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Desperately Seeking the First Use of the Law — Lutheran Forum
Daily Readings November 3, 2011
Daily Bible Readings at Biblegateway…
Here are some verses I’ve highlighted. Which ones do you find important?
Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. – Psalm 119:143
And I will not hide my face any more from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD. – Ezekiel 39:29
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. – 2 Peter 1:16
Readings from the ESV
Daily Readings November 2, 2011
Click here for today’s readings at Biblegateway
Some verses from today’s readings…
Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. – Psalm 119:132
My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.- Psalm 119:136
“And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned any more. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. – Ezekiel 39:7
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[c] his own glory and excellence…Therefore brothers be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure… – 2 Peter 1:3,10
Chuck Huckaby is a minister with standing in the Calvin Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Church…
Daily Texts for November 1, 2011
Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to your word. Psalm 119:154 (NKJV)
The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
The Psalmist prays to be revived by the Word and Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, The Word, is indeed revived! She is juxtaposed in the Gospel to her sister Martha who complains that Mary is “wasting time” at the feet of Jesus when there is “real work” to be done… and quite likely “necessary work” to be done.
Or at least work we consider “necessary”. In Jesus’ estimation the work is not ultimately essential. What is essential is to embrace Him and His Word and pattern one’s life upon it, even if that means something is left lacking in the process.
How much of our lives are spent occupied by that which presents itself to us and others as “undoubtedly necessary”, but which, in light of Jesus and His Word is – upon reflection – temporary in significance at best.
How do our lives reflect our yearning for “that which cannot be taken away”, that which we can only find as we are absorbed with Jesus and His Word?
You can receive the Daily Texts by email at the link along with Bible Readings for Monday through Saturday and Lectionary readings for Sundays and Christian holy days.
Provided by the ministry of Pastor Chuck Huckaby
Daily Readings All Saints Day November 1, 2011
Click here to read today’s Daily Readings…
My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfilment of your righteous promise. – Psalm 119:123
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. – Ezekiel 37:11-12
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5
From Chuck’s Daily Readings
Daily Texts for October 31, 2011
Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Jeremiah 1:17
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for anobligation is laid on me. 1 Corinthians 9:16
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At first glance these texts may not seem for us. The first is a word from God to the prophent Jeremiah. The second is a statement made by none other than the Apostle Paul who describes how the calling of God is not grounds for boasting but a gift which implies a holy obligation to result in speaking with humility and divine empowerment.
Surely these are not words for us… are they?
Lord’s Day 12 of the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that we all Christians in their own right are members of Christ and partakers of His anointing. Therefore every Christian – as an “everyday apostle” to borrow a phrase – is called to bear witness as a prophet to Jesus Christ, offer himself (as a priest) as a living sacrifice to God, and – as reflecting Christ’s kingship – to fight against sin each day.
So yes, in the context of our own calling, we are called to heed these words as those who are members of Christ. May he give us grace to joyfully proclaim His Lordship!
From: Daily Texts
From the Daily Readings Reformation Day 2011
Daily readings are here
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. – Psalm 119:114
Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! – Psalm 119:116
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. – Ezekiel 36:25-27
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. – 1 Peter 4:12-13
You can read more about these daily readings here which accompany the “Daily Texts”.
Bethlen Communities Matching Grant Challenge October 4, 2011
Dear Friends:
“The Bethlen Home”, now known as “Bethlen Communities”, has been a joint mission of the HungarianReformed Churches, both of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America and the Calvin Synod, since its founding in 1931.
Today the “Bethlen Home” still depends on the support of our churches for its continued work.
This current year “Bethlen Communities” is projected to assist people in need with over $200,000 in “benevolent care”, continuing the tradition of care for individuals who are in need.
In the beginning, our mission was first to orphans, their widowed parents and grandparents, then the elderly. Today our mission is primarily to those who are approaching the end of their lives, are infirm and without adequate financial means to care for themselves in the sunset years of their lives.
Bethlen Communities has been accepted into a not-for-profit fundraising program which has a fantastic benefit: on Monday, October 3, every donated dollar designated to Bethlen Communities will be matched with an additional $ 0.50 (fifty cents) by the Westmoreland and Pittsburgh Foundations!
Please encourage your congregations, your friends, and I especially encourage YOU to make a donation to support this mission of ours. Every dollar YOU donate is worth one and one-half dollars to Bethlen Communities on Tuesday, October 4th.
I would also encourage you to be generous. Whatever you would normally contribute to a cause you know to be worthy, DOUBLE your donation on Monday, October 3; The net benefit will be TRIPLE what you originally planned to give to Bethlen Communities!
The attached flier explains how to donate over the internet. Please be generous!
Your fellow Servant in Christ,
Rt. Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig
In recession-hit Hungary, churches take over state schools
Warsaw, Poland (ENInews). Local government officials in Hungary are handing state-owned schools over to churches, unable to afford their upkeep during the economic recession, according to church sources.
“Churches are entitled to run schools in Hungary as public service providers, receiving the same taxpayers’ money as public sponsors,” said Balazs Odor, ecumenical officer of Hungary’s Reformed Church, in an interview with ENInews.
“The school system has its own problems here, which affect church-run schools as well. However, it’s generally true that the wellbeing of church schools is better looked after since each has a community behind it,” he added.
Hungary’s Heti Valasz weekly newspaper reported this summer that local councils had been forced to abandon schools in the face of shrinking state subsidies, heavy municipal debts and a decreasing number of children, adding that more than 60 had been given to religious associations in recent months.
Odor told ENInews that the church’s governing Synod Council had issued guidelines in February, requiring local congregations to “study each case carefully” and obtain approval for school acquisitions from church leaders. “There’ve been discussions with the state, where our church committed itself to be cautious and reserved in its approach,” he told ENInews.
Notes from our 85th ANNIV., First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles
English below… from http://www.elsoegyhazla.org/
Ezen a héten kett?s ünnepséget tartottunk gyülekezetünkben. Egyházunk alapításának 85. évfordulóját és Nt. Tóth Viktor beiktatását. Jó volt látni, hogy templomunk megtelt ezen a ver?fényes jellegzetesen kaliforniai napon.
Gyülekezetünket Nt. Hady Albert alapította 1926. augusztus 1-én. A Nt. Hady Albert és utódja, Nt. Szabó Antal által irt évkönyvekb?l megtudhatjuk, hogy 1926 augusztus 1-én református, lutheránus, katolikus és más vallású magyarok gy?ltek össze egy különleges vasárnapi istentiszteletre.
Az egybegy?ltek örömteli szívvel énekelték: “?rül mi szívünk mikor ezt halljuk: A templomba mégyünk, Hol Úr Istennek szent igéjét halljuk.”Az örömteli rendezvényen a fiatal pásztor a 34. zsoltár 8. versének szavaival buzdította a híveket: “Érezzétek és lássátok meg, hogy jó az Úr!” Az istentisztelet után 42 tag “egy szívvel és lélekkel” hirdette ki a Los Angelesi Els? Magyar Református Egyház megalakulását. Még aznap megalapítottak egy bibliaiskolát, n?egyletet, ifjúsági csoportot, gyülekezeti újságot és énekkart. A magyar nyári iskola augusztus 2-án kezdte el m?ködését.
A volt buffaloi presbiter, Décsman János, lett az új gyülekezet els? gondnoka. Hady Albert a Kaliforniai Magyarság 1926 júniusi számában ismertette a gyülekezet küldetését: “Isten segítségével Krisztus tiszta evangéliumnak hirdetése és gyakorlati megvalósítása. Krisztus tiszta evangéliuma ez: igazság, szeretet, egymásért való szolgálat; azaz a TESTVÉRISÉG szent eszméjének ápolása közöttünk, Los Angelesi magyar testvérek között.” Bár 85 év választ el minket a gyülekezetet alapító testvéreinkt?l és az alapító pásztortól, a cél változatlan maradt. Most vasárnap is különböz? felekezeti háttérrel rendelkez? emberek gy?ltek össze, hogy tiszteletüket fejezzék ki az alapítóknak, fenntartóknak és megvallják: hisszük, hogy Istennel van jöv?nk is. Múlt, jelen és jöv? csodálatosan kapcsolódott egybe ezen a napon. Úgy éreztük, hogy a szervez? ? maga, aki tegnap, ma és mindörökké ugyanaz és akiben a változás, vagy a változásnak az árnyéka sincs.
Mindenkinek köszönjük, akik jelenlétükkel megtiszteltek minket. Külön köszönet Ft. Poznán Béla a Kálvin Egyházmegye püspöke és Ft. Dr. Krasznai Csaba püspök helyettes uraknak. Köszönet illeti Rev. Larry Mattesont, Nt. Jakabffy Zsolt Attilát, Nt. Novák Józsefet, Nt. Szabó Ildikót, Nt. Danyi Istvánt és Rev. Ernesto Garcia-t, hogy szolgálatukkal segítettek.
Köszönet a gyülekezeti tagoknak akik áldozatos munkájukkal hozzá járultak, hogy ez a nap méltón legyen megünnepelve.
English:
This week, our church held a double celebration. Our house is the foundation of a 85th anniversary, and NT. The inauguration of Viktor Toth. It was good to see that this church is full of sunny California, a typical day.
Nt our church. Hady Albert founded the 1926th on August 1. The Nt. Albert Hady and his successor, Nt. Books written by Antal Szabo years tells you that on August 1, 1926 Reformed, Lutheran, Catholic and other religious Hungarians gathered in a special Sunday church service.
The gathered joyfully singing: “Our hearts rejoice when we hear this: The church we go Where do we hear the word of God, holy Lord.” joyous event for the young shepherd in the 34th eighth psalm poem’s words exhorted the faithful: “Feel and see that the good Lord!” after 42 members of the worship , “one heart and soul,” proclaimed the Los Angeles First Hungarian Reformed Church in the formation. On the same day and founded a Bible school, a woman equation, youth groups, church choirs and newspapers. The Hungarian summer school on August 2, began operations.
The elder had Buffalo, Décsman John, became the first curator of the new congregation. Albert Hady Hungarians in 1926 in the June issue of California described the mission of the congregation: “God is pure gospel of Christ through the ads and put into practice. Christ’s pure gospel is this: truth, love for one another in service, ie, the Brotherhood sacred idea of fostering among us, Los Angeles Hungarian brothers. ” Although 85 years separated us from the church founder testvéreinkt?l and the founding pastor, the goal remained the same. This Sunday is different denominational backgrounds, people gathered to express their respects to the founders, maintainers and confess: we believe that God is our future too. Past, present, and future wonderfully connected with this day. We felt that He is the organizer, who yesterday, today and forever the same and in whom the change or no change in the shadows.
Thank you all who have honored our presence. Special thanks to Bela Poznan Ft Calvin and the Bishop of the Diocese of Ft Bishop Dr. Csaba Krasznai Vice Lords. I am grateful to Rev. Larry Mattesont, Nt. Jakabffy Zsolt Attila Nt. Joseph Novak, Nt. Ildiko Szabo, Nt. Danyi Stephen and Rev. Ernesto Garcia-t to szolgálatukkal helped.
Thanks to church members who have devoted their work to contribute to this worthy day to celebrate.