Sunday 2 March 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

[info at dailylectionary.org]

Sunday 2 March 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

Email Evangelism, forward to a friend: http://www.dailylectionary.org

******************************************************************
Genesis 48:8-22

When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, 'Who are these?' 9Joseph said to
his father, 'They are my sons, whom God has given me here.' And he said,
'Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.' 10Now the eyes of
Israel were dim with age, and he could not see well. So Joseph brought
them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them. 11Israel said to
Joseph, 'I did not expect to see your face; and here God has let me see
your children also.' 12Then Joseph removed them from his father's
knees,* and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13Joseph took
them both, Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel's left, and Manasseh
in his left hand towards Israel's right, and brought them near him.
14But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of
Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh,
crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15He blessed Joseph,
and said,
'The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 
16the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my ancestors
Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.' 
17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of
Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took his father's hand, to remove it
from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18Joseph said to his father,
'Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand
on his head.' 19But his father refused, and said, 'I know, my son, I
know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great.
Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his
offspring shall become a multitude of nations.' 20So he blessed them
that day, saying,
'By you* Israel will invoke blessings, saying,
"God make you* like Ephraim and like Manasseh." '
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, 'I am
about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the
land of your ancestors. 22I now give to you one portion* more than to
your brothers, the portion* that I took from the hand of the Amorites
with my sword and with my bow.'
******************************************************************
Romans 8:11-25

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he
who raised Christ* from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies
also through* his Spirit that dwells in you. 
12 So then, brothers and sisters,* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to
live according to the flesh- 13for if you live according to the flesh,
you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are
children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall
back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry,
'Abba!* Father!' 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness* with our
spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ-if, in fact, we suffer with him so
that we may also be glorified with him. 
Future Glory18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are
not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For the
creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of
God; 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will
but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation
itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the
freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22We know that the whole
creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; 23and not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
24For in* hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who
hopes* for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we
wait for it with patience.
******************************************************************
John 6:27-40

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures
for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him
that God the Father has set his seal.' 28Then they said to him, 'What
must we do to perform the works of God?' 29Jesus answered them, 'This is
the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.' 30So they
said to him, 'What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may
see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors
ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread
from heaven to eat." ' 32Then Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell
you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my
Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God
is that which* comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.'
34They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread always.' 
35 Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will
never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But
I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37Everything
that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I
will never drive away; 38for I have come down from heaven, not to do my
own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him
who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but
raise it up on the last day. 40This is indeed the will of my Father,
that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I
will raise them up on the last day.'
******************************************************************
Morning Psalms:  Psalm 66, 67

Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 
2   sing the glory of his name;
   give to him glorious praise. 
3Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds!
   Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. 
4All the earth worships you;
   they sing praises to you,
   sing praises to your name.'
          Selah 


5Come and see what God has done:
   he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. 
6He turned the sea into dry land;
   they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him, 
7   who rules by his might for ever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations-
   let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
          Selah 


8Bless our God, O peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard, 
9who has kept us among the living,
   and has not let our feet slip. 
10For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried. 
11You brought us into the net;
   you laid burdens on our backs; 
12you let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.* 


13I will come into your house with burnt-offerings;
   I will pay you my vows, 
14those that my lips uttered
   and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 
15I will offer to you burnt-offerings of fatlings,
   with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
          Selah 


16Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for me. 
17I cried aloud to him,
   and he was extolled with my tongue. 
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
   the Lord would not have listened. 
19But truly God has listened;
   he has given heed to the words of my prayer. 


20Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me.


Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
   and make his face to shine upon us,
          Selah 
2that your way may be known upon earth,
   your saving power among all nations. 
3Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 


4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.
          Selah 
5Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 


6The earth has yielded its increase;
   God, our God, has blessed us. 
7May God continue to bless us;
   let all the ends of the earth revere him.
******************************************************************
Evening Psalms:  Psalm 19, 46

Psalm 19

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament* proclaims his handiwork. 
2Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge. 
3There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard; 
4yet their voice* goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world. 


In the heavens* he has set a tent for the sun, 
5which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 
6Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat. 


7The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple; 
8the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes; 
9the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether. 
10More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb. 


11Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward. 
12But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults. 
13Keep back your servant also from the insolent;*
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression. 


14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.


Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present* help in trouble. 
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 
3though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
          Selah 


4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High. 
5God is in the midst of the city;* it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns. 
6The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
   he utters his voice, the earth melts. 
7The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah 


8Come, behold the works of the Lord;
   see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 
9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
   he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire. 
10'Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.' 
11The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah
******************************************************************