands to you. 10  Do you work wonders for the dead?           Do the shades rise up to praise you?                                   Selah 11  Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,           or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12  Are your wonders known in the darkness,           or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness? 13  But I, O LORD, cry out to you;           in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14  O LORD, why do you cast me off?           Why do you hide your face from me? 15  Wretched and close to death from my youth up,           I suffer your terrors; I am desperate. 16  Your wrath has swept over me;           your dread assaults destroy me. 17  They surround me like a flood all day long;           from all sides they close in on me. 18  You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;           my companions are in darkness. Morning Psalm 148 1   Praise the Lord!      Praise the Lord from the heavens;           praise him in the heights! 2   Praise him, all his angels;           praise him, all his host! 3   Praise him, sun and moon;           praise him, all you shining stars! 4   Praise him, you highest heavens,           and you waters above the heavens! 5   Let them praise the name of the Lord,           for he commanded and they were created. 6   He established them forever and ever;           he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 7   Praise the Lord from the earth,           you sea monsters and all deeps, 8   fire and hail, snow and frost,           stormy wind fulfilling his command! 9   Mountains and all hills,           fruit trees and all cedars! 10  Wild animals and all cattle,           creeping things and flying birds! 11  Kings of the earth and all peoples,           princes and all rulers of the earth! 12  Young men and women alike,           old and young together! 13  Let them praise the name of the Lord,           for his name alone is exalted;           his glory is above earth and heaven. 14  He has raised up a horn for his people,           praise for all his faithful,           for the people of Israel who are close to him.      Praise the Lord! First Reading Ruth 3:1-18 1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” 5She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.” 6So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came quietly and uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! 9He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.” 10He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. 12But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I. 13Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.” 14So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city. 16She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.” Second Reading 2 Corinthians 4:1-12 1Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at work in us, but life in you. Gospel Reading Matthew 5:38-48 38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Evening Psalm 6 1   O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,           or discipline me in your wrath. 2   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;           O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror. 3   My soul also is struck with terror,           while you, O LORD — how long? 4   Turn, O LORD, save my life;           deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5   For in death there is no remembrance of you;           in Sheol who can give you praise? 6   I am weary with my moaning;           every night I flood my bed with tears;           I drench my couch with my weeping. 7   My eyes waste away because of grief;           they grow weak because of all my foes. 8   Depart from me, all you workers of evil,           for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9   The LORD has heard my supplication;           the LORD accepts my prayer. 10  All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;           they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame. Evening Psalm 20 1   The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!           The name of the God of Jacob protect you! 2   May he send you help from the sanctuary,           and give you support from Zion. 3   May he remember all your offerings,           and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.                    Selah 4   May he grant your heart’s desire           and fulfill all your plans. 5   May we shout for joy over your victory,           and in the name of our God set up our banners.      May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. 6   Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;           he will answer him from his holy heaven           with mighty victories by his right hand. 7   Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,           but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God. 8   They will collapse and fall,           but we shall rise and stand upright. 9   Give victory to the king, O LORD;           answer us when we call. Read more »

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Presbyterian Outlook's Page Turners - Creativity > productivity

On making time and Black History Month Dear Outlook Readers,   I’m not the first to note that Black history is honored during the shortest month of the year. With February drawing to a close, I still have more Black authors on my list to read.   Fortunately, we can read Black creators any time of year, and the Outlook continues to highlight new contributions. In just the past few months, I heard a colleague share Cole Arthur Riley’s Black Liturgies in staff devotions while I recommended Robert Turner’s work on reparations to our social justice committee. At home, I pulled out What Makes You Come Alive to engage my teenage son in Howard Thurman’s thoughts on finding your path and Sacred Self-Care as a refresher for myself. There’s much to savor and learn from Black Christians and thought leaders!   In last month’s Page Turners, we featured Andy Johnson and the March for Justice, a welcome addition to the growing list of books for children that celebrate lived Black experiences. This month, I’m lifting up Yolanda Pierce’s The Wounds Are the Witness, thoughtfully reviewed by Nannette Dixon. Pierce, the dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School, is well-known for In My Grandmother’s House, which shares the stories of the women who raised her and the God who saw them through both dark and joyful times. Her latest contribution is chock full of stories and insights. You’ll want to check it out.   Happy Reading,   Amy Pagliarella Book Review Editor BOOKS OF THE MONTH Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity Maria Bowler Baker Books, 224 pages Published January 21, 2025 First, authors told us how to manage our time. Then, other authors suggested that we eschew time management as another way capitalism seeks to profit both from our work and our wants. I’ve gleaned wisdom from both kinds of books — and I still notice my family's accumulating breakfast dishes and my overflowing e-mail box. The sheer volume of books written to guide us away from time pressures and toward purposeful lives makes clear that there is no silver bullet.   Maria Bowler speaks to this conundrum with compassion and insight; she invites readers to “evaluate your time and effort creatively, not productively. The “producing” approach to time management suggests that if we re-adjust and re-order the moving parts of our daily life, we will be able to accomplish more, leading to greater satisfaction. But satisfaction proves elusive, as there is always something more to do. Bowler believes “(w)hen there is loving attention to how the process of life unfolds, the human heart yearns to join in.” In Making Time, creative action is presented as an alternative to productivity-bound action.   This is a fresh take on the “doing vs. being” dichotomy. It can be life-giving to remember that it’s okay to simply “be” rather than to always “do,” yet within the bustle of work and family life, the insistence to set aside time to “be” can feel equally tyrannical. “To really rest, you need to give up the imperative to be good at resting,” Bowler writes. “You can’t will yourself into relaxation, you can only soften into it and give yourself more and more permission for it. Think of it as being restored, not restoring yourself.”   This approach allows Making Time to stand out in a crowded field. When we ask, “How am I being?” we become curious. Creative. Unashamed. Less pressured. Able to sit in silence. Experience boredom. Only then do we see ourselves as “makers,” eager to join in the “holy and practical play” of creating, collaborating, and connecting with others. In Bowler’s economy, creating begets creating —“ideas don’t run out. When you use one, three more appear.”   Making Time isn’t a self-help guide, and it certainly isn’t the (non-existent) silver bullet. It is, however, a life-giving companion for the new year, one that invites us to see ourselves as creatives, eager to trust the greatest creative process: life. QUOTE OF THE MONTH “And here is the holy lesson that I have learned: there is no progress unless the wounded among us – those broken in heart and bruised in spirit – have space to tell their stories and share their burdens. Justice is only possible if the ones cast outside of the camp, the city, or the church are lovingly brought back into a changed and transformed community. The discarded and forsaken must be given the lead if we are to move forward in building God’s beloved community. Justice is only possible when we reject the sinful impulse, as Malcolm X describes it, to hate the people who are being oppressed and align ourselves with the powerful, the ones who are doing the oppressing … After all, is it progress if we leave the most vulnerable behind?” The Wounds Are the Witness: Black Faith Weaving Memory Into Justice and Healing Yolanda Pierce Broadleaf Books, 196 pages February 4, 2025 Book Giveaway!    Congratulations to last month’s winner Mark Perry. Thanks to our friends at Convergent Children’s Books, they received a copy of Andy Johnson and the March for Justice. This month, one fortunate reader will receive a copy of The Wounds Are the Witness, written by Yolanda Pierce and generously donated by our friends at Broadleaf Books. If you're reading this note, then you're all set! Know someone else who should be reading Page Turners? Send them this link and they'll get entered for a chance to win, too. The contest closes on March 19. OTHER READS Children’s books to celebrate Black History For intentional caregivers who desire to instill values like diversity, courage, self-worth and compassion, books can open the door to important discussions and questions. Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems and Meditations for Staying Human For anyone feeling hollowed out by grief, Cole Arthur Riley offers a space of grace. — Emily McGinley Creating a Culture of Repair: Taking Action on the Road to Reparations “(T)hose who dismiss the idea of reparations will appreciate [Robert Turner's] heartfelt and forward-facing approach that does not point fingers ... He does, however, hold everyone accountable.” — Antonia R. Coleman Have You Got Good Religion? Black Women’s Faith, Courage and Moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement AnneMarie Mingo highlights Black churchwomen’s moral leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing their faith, courage, and theo-moral imagination.

Rooted in the wisdom of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler’s six stages of grief outlined in their seminal work, Presbyterian Outlook's daily Lenten devotional offers a pathway through the heartache of life’s goodbyes, guiding you toward the promise of resurrection.

The PC(USA) Store - Books & Resources for Faithful Families

Books & Resources for Faithful Families What about the Children? Five Values for Multiracial Families Nicole Doyley   $20.00 $13.00 Published in collaboration with Around the Table, an initiative of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), What about the Children? deftly provides families formed by interracial marriage or transracial adoption with the guidance and tools they need to help their children embrace, celebrate, and confidently navigate all parts of their heritage.   Read an Excerpt Browse More Books for Parents & Families Browse Downloadable Studies for Parents Apple and Magnolia Laura Gehl & Patricia Metola   $18.00 $11.70   With a lyrical story and vibrant art, Apple and Magnolia unveils the extraordinary connections between trees and the wondrous bonds between all living things. In addition to featuring an interracial family and focusing on generational relationships, the book includes an author’s note offering facts about how trees communicate with one another.   Read an Excerpt Browse More Picture Books about Family and Friendship Download the Discussion & Activity Guide for Apple and Magnolia

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Bible Readings for February 28, 2025

 

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Leviticus 22:17–23:44; Mark 9:30–10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; and Proverbs 10:19. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. 

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Leviticus 22:17-23:44 (Contemporary English Version)

Acceptable Sacrifices

 ¹⁷The LORD told Moses ¹⁸to tell Aaron and his sons and everyone else the rules for offering sacrifices. He said:    The animals that are to be completely burned on the altar ^19-20must have nothing wrong with them, or else I won't accept them. Bulls or rams or goats ^[a] are the animals to be used for these sacrifices. ²¹When you offer a sacrifice to ask my blessing, ^[b] there must be nothing wrong with the animal. This is true, whether the sacrifice is part of a promise or something you do voluntarily. ²²Don't offer an animal that is blind or injured or that has an infection or a skin disease. ²³If one of your cattle or lambs has a leg that is longer or shorter than the others, you may offer it voluntarily, but not as part of a promise. ²⁴As long as you live in this land, don't offer an animal with injured testicles. ²⁵And don't bring me animals you bought from a foreigner. I won't accept them, because they are no better than one that has something wrong with it. ²⁶The LORD told Moses to say:
    ²⁷Newborn cattle, sheep, or goats must remain with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day, you may send them up in smoke to me, and I will accept the offering. ²⁸Don't sacrifice a newborn animal and its mother on the same day.
    ²⁹When you offer a sacrifice to give thanks ^[c] to me, you must do it in a way that is acceptable. ³⁰Eat all of the meat that same day and don't save any for the next day. I am the LORD your God! ³¹Obey my laws and teachings--I am the LORD. ^32-33I demand respect from the people of Israel, so don't disgrace my holy name. Remember--I am the one who chose you to be priests and rescued all of you from Egypt, so that I would be your LORD.
    

Leviticus 23

Religious Festivals

 ¹The LORD told Moses ²to say to the community of Israel:    I have chosen certain times for you to come together and worship me.
    ³You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to me. No matter where you live, you must rest on the Sabbath and come together for worship. This law will never change.
   The LORD said: 
    

Passover and the Festival of Thin Bread

(Numbers 28.16-25)

 ^4-5Passover is another time when you must come together to worship me, and it must be celebrated on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month ^[d] of each year. ⁶The Festival of Thin Bread begins on the fifteenth day of that same month; it lasts seven days, and during this time you must honor me by eating bread made without yeast. ⁷On the first day of this festival you must rest from your work and come together for worship. ⁸Each day of this festival you must offer sacrifices. Then on the final day you must once again rest from your work and come together for worship.     

Offering the First Part of the Harvest

 ⁹The LORD told Moses ¹⁰to say to the community of Israel:    After you enter the land I am giving you, the first bundle of wheat from each crop must be given to me. So bring it to a priest ¹¹on the day after the Sabbath. He will lift it up ^[e] in dedication to me, and I will accept you. ¹²You must also offer a sacrifice to please me. ^[f] So bring the priest a one-year-old lamb that has nothing wrong with it ¹³and four pounds of your finest flour mixed with olive oil. Then he will place these on the bronze altar and send them up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. Together with these, you must bring a quart of wine as a drink offering. ¹⁴I am your God, and I forbid you to eat any new grain or anything made from it until you have brought these offerings. This law will never change. The LORD said: 
    

The Harvest Festival

(Numbers 28.26-31)

 ¹⁵Seven weeks after you offer this bundle of grain, each family must bring another offering of new grain. ¹⁶Do this exactly fifty days later, which is the day following the seventh Sabbath. ¹⁷Bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up ^[g] in dedication to me. Each loaf is to be made with yeast and with four pounds of the finest flour from the first part of your harvest. ¹⁸At this same time, the entire community of Israel must bring seven lambs that are a year old, a young bull, and two rams. These animals must have nothing wrong with them, and they must be offered as a sacrifice to please me. ^[h] You must also offer the proper grain and wine sacrifices with each animal. ^[i] ¹⁹Offer a goat ^[j] as a sacrifice for sin, and two rams a year old as a sacrifice to ask my blessing. ^[k] ²⁰The priest will lift up ^[l] the rams together with the bread in dedication to me. These offerings are holy and are my gift to the priest. ²¹This is a day of celebration and worship, a time of rest from your work. You and your descendants must obey this law. ²²When you harvest your grain, always leave some of it standing around the edges of your fields and don't pick up what falls on the ground. Leave it for the poor and for those foreigners who live among you. I am the LORD your God!     

The Festival of Trumpets

(Numbers 29.1-6)

 ²³The LORD told Moses ^24-25to say to the people of Israel:    The first day of the seventh month ^[m] must be a day of complete rest. Then at the sound of the trumpets, you will come together to worship and to offer sacrifices on the altar. 

The Great Day of Forgiveness

(Numbers 29.7-11)

 ²⁶The LORD God said to Moses:     ²⁷The tenth day of the seventh month ^[n] is the Great Day of Forgiveness. ^[o] It is a solemn day of worship; everyone must go without eating to show sorrow for their sins, and sacrifices must be burned. ²⁸No one is to work on that day--it is the Great Day of Forgiveness, when sacrifices will be offered to me, so that I will forgive your sins. ²⁹I will destroy anyone who refuses to go without eating. ^30-31None of my people are ever to do any work on that day--not now or in the future. And I will wipe out those who do! ³²This is a time of complete rest just like the Sabbath, and everyone must go without eating from the evening of the ninth to the evening of the tenth. 

The Festival of Shelters

(Numbers 29.12-40)

 ³³The LORD told Moses ³⁴to say to the community of Israel:    Beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, ^[p]and continuing for seven days, everyone must celebrate the Festival of Shelters in honor of me. ³⁵No one is to do any work on the first day of the festival--it is a time when everyone must come together for worship. ³⁶For seven days, sacrifices must be offered on the altar. The eighth day is also to be a day of complete rest, as well as a time of offering sacrifices on the altar and of coming together for worship. ³⁷I have chosen these festivals as times when my people must come together for worship and when animals, grain, and wine are to be offered on the proper days. ³⁸These festivals must be celebrated in addition to the Sabbaths and the times when you offer special gifts or sacrifices to keep a promise or as a voluntary offering.
    ³⁹Remember to begin the Festival of Shelters on the fifteenth day of the seventh month after you have harvested your crops. Celebrate this festival for seven days in honor of me and don't do any work on the first day or on the day following the festival. ⁴⁰Pick the best fruit from your trees ^[q] and cut leafy branches to use during the time of this joyous celebration in my honor. ⁴¹I command you and all of your descendants to celebrate this festival during the seventh month of each year. ⁴²For seven days every Israelite must live in a shelter, ⁴³so future generations will know that I made their ancestors live in shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. ⁴⁴This is how Moses instructed the people of Israel to celebrate the LORD's festivals.
    

Footnotes:

1. Leviticus 22:19 goats: See the note at 1.1-3.
2. Leviticus 22:21 sacrifice to ask my blessing: See the note at 3.1.
3. Leviticus 22:29 sacrifice to give thanks: See 7.12.
4. Leviticus 23:4 first month: Abib (also called Nisan), the first month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-March to mid-April.
5. Leviticus 23:11 lift it up: See the note at 7.29,30.
6. Leviticus 23:12 sacrifice to please me: See the note at 1.1-3.
7. Leviticus 23:17 lifted up: See the note at 7.29,30.
8. Leviticus 23:18 sacrifice to please me: See the note at 1.1-3.
9. Leviticus 23:18 proper grain. . . animal: See Numbers 15.1-16.
10. Leviticus 23:19 goat: See the note at 1.1-3.
11. Leviticus 23:19 sacrifice to ask my blessing: See the note at 3.1.
12. Leviticus 23:20 lift up: See the note at 7.29,30.
13. Leviticus 23:24 seventh month: See the note at 16.29.
14. Leviticus 23:27 seventh month: See the note at 16.29.
15. Leviticus 23:27 Great Day of Forgiveness: See the note at 16.34.
16. Leviticus 23:34 seventh month: See the note at 16.29.
17. Leviticus 23:40 best fruit from your trees: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Mark 9:30-10:12 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Again Speaks about His Death

(Matthew 17.22,23; Luke 9.43b-45)

 ³⁰Jesus left with his disciples and started through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know about it, ³¹because he was teaching the disciples that the Son of Man would be handed over to people who would kill him. But three days later he would rise to life. ³²The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask.     

Who Is the Greatest?

(Matthew 18.1-5; Luke 9.46-48)

 ³³Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, "What were you arguing about along the way?" ³⁴They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.     ³⁵After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, "If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!"
    ³⁶Then Jesus had a child stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, ³⁷"When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me."     

For or against Jesus

(Luke 9.49,50)

 ³⁸John said, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn't one of us, and we told him to stop."     ³⁹Jesus said to his disciples:
   Don't stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. ⁴⁰Anyone who isn't against us is for us. ⁴¹And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded. 

Temptations To Sin

(Matthew 18.6-9; Luke 17.1,2)

 ⁴²It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks. ^43-44So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! You would be better off to go into life crippled than to have two hands and be thrown into the fires of hell that never go out. ^[a] ^45-46If your foot causes you to sin, chop it off. You would be better off to go into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^[b] ⁴⁷If your eye causes you to sin, get rid of it. You would be better off to go into God's kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁸The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning.     ⁴⁹Everyone must be salted with fire. ^[c]
    ⁵⁰Salt is good. But if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made salty again? Have salt among you and live at peace with each other. ^[d]
    

Mark 10

Teaching about Divorce

(Matthew 19.1-12; Luke 16.18)

 ¹After Jesus left, he went to Judea and then on to the other side of the Jordan River. Once again large crowds came to him, and as usual, he taught them.     ²Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife. ³Jesus asked them, "What does the Law of Moses say about that?"
    ⁴They answered, "Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away."
    ⁵Jesus replied, "Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. ⁶But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. ⁷That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. ⁸He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. ⁹And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together."
    ¹⁰When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. ¹¹He told them, "A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife. ¹²A woman who divorces her husband ^[e]and marries again is also unfaithful."
    

Footnotes:

1. Mark 9:43 never go out: Some manuscripts add, "The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning."
2. Mark 9:45 thrown into hell: Some manuscripts add, "The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning."
3. Mark 9:49 salted with fire: Some manuscripts add "and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt." The verse may mean that Christ's followers must suffer because of their faith.
4. Mark 9:50 Have salt among you and live at peace with each other: This may mean that when Christ's followers have to suffer because of their faith, they must still try to live at peace with each other.
5. Mark 10:12 A woman who divorces her husband: Roman law let a woman divorce her husband, but Jewish law did not let a woman do this.

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Psalm 44:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 44

(A special psalm for the people of Korah and for the music leader.)

A Prayer for Help

 ¹Our God, our ancestors told us    what wonders you worked
   and we listened carefully.
    ²You chased off the nations
   by causing them trouble
   with your powerful arm.
   Then you let our ancestors
   take over their land.
    ³Their strength and weapons
   were not
   what won the land
   and gave them victory!
   You loved them and fought
   with your powerful arm
   and your shining glory.
    ⁴You are my God and King,
   and you give victory ^[a] to the people of Jacob.
    ⁵By your great power,
   we knocked our enemies down
   and stomped on them.
    ⁶I don't depend on my arrows
   or my sword to save me.
    ⁷But you saved us
   from our hateful enemies,
   and you put them to shame.
    ⁸We boast about you, our God,
   and we are always grateful.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 44:4 and. . . victory: One ancient translation; Hebrew " please give victory."

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Proverbs 10:19 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁹You will say the wrong thing
   if you talk too much--
   so be sensible and watch
   what you say.

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Thought for the Day

“God's Spirit doesn't make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 - Contemporary English Version) God's Spirit doesn't make us passive; it makes us bold. And it doesn't make us cowards; it makes us brave. And it doesn't make us weak; it makes us strong. And so, in the face of injustice and immorality, let's claim God's Spirit.

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Quote for the Day

American men's college basketball head coach, Dean Smith wrote, "If you make every game a life and death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot."

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Joke for Today

There were two old guys, Abe and Sol, sitting on a bench in a park feeding pigeons and talking about baseball, just like they did every day. Abe turns to Sol and says, "Do you think there's baseball in heaven?"

Soloman thinks about it for a minute and replies, "I dunno, Abe. But let's make a deal: If I die first, I will come back and tell you, and if you die first, you come back and tell me, if there is basebal l in heaven."

They shake on it and, sadly, a few months later poor Abe passes on. One day soon afterward, Sol is sitting there feeding the pigeons by himself when he hears a voice whisper, "Sol... Sol...."

Sol responds, "Abe! Is that you?"

"Yes it is Sol," whispers the spirit of Abe.

Sol, still amazed, asks, "So, is there baseball in heaven?"

"Well," says Abe says, "I got good news and I got bad news."

"Gimme the good news first," says Sol.

Abe says, "Well... there is baseball in heaven."

Sol says, "That's great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that!?"

Abe sighs and whispers, "You're pitching on Friday."  

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A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That people are sensitive to the vulnerability of their neighbors.