The Lutheran Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Saturday, 1 August 2015 "God Pause Daily Devotionl" "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" ELW 733 by Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960)

The Lutheran Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Saturday, 1 August 2015 "God Pause Daily Devotionl" "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" ELW 733 by Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960)
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" ELW 733 by Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960)
The text for today's hymn cannot be published due to copyright limitations. We apologize for the inconvenience.

1. “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:

  “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

    “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain:

  “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

    “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain:

  “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

    “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

The neighbor boys sang a song for their mother
Sang a song of faithfulness in her life
A song of God at work.
Sang a song that worms its way into my ear
Over and over, day after day
Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
But the Israelites didn't see
didn't know this God, their redeemer.
The god they knew reversed his word,
Set them free only to pursue them to the Reed Sea.
Who was this God of Aaron and Moses?
This God who supplied their every need?
Thank you, God, for your compassion, which does not fail. Thank you, God, for your mercies new every morning. Thank you, God, for your great faithfulness unto me. Amen.
Sanna Reinholtzen
Associate Pastor for Prayer and Healing
University Lutheran Chapel
Berkeley, Calif.
Master of Divinity , 1995
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The Daily Gospel for Saturday, 1 August 2015

The Daily Gospel for Saturday, 1 August 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:

St. Alphonsus Liguori, (1696-1787)

SAINT ALPHONSUS MARY DE LIGUORI
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(1696-1787)

St. Alphonus was born of noble parents, near Naples, in 1696. His spiritual training was intrusted to the Fathers of the Oratory in that city, and from his boyhood Alphonsus was known as a most devout Brother of the Little Oratory. At the early age of sixteen he was made doctor in law, and he threw himself into this career with ardor and success.

A mistake, by which he lost an important cause, showed him the vanity of human fame, and determined him to labor only for the glory of God. He entered the priesthood, devoting himself to the most neglected souls; and to carry on this work he founded later the missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

At the age of sixty-six he became Bishop of St. Agatha, and undertook the reform of his diocese with the zeal of a Saint. He made a vow never to lose time, and, though his life was spent in prayer and work, he composed a vast number of books, filled with such science, unction, and wisdom that he has been declared one of the Doctors of the Church.

St. Alphonsus wrote his first book at the age of forty-nine, and in his eighty-third year had published about sixty volumes, when his director forbade him to write more. Very many of these books were written in the half-hours snatched from his labors as missionary, religious superior, and Bishop, or in the midst of continual bodily and mental sufferings. With his left hand he would hold a piece of marble against his aching head while his right hand wrote.

Yet he counted no time wasted which was spent in charity. He did not refuse to hold a long correspondence with a simple soldier who asked his advice, or to play the harpsichord while he taught his novices to sing spiritual canticles. He lived in evil times, and met with many persecutions and disappointments.

For his last seven years he was prevented by constant sickness from offering the Adorable Sacrifice; but he received Holy Communion daily, and his love for Jesus Christ and his trust in Mary's prayers sustained him to the end.

He died in 1787, in his ninety-first year.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Leviticus 25:1 Adonai spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai; he said,
8 “‘You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns.
(LY: ii) 14 “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God.
Psalm 67:2 (1) God, be gracious to us, and bless us.
May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)
3 (2) so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
5 (4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,
for you will judge the peoples fairly
and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
7 (6) The earth has yielded its harvest;
may God, our God, bless us.
8 (7) May God continue to bless us,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
The Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah according to Saint Matthew 14:1 Around that time, Herod, the regional governor, heard of the fame of Yeshua 2 and said to his attendants, “This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 For Herod had arrested Yochanan, put him in chains and thrown him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; 4 since Yochanan had told Herod, “It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife.” 5 Herod had wanted to put Yochanan to death; but he was afraid of the people, in whose eyes Yochanan was a prophet. 6 However, at Herod’s birthday celebration, Herodias’ daughter danced before the company and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 9 The king became deeply upset; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he ordered that her wish be granted, 10 and sent and had Yochanan beheaded in prison. 11 The head was brought on a platter to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 12 Yochanan’s talmidim came, took the body and buried it; then they went and told Yeshua.
Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Diadochus of Photike (c.400-?), Bishop
Spiritual perfection, 12 
“Whoever hate his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (Jn 12,25) Whoever loves his own life (Jn 12,25) cannot be loving God, but whoever does not cling to himself as a result of divine love's overflowing gifts is the one who loves God. Such a one never seeks their own glory but God's, for whoever loves his own life is seeking his own glory. Whoever binds himself to God loves the glory of his Creator. And indeed, it is the characteristic of souls sensitive to God's love that they continually seek God's glory in carrying out the commandments and take pleasure in their own lowliness. For glory belongs to God because of his greatness, and lowliness belongs to man because it makes of him God's friend. If this is the way we behave then we will rejoice after Saint John the Baptist's example and will start saying over and over again: “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn 3,30). 

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The Daily Readings for Saturday, 1 August 2015

The Daily Readings for Saturday, 1 August 2015
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
Leviticus 25:1 Adonai spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai; he said,
8 “‘You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns.
(LY: ii) 14 “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God.
Psalm 67:2 (1) God, be gracious to us, and bless us.
May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)
3 (2) so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
5 (4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,
for you will judge the peoples fairly
and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
7 (6) The earth has yielded its harvest;
may God, our God, bless us.
8 (7) May God continue to bless us,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Matthew 14:1 Around that time, Herod, the regional governor, heard of the fame of Yeshua 2 and said to his attendants, “This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 For Herod had arrested Yochanan, put him in chains and thrown him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; 4 since Yochanan had told Herod, “It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife.” 5 Herod had wanted to put Yochanan to death; but he was afraid of the people, in whose eyes Yochanan was a prophet. 6 However, at Herod’s birthday celebration, Herodias’ daughter danced before the company and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 9 The king became deeply upset; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he ordered that her wish be granted, 10 and sent and had Yochanan beheaded in prison. 11 The head was brought on a platter to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 12 Yochanan’s talmidim came, took the body and buried it; then they went and told Yeshua.

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The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, 1 August 2015

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, 1 August 2015

Meditation: Leviticus 25:1 Adonai spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai; he said,

8 “‘You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns.

(LY: ii) 14 “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
It shall be a jubilee for you. (Leviticus 25:10)
We’re not sure whether it was ever actually practiced in ancient Israel, but there’s something very appealing about the idea of a “jubilee” every fifty years—when everyone returns to his ancestral land, when debts are forgiven, and when slaves are freed.
We all long to return to our “roots,” to what has made us who we are. But can we really go back? Sometimes family reunions are fun occasions when people gather on the land their ancestors cultivated, celebrate their shared heritage, recall their most treasured memories, and affirm each other as valued members of the family. Even the eccentric uncle has a place in such a gathering, bringing a perspective or a sense of humor that would be missed if he were absent.
However, such gatherings can easily degenerate. Old patterns of competition resurface, people feel they no longer belong, or the place we recall so fondly turns out to be smaller and less lovely than we remember. And we have changed, for better or worse.
But our place in the family of God will never disappoint us! In Christ, God has given us his own life, along with all the treasures we could ever enjoy. He has given us brothers and sisters born in the same font, nourished by the same sacraments, and shaped by the same word. And we are all enriched as we share our unique experiences, insights, and gifts.
Because of the cross, we now live in a constant state of jubilee. Our debts have been forgiven. Our slavery to sin and death has been removed. We remain treasured members of God’s family, and we all stand on hallowed ground. Our Father will always welcome us with open arms!
So rejoice in your heritage today. Know that you have a secure place in the household of God!
“Father, thank you for making me part of your family. I treasure what I share with all your other children, and I delight in your unique call to me and to all my brothers and sisters.” Amen!

Psalm 67:2 (1) God, be gracious to us, and bless us.

May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)

3 (2) so that your way may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations.

5 (4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,

for you will judge the peoples fairly

and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

7 (6) The earth has yielded its harvest;

may God, our God, bless us.

8 (7) May God continue to bless us,

so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Matthew 14:1 Around that time, Herod, the regional governor, heard of the fame of Yeshua 2 and said to his attendants, “This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

3 For Herod had arrested Yochanan, put him in chains and thrown him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; 4 since Yochanan had told Herod, “It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife.” 5 Herod had wanted to put Yochanan to death; but he was afraid of the people, in whose eyes Yochanan was a prophet. 6 However, at Herod’s birthday celebration, Herodias’ daughter danced before the company and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 9 The king became deeply upset; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he ordered that her wish be granted, 10 and sent and had Yochanan beheaded in prison. 11 The head was brought on a platter to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 12 Yochanan’s talmidim came, took the body and buried it; then they went and told Yeshua.

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My Utmost for His Highest Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom "Learning About His Ways" for Saturday, 1 August 2015

My Utmost for His Highest Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom "Learning About His Ways" for Saturday, 1 August 2015
When Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples…He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.[Matthew 11:1]
He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.
He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master…let us make three tabernacles…” (Luke 9:33).
Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.
He works where He sends us to wait. “…tarry…until…” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.
These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.
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Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
We can understand the attributes of God in other ways, but we can only understand the Father’s heart in the Cross of Christ.[ The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 558 L]
____________________________Matthew 11:1 After Yeshua had finished instructing the twelve talmidim, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns nearby.
Bible in One Year:

Psalms 57:(0) For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David, a mikhtam, when he fled from Sha’ul into the cave:

2 (1) Show me favor, God, show me favor;

for in you I have taken refuge.

Yes, I will find refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the storms have passed.

3 (2) I call to God, the Most High,

to God, who is accomplishing his purpose for me.

4 (3) He will send from heaven and save me

when those who would trample me down mock me. (Selah)

God will send his grace and his truth.

5 (4) I am surrounded by lions,

I am lying down among people breathing fire,

men whose teeth are spears and arrows

and their tongues sharp-edged swords.

6 (5) Be exalted, God, above heaven!

May your glory be over all the earth!

7 (6) They prepared a snare for my feet,

but I am bending over [to avoid it].

They dug a pit ahead of me,

but they fell into it themselves. (Selah)

8 (7) My heart is steadfast, God, steadfast.

I will sing and make music.

9 (8) Awake, my glory! Awake, lyre and lute!

I will awaken the dawn.

10 (9) I will thank you, Adonai, among the peoples;

I will make music to you among the nations.

11 (10) For your grace is great, all the way to heaven,

and your truth, all the way to the skies.

12 (11) Be exalted, God, above heaven!

May your glory be over all the earth!

58:(0) For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David, a mikhtam:

2 (1) [Rulers,] does your silence really speak justice?

Are you judging people fairly?

3 (2) [No!] In your hearts you devise wrongs,

your hands dispense violence in the land.

4 (3) From the womb, the wicked are estranged,

liars on the wrong path since birth.

5 (4) Their venom is like snake’s venom;

they are like a serpent that stops its ears,

6 (5) so as not to hear the voice of the charmer,

no matter how well he plays.

7 (6) God, break their teeth in their mouth!

Shatter the fangs of these lions, Adonai!

8 (7) May they vanish like water that drains away.

May their arrows be blunted when they aim their bows.

9 (8) May they be like a slug that melts as it moves,

like a stillborn baby that never sees the sun.

10 (9) Before your cook-pots feel the heat of the burning thorns,

may he blow them away, green and blazing alike.

11 (10) The righteous will rejoice to see vengeance done,

they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked;

12 (11) and people will say, “Yes, the righteous are rewarded;

there is, after all, a God who judges the earth.”

59:(0) For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David; a mikhtam, when Sha’ul sent men to keep watch on David’s house in order to kill him:

2 (1) My God, rescue me from my enemies!

Lift me up, out of reach of my foes!

3 (2) Rescue me from evildoers,

save me from bloodthirsty men.

4 (3) For there they are, lying in wait to kill me.

Openly they gather themselves against me,

and not because I committed a crime

or sinned, Adonai.

5 (4) For no fault of mine, they run and prepare.

Awaken to help me, and see!

6 (5) You, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot,

God of Isra’el,

arouse yourself to punish all the nations;

spare none of those wicked traitors. (Selah)

7 (6) They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs

as they go around the city.

8 (7) Look what pours out of their mouth,

what swords are on their lips,

[as they say to themselves,]

“No one is listening, anyway.”

9 (8) But you, Adonai, laugh at them,

you mock all the nations.

10 (9) My Strength, I will watch for you,

for God is my fortress.

11 (10) God, who gives me grace, will come to me;

God will let me gaze in triumph at my foes.

12 (11) Don’t kill them, or my people will forget;

instead, by your power, make them wander to and fro;

but bring them down, Adonai our Shield,

13 (12) for the sins their mouths make with each word from their lips.

Let them be trapped by their pride

for the curses and falsehoods they utter.

14 (13) Finish them off in wrath,

finish them off, put an end to them,

and let them know to the ends of the earth

that God is Ruler in Ya‘akov. (Selah)

15 (14) They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs

as they go around the city.

16 (15) They roam about, looking for food,

prowling all night if they don’t get their fill.

17 (16) But as for me, I will sing of your strength;

in the morning I will sing aloud of your grace.

For you are my fortress,

a refuge when I am in trouble.

18 (17) My Strength, I will sing praises to you,

for God is my fortress, God, who gives me grace.

Romans 4:1 Then what should we say Avraham, our forefather, obtained by his own efforts? 2 For if Avraham came to be considered righteous by God because of legalistic observances, then he has something to boast about. But this is not how it is before God! 3 For what does the Tanakh say? “Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.”[Romans 4:3 Genesis 15:6] 4 Now the account of someone who is working is credited not on the ground of grace but on the ground of what is owed him. 5 However, in the case of one who is not working but rather is trusting in him who makes ungodly people righteous, his trust is credited to him as righteousness.

6 In the same way, the blessing which David pronounces is on those whom God credits with righteousness apart from legalistic observances:

7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered over;

8 Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai

will not reckon against his account.”[Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1–2]

9 Now is this blessing for the circumcised only? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say that Avraham’s trust was credited to his account as righteousness; 10 but what state was he in when it was so credited — circumcision or uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! 11 In fact, he received circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness he had been credited with on the ground of the trust he had while he was still uncircumcised. This happened so that he could be the father of every uncircumcised person who trusts and thus has righteousness credited to him, 12 and at the same time be the father of every circumcised person who not only has had a b’rit-milah, but also follows in the footsteps of the trust which Avraham avinu had when he was still uncircumcised.

13 For the promise to Avraham and his seed[Romans 4:13 Genesis 15:3, 5] that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.

16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”[Romans 4:17 Genesis 17:5] Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. 18 For he was past hope, yet in hope he trusted that he would indeed become a father to many nations, in keeping with what he had been told, “So many will your seed be.”[Romans 4:18 Genesis 15:5] 19 His trust did not waver when he considered his own body — which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old — or when he considered that Sarah’s womb was dead too. 20 He did not by lack of trust decide against God’s promises. On the contrary, by trust he was given power as he gave glory to God, 21 for he was fully convinced that what God had promised he could also accomplish. 22 This is why it was credited to his account as righteousness.[Romans 4:22 Genesis 15:6]

23 But the words, “it was credited to his account . . . ,” were not written for him only. 24 They were written also for us, who will certainly have our account credited too, because we have trusted in him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead — 25 Yeshua, who was delivered over to death because of our offences and raised to life in order to make us righteous.

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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "Trash Talk" for Saturday, 1 August 2015

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "Trash Talk" for Saturday, 1 August 2015 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.[Ephesians 4:29-30]
Some years ago, a famous New York Fifth Avenue jewelry store had a promotional presentation.
With great pomp and considerable advertising, they unveiled the display of a flawless 70-carat diamond. For this trivial bauble, the company had paid a record $1,050,000. For days the curious waited in line so they could get a short glimpse of the diamond.
* A short, bald man peered condescendingly at the gigantic jewel protected in the theft-proof glass case. He leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I can see a flaw in that diamond, but let's keep it a secret between us. I wouldn't want to say anything to the company."
* A chic and stylish lady concluded, "You know, it really isn't that beautiful."
* "It's too large," said one woman in rhinestone-studded glasses.
* "I think it's vulgar," commented a third.
At the end of two weeks, the guard who was protecting the jewel said, "These last two weeks I've heard a lot of trash talk. I'm amazed these folks spent their time waiting to see something so pitiful."
Trash talk happens when a person sees something good and then finds flaws to put it down.
Well, trash talk is what the Pharisees did to Jesus the day He rode into Jerusalem. The Pharisees trash talked Jesus when He associated with sinners (Matthew 9:11). They trash talked Jesus for not obeying man-made laws (Matthew 9:14). They trash talked Jesus and His disciples for the way they remembered the Sabbath (Matthew 12:2). They trash talked the Lord and His followers for the way they kept traditions and washed their hands (Matthew 15:2). They trash talked Jesus for the stories He told (Matthew 21:45-46). They even trash talked their own employees when they were touched by the words of the Savior.
It's not so much different today.
Today we have people who put down Christ and His people for a multitude of reasons. They think we're phony and foolish. They thinkwe're narrow-minded and near-sighted. They think we are backward, prejudiced and judgmental.
How sad.
It's sad they feel that way about us and the Savior whom we represent. It's even sadder if their feelings have some basis in truth.
Perhaps that's why St. Paul told the Ephesian church they were to let no corrupting talk come out of their mouths. Instead, Christians should be identified by using their conversations to build people up and support them.
That is, after all, what the Holy Spirit wants. It is what glorifies the Christ who gave His life so that we might have life.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive my loose tongue and grant that I may say those things which are beneficial to others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:

א (Alef)
Psalms 119:1 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,

who live by the Torah of Adonai!

2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,

who seek him wholeheartedly!

3 They do nothing wrong

but live by his ways.

4 You laid down your precepts

for us to observe with care.

5 May my ways be steady

in observing your laws.

6 Then I will not be put to shame,

since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.

7 I thank you with a sincere heart

as I learn your righteous rulings.

8 I will observe your laws;

don’t completely abandon me!

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart;

don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.

11 I treasure your word in my heart,

so that I won’t sin against you.

12 Blessed are you, Adonai!

Teach me your laws.

13 I proclaim with my mouth

all the rulings you have spoken.

14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction

more than in any kind of wealth.

15 I will meditate on your precepts

and keep my eyes on your ways.

16 I will find my delight in your regulations.

I will not forget your word.

ג (Gimel)

17 Deal generously with your servant;

then I will live and observe your word.

18 Open my eyes, so that I will see

wonders from your Torah.

19 Though I’m just a wanderer on the earth,

don’t hide your mitzvot from me.

20 I am continually consumed

with longing for your rulings.

21 You rebuke the proud, the cursed,

who stray from your mitzvot.

22 Remove scorn and contempt from me,

because I observe your instruction.

23 Even when princes sit and plot against me,

your servant meditates on your laws.

24 Also your instructions are my delight;

they are my counselors.

ד (Dalet)

25 I lie prostrate in the dust;

revive me, in keeping with your word.

26 I told you of my ways, and you answered me;

teach me your laws.

27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wonders.

28 I am melting away from anxiety and grief;

renew my strength, in keeping with your word.

29 Keep deceitful ways far from me,

and favor me with your Torah.

30 I choose the way of trust;

I set your rulings [before me].

31 I cling to your instruction;

Adonai, don’t let me be put to shame!

32 I will run the way of your mitzvot,

for you have broadened my understanding.

ה (Heh)

33 Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;

keeping them will be its own reward for me.

34 Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;

I will observe it with all my heart.

35 Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,

for I take pleasure in it.

36 Bend my heart toward your instructions

and not toward selfish gain.

37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;

with your ways, give me life.

38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant,

which you made to those who fear you.

39 Avert the disgrace which I dread,

for your rulings are good.

40 See how I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness, give me life!

ו (Vav)

41 May your grace come to me, Adonai,

your salvation, as you promised;

42 then I will have an answer for those who taunt me;

for I trust in your word.

43 Don’t take away completely my power to speak the truth;

for I put my hope in your rulings;

44 and I will keep your Torah always,

forever and ever.

45 I will go wherever I like,

for I have sought your precepts.

46 I will speak of your instructions even to kings

without being ashamed.

47 I will delight myself in your mitzvot,

which I have loved.

48 I will lift my hands to your mitzvot, which I love;

and I will meditate on your laws.

ז (Zayin)

49 Remember your promise to your servant,

through which you have given me hope.

50 In my distress my comfort is this:

that your promise gives me life.

51 Though the arrogant scorn me completely,

I have not turned away from your Torah.

52 Adonai, I keep in mind your age-old rulings;

in them I take comfort.

53 Fury seizes me when I think of the wicked,

because they abandon your Torah.

54 Your laws have become my songs

wherever I make my home.

55 I remember your name, Adonai, at night;

and I observe your Torah.

56 This [comfort] has come to me,

because I observe your precepts.

ח (Het)

57 Adonai, I say that my task

is to observe your words.

58 I beg your favor with my whole heart;

show pity to me, in keeping with your promise.

59 I thought about my ways

and turned my feet toward your instruction.

60 I hurry, I don’t delay,

to observe your mitzvot.

61 Even when the cords of the wicked close around me,

I don’t forget your Torah.

62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks

because of your righteous rulings.

63 I am a friend of all who fear you,

of those who observe your precepts.

64 The earth, Adonai, is full of your grace;

teach me your laws.

ט (Tet)

65 You have treated your servant well,

Adonai, in keeping with your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,

because I trust in your mitzvot.

67 Before I was humbled, I used to go astray;

but now I observe your word.

68 You are good, and you do good;

teach me your laws.

69 The arrogant are slandering me,

but I will wholeheartedly keep your precepts.

70 Their hearts are as thick as fat,

but I take delight in your Torah.

71 It is for my good that I have been humbled;

it was so that I would learn your laws.

72 The Torah you have spoken means more to me

than a fortune in gold and silver.

י (Yud)

73 Your hands made and formed me;

give me understanding, so I can learn your mitzvot.

74 Those who fear you rejoice at the sight of me,

because I put my hope in your word.

75 I know, Adonai, that your rulings are righteous,

that even when you humble me you are faithful.

76 Let your grace comfort me,

in keeping with your promise to your servant.

77 Show me pity, and I will live,

for your Torah is my delight.

78 Let the proud be ashamed, because they wrong me with lies;

as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

79 Let those who fear you turn to me,

along with those who know your instruction.

80 Let my heart be pure in your laws,

so that I won’t be put to shame.

כ (Kaf)

81 I am dying to know your salvation;

my hope is in your word.

82 My eyes fail from watching for your promise;

I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

83 For I have shriveled like a wineskin in a smoky room;

still, I don’t forget your laws.

84 How long can your servant stay alive?

When will you bring judgment on my persecutors?

85 The arrogant have dug pits for me to fall in;

this is not in keeping with your Torah!

86 All your mitzvot [show your] faithfulness;

they are hounding me with lies; help me!

87 They have nearly ended my life on earth,

but I have not abandoned your precepts.

88 In keeping with your grace, revive me;

and I will observe your spoken instructions.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But you have no need to have anything written to you, brothers, about the times and dates when this will happen; 2 because you yourselves well know that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is so peaceful and secure,” then destruction will suddenly come upon them, the way labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there is no way they will escape.

4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark, so that the Day should take you by surprise like a thief; 5 for you are all people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We don’t belong to the night or to darkness, 6 so let’s not be asleep, like the rest are; on the contrary, let us stay alert and sober. 7 People who sleep, sleep at night; and people who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us stay sober, putting on trust and love as a breastplate and the hope of being delivered as a helmet.[1 Thessalonians 5:8 Isaiah 59:17] 9 For God has not intended that we should experience his fury, but that we should gain deliverance through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, 10 who died on our behalf so that whether we are alive or dead, we may live along with him. 11 Therefore, encourage each other, and build each other up — just as you are doing.

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are working hard among you, those who are guiding you in the Lord and confronting you in order to help you change. 13 Treat them with the highest regard and love because of the work they are doing. Live at peace among yourselves; 14 but we urge you, brothers, to confront those who are lazy, your aim being to help them change, to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone.

16 Always be joyful. 17 Pray regularly. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.

19 Don’t quench the Spirit, 20 don’t despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything — hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil.

23 May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 24 The one calling you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers, keep praying for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I charge you in the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with you.

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The Lutheran Hour
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
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Friday, 31 July 2015 E-News from Church Office of The First Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Friday, 31 July 2015 E-News from Church Office of The First Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Friday, July 31, 2015
Upcoming Events
Preparing our hearts for...Sunday, August 2, 2015
9:15am - Sunday School classes for all ages
10:45am - Worship Service
This Sunday, Pastor Estep will be delivering a message on Ephesians 4:1-3. On the first Sunday of the month, our children will remain in the service, for a time of family worship.
6pm - Evening service
We will gather at 6pm in the Westside Room for a time of worship and fellowship with Nazarene missionaries to Costa Rica.
News & Events
The Daniel Plan
This fall, Jim & Joni Real will be leading a 6-week study of The Daniel Plan, a lifestyle program that focuses on developing health in 5 key areas of life: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. This study will begin on Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30pm.
TP Tower

We will again be partnering with the KC Rescue Mission this fall by collecting rolls of toilet paper. You are invited to join in by bringing rolls of toilet paper to the east end of the foyer (by the windows) and adding to the tower during the month of August!
First Saturdays

On the first Saturday of every month, a group of women from First Church meets at the Panera at 103rd & State Line for a time of fun, fellowship, and food! The group will meet this Saturday, August 1, at9am. Ladies of all ages are welcome!
Ladies' Service Opportunities
This month, there will be two outreach opportunities for ladies of all ages! If you would like to get involved in either of these, please stop by the table in the foyer this morning.
On Wednesday, August 12, all ladies are invited to a time of fellowship at True Light Nazarene Church. The group will play games, have lunch, and share ice cream with the ladies from the Emancipation Center.
On Friday, August 28, a group of KCFC ladies will leave for the Nazarene Well House in Rochester, Minnesota to help Rick & Linda Day by packing their kitchen before they remodel next month.
First Library
Did you know that our entire library catalog is available online atwww.librarything.com/profile/KC1stchurch? All materials in the library (located downstairs, near the canopy entrance) are loaned using the honor system, for a check-out period of one month. If you have overdue items, please return them as soon as possible so that others can use them.
"Big Brush Technique"

Robert Maurus will be offering another session of watercolor classes on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm. This session will focus particularly on the "big brush technique", using the Japanese hake brush, rigger brush, and flat brush. This class will also cover some watercolor basics: color selection, palette layout, paper selection, etc. Cost: $15. See the sign up table in the foyer for more information.
Garage Sale
The Verona Hills Homeowners Association will be hosting their annual garage sale on August 7 & 8 this year. Goodwill will also have a donation truck on Pennsylvania Avenue (next to Migliazzo Park) on Sunday, August 9 from 8am-12pm, if you have items you wish to donate.
NTS Celebration

All NTS Alumni are invited to a 70th anniversary celebration on Tuesday, September 29, held here at First Church. Fellowship will begin at 5:30pm, and a barbecue dinner will be served at6pm. There will be opportunities to listen to alumni from across the decades, celebrate class reunions, fellowship with classmates and friends, and dialogue with President Carla Sunberg. Early bird registration (before August 8): $20.
Summer of Discovery
Kids in grades K-6 are invited to a Summer of Discovery, beginning this Wednesday, May 27! Every Wednesday night from 6:30pm-7:30pm, our kids will explore and discover different gifts and talents, as led by some of our very gifted church members. Topics include: arts, sciences, games, languages, woodworking, and music! Contact Margie Schwarz for more information!

Job Opportunities
The Church of the Nazarene's Global Ministry Center currently has the following job openings. Please contact the HR department at 913.577.0500 for more information.
Department: General Secretary's Office
Position: Administrative Assistant for General Assembly (full-time)
Department: Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
Position: Computer Programming Coordinator (full-time)
Department: Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
Position: Program Assistant/Social Media Manager (part-time)
Department: Pensions & Benefits
Position: Administrative Assistant (full-time)

Nepal Response
In response to the recent earthquakes that have struck Nepal, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is partnering with the local church in Nepal to meet the most critical short-term needs of families in need: water, food, and shelter. We have the opportunity to join with our brothers and sisters around the world in praying for grieving families, for vulnerable children and families, for those responding to the disaster, and for our church leaders and members in Nepal. If you would also like to give monetarily to the relief effort, please visit www.nazarene.org or click on the link on the homepage of our website: kcfc.org

Wednesday Nights
Wednesday Nights
This Wednesday's Schedule (8/5/15):
**note: Midweek meals will resume on August 12**
~ no KCFC activities ~
Our Mission: to make Christ-like disciples
11811 State Line Road

Kansas City, Missouri United States · 816.942.9022
First Church of the Nazarene

11811 State Line Road

Kansas City, Missouri 64114 United States
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