Month: September 2018

      “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

      “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly  not lose his reward.

      “And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where

     “‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

     Everyone will be salted with fire.

     “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Mark 9:38-50

      The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

       The precepts of the Lord are right giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

      The fear of the Lord is pure enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.

      They are more precious than gold, and much pure gold; theey are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

      By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

     Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.

      Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

      May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:7-14

      The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

      Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord became exceedingly angy, and Moses was troubled. He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how your are going to treat me, put me to death right now — if I have found favor in your eyes — and do not let me face my own ruin.” The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you.

      So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again.

      However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

      Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

      But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

       The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.

Psalm 19:8

     Is there any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

     Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens produced its crops.

      My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this:Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:13-20

      They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

      They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

      Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

      He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:30-37

      Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice.

      But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

       What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

      Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 3:13-4:3,7-8

      Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.

      Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

      Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life — men without regard for God.

     Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

     Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.

     I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.

     For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Psalm 54

      Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying,

      “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.”

     But, O Lord Almighty, you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.

Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.

Mark 9:35