Smorgasbord

Lenten Reading February 23, 2016

Reading Guide for Lent

Each day read the Gospel passage for the day and the Psalm passage for the day (you can read them all at once or do one reading in the morning and one in the evening) and use the reflection questions to help process the passage.

The 12th day of Lent

Tuesday February 23rd, 2016

Gospel Reading: Luke 12

Warnings and Encouragements

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

⁴“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁸“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹But whoever publicly disowns me will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

¹¹“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” ¹⁵Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

¹⁶And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

¹⁸“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

²⁰“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹“This is how it will be with those who store up things for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

³²“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Watchfulness

³⁵“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

⁴¹Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

⁴²The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Not Peace but Division

⁴⁹“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵²From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Interpreting the Times

⁵⁴He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. ⁵⁵And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?

⁵⁷“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

In verses 1-12 Jesus teaches only His disciples. Make a list of things that Jesus says to not worry about or not be afraid of. What is the “big idea” of these encouragements?
In 13 to 21 Jesus addresses the crowds with a parable after being interrupted. What is the point of the parable?
Starting in verse 22 Jesus returns to talking to His disciples. How does He further stress the reasons to not worry? How is this even more encouraging?
Jesus then talks about the importance of being ready. What are they to be ready for? Why is this Urgent? How will it affect families?
Jesus ends with a rebuke (vs. 54-59). Here He challenges the listener to be aware what the “present time” is. What is he talking about here?
What encouragements can you take from this reading?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 7

Psalm 7

A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

¹Lord my God, I take refuge in you;

save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

²or they will tear me apart like a lion

and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

³Lord my God, if I have done this

and there is guilt on my hands—

⁴if I have repaid my ally with evil

or without cause have robbed my foe—

⁵then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;

let him trample my life to the ground

and make me sleep in the dust.

⁶Arise, Lord, in your anger;

rise up against the rage of my enemies.

Awake, my God; decree justice.

⁷Let the assembled peoples gather around you,

while you sit enthroned over them on high.

⁸ Let the Lord judge the peoples.

Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,

according to my integrity, O Most High.

⁹Bring to an end the violence of the wicked

and make the righteous secure—

you, the righteous God

who probes minds and hearts.

¹⁰My shield is God Most High,

who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹God is a righteous judge,

a God who displays his wrath every day.

¹²If he does not relent,

he will sharpen his sword;

he will bend and string his bow.

¹³He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he makes ready his flaming arrows.

¹⁴Those who are pregnant with evil

conceive trouble and give birth to disillusionment.

¹⁵Those who dig a hole and scoop it out

fall into the pit they have made.

¹⁶The trouble they cause recoils on them;

their violence comes down on their own heads.

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.

Reflection Questions:

God is the judge in this Psalm. Who should fear Him?
What should the righteous do concerning the judge?
How to verses 10-11 encourage you?
Take some time to confess to God and to pray dedication to Him.

Lenten Reading February 22, 2016

Reading Guide for Lent

The 11th day of Lent

Monday February 22, 2016

Gospel Reading: Luke 11

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

²He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“ ‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

³Give us each day our daily bread.

⁴Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ ⁷And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened.

¹¹“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul

¹⁴Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²²But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

²³“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

²⁴“When an evil spirit comes out of anyone, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

²⁷As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

²⁸He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now one greater than Solomon is here. ³²The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now one greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body

³³“None of you lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead you put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. ³⁶Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law

³⁷When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. ³⁸But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

³⁹Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

⁴²“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

⁴³“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

⁴⁴“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

⁴⁵One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

⁴⁶Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

⁴⁷“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. ⁴⁸So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ⁵⁰Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, ⁵¹from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

⁵²“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

⁵³When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, ⁵⁴waiting to catch him in something he might say.

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

Jesus begins this chapter (Verses 1-13) teaching about prayer. What lessons can you learn about prayer from Him here? Does that inspire you now?
The rest of the passage Jesus is opposed in various ways. Make a list of all the ways Jesus responds to challenges.
In all these conflicts, what is the lesson Jesus wants us to learn?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 3

Psalm 3

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.

¹Lord, how many are my foes!

How many rise up against me!

²Many are saying of me,

“God will not deliver him.”

³But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

my glory, the one who lifts my head high.

⁴I call out to the Lord,

and he answers me from his holy mountain.

⁵I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

⁶I will not fear though tens of thousands

assail me on every side.

⁷Arise, Lord!

Deliver me, my God!

Strike all my enemies on the jaw;

break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸From the Lord comes deliverance.

May your blessing be on your people.

Reflection Questions:

How does the Psalmist say God helps him in times of trouble?
What is the Psalmist’s expectation of God concerning his own problems?
How can God be a “Shield around” you? (vs. 3)
Pray

Lenten Readings Sunday February 21st, 2016

Reading Guide for Lent

On Sunday we will only read a Psalm and use the reflection questions to help process the passage.

The 2^nd Sunday in Lent

Sunday February 21st, 2016

Psalm Reading: Psalm 113

Psalm 113

¹Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, you his servants;

praise the name of the Lord.

²Let the name of the Lord be praised,

both now and forevermore.

³From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,

the name of the Lord is to be praised.

⁴The Lord is exalted over all the nations,

his glory above the heavens.

⁵Who is like the Lord our God,

the One who sits enthroned on high,

⁶who stoops down to look

on the heavens and the earth?

⁷He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

⁸he seats them with princes,

with the princes of his people.

⁹He settles the childless woman in her home

as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

According to this Psalm what are the reasons the Lord should be praised?
How does this Psalm say God relates to people?
Why is this praise worthy?
Take some time to praise God this morning.

Lenten Reading Saturday February 20th

Reading Guide for Lent

The 10th day of Lent

Saturday February 20th

Gospel Reading: Luke 10

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ²He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶If the head of the house loves peace, your peace will rest on that house; if not, it will return to you. ⁷Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for workers deserve their wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. ⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

¹³“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

¹⁶“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

¹⁷The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

²²“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁸“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

What is the purpose of the 72 who were sent out?
When they returned what was their attitude? (see vs. 17)
In the story of the Samaritan what did Jesus want the expert in the law to learn? What does it mean to have mercy on others?
How is Mary a good example to us?
What is the reward for sitting at the feet of Jesus?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 139

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

²You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

⁵You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!

Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!

²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;

your adversaries misuse your name.

²¹Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,

and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

²²I have nothing but hatred for them;

I count them my enemies.

²³Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Reflection Questions:

How deeply does God know us?
How does that make you feel?
How did it make the Psalmist feel?
Read vs. 23-24. Why should we ask God to search us?
Pray these verses as your own.

Lenten Reading February 19, 2016

Reading Guide for Lent

The 9th day of Lent

Friday February 19th

Gospel Reading: Luke 9

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” ⁶So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

⁷Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. ⁹But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹⁰When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, ¹¹but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

¹²Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

¹³He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” ¹⁴(About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. ¹⁶Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. ¹⁷They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹⁸Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

¹⁹They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

²⁰“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

²¹Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. ²²And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

²³Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵What good is it for you to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit your very self? ²⁶If any of you are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

²⁷“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

²⁸About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰Two men, Moses and Elijah, ³¹appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. ³²Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

³⁴While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” ³⁶When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

³⁷The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

⁴¹“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴²Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

⁴⁶An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. ⁴⁷Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For whoever is least among you all is the greatest.”

⁴⁹“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. ⁵²And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; ⁵³but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” ⁵⁵But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

⁶²Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

Much of this passage is about following Jesus. Go through the passage and list all the information about following Jesus. Will it be easy to follow Jesus?
Is there a reward for following Jesus?
The other big question in the passage is who is Jesus. What are the various opinions and statements about who Jesus is in this passage? What is Jesus facing in His own life?
Do these things make Him worth following?
What in your life do you put before you are ready to follow Jesus?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

²Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever.

³Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

⁴One generation commends your works to another;

they tell of your mighty acts.

⁵They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

⁶They tell of the power of your awesome works—

and I will proclaim your great deeds.

⁷They celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹The Lord is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.

¹⁰All your works praise you, Lord;

your faithful people extol you.

¹¹They tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might,

¹²so that all people may know of your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises

and faithful in all he does.

¹⁴The Lord upholds all who fall

and lifts up all who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food at the proper time.

¹⁶You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and faithful in all he does.

¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

¹⁹He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry and saves them.

²⁰The Lord watches over all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.

Let every creature praise his holy name

for ever and ever.

Reflection Questions:

This is a Psalm of praise. Make a list of all the reasons the LORD is worthy of praise.
What does the LORD do for those He loves?
Do you see any connections in this Psalm with what we have seen in Jesus’ life?
Take some time to pray this Psalm to God.

Lenten Reading Thursday February 18th

Reading Guide for Lent

The 8th day of Lent

Thursday February 18

Gospel Reading: Luke 8

The Parable of the Sower

8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, ²and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; ³Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

⁴While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: ⁵“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. ⁶Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. ⁸Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

⁹His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;

though hearing, they may not understand.’

¹¹“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. ¹²Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ¹⁴The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. ¹⁵But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

A Lamp on a Stand

¹⁶“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. ¹⁷For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. ¹⁸Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Those who have will be given more; as for those who do not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

¹⁹Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. ²⁰Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

²¹He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

²²One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

²⁴The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

²⁶They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. ²⁷When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. ²⁸When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” ²⁹For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

³⁰Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ³¹And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

³²A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. ³³When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, ³⁵and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. ³⁶Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. ³⁷Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

³⁸The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

⁴⁰Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. ⁴¹Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house ⁴²because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. ⁴³And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. ⁴⁴She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

⁴⁶But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

⁴⁷Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. ⁴⁸Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

⁵⁰Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

⁵¹When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. ⁵²Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

⁵³They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” ⁵⁵Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

Read the Parable of the sower (8:1-15). What is the important lesson from here concerning the word of God? How do you respond to God’s word?
In the next three stories(vs. 22-25; 26-39; 40-56) Jesus faces some extreme situations. Make a list of why each situation is difficult.
How does Jesus deal with each?
What does this tell us about Jesus? What are the storms in your life that you need Jesus to help you with?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 107

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

³those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

⁴Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle.

⁵They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away.

⁶Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

⁷He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle.

⁸Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

⁹for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

¹⁰Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,

prisoners suffering in iron chains,

¹¹because they rebelled against God’s commands

and despised the plans of the Most High.

¹²So he subjected them to bitter labor;

they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

¹³Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

¹⁴He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,

and broke away their chains.

¹⁵Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

¹⁶for he breaks down gates of bronze

and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷Some became fools through their rebellious ways

and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

¹⁸They loathed all food

and drew near the gates of death.

¹⁹Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

²⁰He sent out his word and healed them;

he rescued them from the grave.

²¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

²²Let them sacrifice thank offerings

and tell of his works with songs of joy.

²³Some went out on the sea in ships;

they were merchants on the mighty waters.

²⁴They saw the works of the Lord,

his wonderful deeds in the deep.

²⁵For he spoke and stirred up a tempest

that lifted high the waves.

²⁶They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their peril their courage melted away.

²⁷They reeled and staggered like drunkards;

they were at their wits’ end.

²⁸Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

²⁹He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.

³⁰They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven.

³¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

³²Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³He turned rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground,

³⁴and fruitful land into a salt waste,

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

³⁵He turned the desert into pools of water

and the parched ground into flowing springs;

³⁶there he brought the hungry to live,

and they founded a city where they could settle.

³⁷They sowed fields and planted vineyards

that yielded a fruitful harvest;

³⁸he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,

and he did not let their herds diminish.

³⁹Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled

by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

⁴⁰he who pours contempt on nobles

made them wander in a trackless waste.

⁴¹But he lifted the needy out of their affliction

and increased their families like flocks.

⁴²The upright see and rejoice,

but all the wicked shut their mouths.

⁴³Let all who are wise heed these things

and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Reflection Questions:

Make a list of every extreme problem the Lord rescues the people from in this Psalm.
What is the proper response to a Lord that can rescue us?
Take some time to thank Jesus in prayer for how he has rescued you.

The Parable of the Sower

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

⁹His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;

though hearing, they may not understand.’

A Lamp on a Stand

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

²¹He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

²⁴The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

³⁰Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ³¹And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

⁴⁵“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

⁴⁶But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

⁴⁹While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

⁵⁰Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:

Read the Parable of the sower (8:1-15). What is the important lesson from here concerning the word of God? How do you respond to God’s word?
In the next three stories(vs. 22-25; 26-39; 40-56) Jesus faces some extreme situations. Make a list of why each situation is difficult.
How does Jesus deal with each?
What does this tell us about Jesus? What are the storms in your life that you need Jesus to help you with?

Psalm Reading: Psalm 107

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

³those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

⁴Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle.

⁵They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away.

⁶Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

⁷He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle.

⁸Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

⁹for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

¹⁰Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,

prisoners suffering in iron chains,

¹¹because they rebelled against God’s commands

and despised the plans of the Most High.

¹²So he subjected them to bitter labor;

they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

¹³Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

¹⁴He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,

and broke away their chains.

¹⁵Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

¹⁶for he breaks down gates of bronze

and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷Some became fools through their rebellious ways

and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

¹⁸They loathed all food

and drew near the gates of death.

¹⁹Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

²⁰He sent out his word and healed them;

he rescued them from the grave.

²¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

²²Let them sacrifice thank offerings

and tell of his works with songs of joy.

²³Some went out on the sea in ships;

they were merchants on the mighty waters.

²⁴They saw the works of the Lord,

his wonderful deeds in the deep.

²⁵For he spoke and stirred up a tempest

that lifted high the waves.

²⁶They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their peril their courage melted away.

²⁷They reeled and staggered like drunkards;

they were at their wits’ end.

²⁸Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

²⁹He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.

³⁰They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven.

³¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

³²Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³He turned rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground,

³⁴and fruitful land into a salt waste,

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

³⁵He turned the desert into pools of water

and the parched ground into flowing springs;

³⁶there he brought the hungry to live,

and they founded a city where they could settle.

³⁷They sowed fields and planted vineyards

that yielded a fruitful harvest;

³⁸he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,

and he did not let their herds diminish.

³⁹Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled

by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

⁴⁰he who pours contempt on nobles

made them wander in a trackless waste.

⁴¹But he lifted the needy out of their affliction

and increased their families like flocks.

⁴²The upright see and rejoice,

but all the wicked shut their mouths.

⁴³Let all who are wise heed these things

and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Reflection Questions:

Make a list of every extreme problem the Lord rescues the people from in this Psalm.
What is the proper response to a Lord that can rescue us?
Take some time to thank Jesus in prayer for how he has rescued you.