Season after Pentecost

Thursday in Season after Pentecost

Thursday, July 13, 2028

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Amos 1:1-2:3

Text not available in the Berean Standard Bible.

PSALM

Psalm 82

Verse 1. A Psalm of Asaph. God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
Verse 2. “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?
Verse 3. Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.
Verse 4. Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.
Verse 5. They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Verse 6. I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’
Verse 7. But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.”
Verse 8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Genesis 41:14-36

Verse 14. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh. Verse 15. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Verse 16. “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” Verse 17. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, Verse 18. when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. Verse 19. After them, seven other cows— sickly, ugly, and thin— came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! Verse 20. Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. Verse 21. When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke. Verse 22. In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. Verse 23. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted— withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. Verse 24. And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.” Verse 25. At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. Verse 26. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Verse 27. Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind — they are seven years of famine. Verse 28. It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Verse 29. Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, Verse 30. but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land. Verse 31. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe. Verse 32. Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly. Verse 33. Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Verse 34. Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Verse 35. Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. Verse 36. This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

PSALM

Psalm 25:1-10

Verse 1. Of David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
Verse 2. in You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
Verse 3. Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who engage in treachery without cause will be disgraced.
Verse 4. Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.
Verse 5. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.
Verse 6. Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age.
Verse 7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellious acts; remember me according to Your loving devotion, because of Your goodness, O LORD.
Verse 8. Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way.
Verse 9. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.
Verse 10. All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful to those who keep His covenant and His decrees.

SECOND READING

James 2:14-26

Verse 14. What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Verse 15. Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. Verse 16. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? Verse 17. So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. Verse 18. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. Verse 19. You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. Verse 20. O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? Verse 21. Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Verse 22. You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. Verse 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. Verse 24. As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone. Verse 25. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route? Verse 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.