Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 98: Make A Joy Noise To The Lord

Psalm 98 ¹O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.

²The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.

³He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

⁴Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

⁵Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.

⁶With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before 
the King, the Lord.

⁷Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.

⁸Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy

⁹at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. 
He will judge the world with righteousness, 
and the peoples with equity.

Contribute to Philippines Disaster Relief through American Baptist Churches USA's International Ministries Effort

Super typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippine islands last weekend with devastating force.  The Philippine Red Cross estimates that at least 1,200 people were killed by the storm. That number could grow as officials make their way to remote areas made nearly inaccessible by Haiyan. International Ministries missionaries in the Philippines, Debbie Mulneix, Jonathan and Thelma Nambu, have been contacted by IM and are safe.

In response to this disaster, $10,000 in emergency relief funds is being sent from One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) to help victims of this massive typhoon.

“IM partners, the Convention of Philippines Baptist Churches (CPBC) and Philippine Baptist Church Development Ministries, in coordination with the Asia Pacific Baptist Aid of Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, received requests for relief in the hardest hit areas in the provinces of Capiz, Iloilo and North Negros where the majority of CPBC churches are situated,” reported Dr. Ben Chan, IM area director for East Asia, India, Hong Kong and China. “CPBC would like to assist in the immediate needs of families by providing food, drinking water, blankets and mats.  The relief operation is difficult because of roads destroyed and flooded. Many areas could not be reached yet. Also electricity and communication line are damaged. CPBC is coordinating with government officials to be able to reach the affected areas."

U.S. and Puerto Rico churches are asked to keep the victims, their families, their churches and the Filipino churches in the U.S. in prayer. Additional financial relief aid is urgently needed. To make a tax-deductible contribution online go to http://www.internationalministries.org/drives/16  To make a contribution by mail, write a check payable to International Ministries and write on the memo line: "OGHS-PHILIPPINES TYPHOON RELIEF.” Mail it to IM, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 10482 or give through your church, designating your gift for OGHS – Philippines Typhoon Relief.

One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is administered by the World Relief Committee of the Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA. The Committee facilitates American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work and the development of assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing distribution of the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering received by churches.  Learn more: http://www.abc-oghs.org/

Bible Verses This Week: Mark 9: 14-24: Help My Unbelief!

Mark 9: When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. ¹⁶He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;¹⁸and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” ¹⁹He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²²It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” ²³Jesus said to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” ²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”  

Bible Verses This Week: Luke 19:1-10: Hurry and Come Down ...

Luke 19: He entered Jericho and was passing through it. ²A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. ⁵When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. ⁷All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”⁸Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” ⁹Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”