AME Zion Universal Reading February 2nd, 2025

Sunday School Zoom Link

Matthew 6:5–15 (NLT):

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

10 May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today the food we need,*

12 and forgive us our sins,

as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,*

but rescue us from the evil one.*

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Monday

Matthew 11:25–30 (LEB):

A Yoke That Is Easy

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to young children. 26 Yes, Father, for to do so ⌊was your gracious will⌋. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and ⌊anyone to whom⌋ the Son wants to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to carry and my burden is light.”

Tuesday

Psalm 4:title–5:title (LEB):

Safety in Yahweh

4 For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

1 When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness.

In trouble ⌊deliver me⌋.

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

2 O sons of man, how long will my honor be a disgrace?

How long will you love vanity?

How long will you seek lies? Selah

3 But know that Yahweh has set apart for himself the faithful one.

Yahweh hears when I call to him.

4 Be disturbed but do not sin.

Commune in your heart on your bed and be silent. Selah

5 Offer correct sacrifices,

and ⌊trust in⌋ Yahweh.

6 Many are saying, “Who will show us something good?”

Lift up over us the light of your face, O Yahweh.

7 You have put gladness in my heart

more than ⌊when⌋ their grain and their wine abound.

8 In peace I will lie down and sleep ⌊at once⌋,

for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.

A Prayer for Guidance and Protection

Wednesday

Luke 18:1–8 (LEB):

The Parable of the Unjust Judge

18 And he told them a parable to show that they must always pray and not be discouraged, 2 saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain town who did not fear God and did not respect people. 3 And there was a widow in that town, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary!’ 4 And he was not willing for a time, but after these things he said to himself, ‘Even if I do not fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow is causing trouble for me, I will grant her justice, so that she does not wear me down in the end by her coming back!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge is saying! 7 And will not God surely ⌊see to it that justice is done⌋ to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and will he delay toward them? 8 I tell you that ⌊he will see to it that justice is done⌋ for them soon! Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, then will he find faith on earth?”

Thursday

James 5:13–20 (LEB):

The Effective Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins ⌊he will be forgiven⌋. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. 17 Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and ⌊he prayed fervently⌋ for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.

Friday

Psalm 91:1–16 (LEB):

God’s Protection in Times of Crisis

91 One who lives in the secret place of the Most High

will lodge in the shadow of Shaddai.

2 I will say to Yahweh, “You are my refuge and my fortress,

my God in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,

from the plague of destruction.

4 With his feathers he will cover you,

and under his wings you can take refuge.

His faithfulness will be a shield and a buckler.

5 You need not fear the terror of the night,

or the arrow that flies by day,

6 or the plague that spreads in the darkness,

or the destruction that devastates at noon.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

and ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes,

and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 For you, O Yahweh, are my refuge.

You have made the Most High your dwelling place.

10 No harm will befall you,

and no plague will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you,

to watch over you in all your ways.

12 In their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on lion and viper;

you will trample young lion and serpent.

14 Because he loves me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will protect him because he knows my name.

15 He will call upon me and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue and honor him.

16 With ⌊long life⌋ I will satisfy him,

and show him my salvation.

Saturday

Psalm 92:title–15 (LEB):

Thanksgiving to Yahweh for Victory

92 A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

1 It is good to give thanks to Yahweh,

and to sing praise concerning your name, O Most High;

2 to declare in the morning your loyal love

and your faithfulness in the night,

3 on the ten string, and on the harp,

with a melody on the lyre.

4 For you, O Yahweh, have made me glad by your work;

by the deeds of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your deeds, O Yahweh;

how very deep are your thoughts.

6 The brutish man does not know,

and the fool cannot understand this.

7 When the wicked flourish like grass

and all the workers of evil blossom,

it is so they can be destroyed forever.

8 But you are on high forever, O Yahweh.

9 For behold, your enemies, O Yahweh,

for behold, your enemies will perish.

All the workers of evil will be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;

you have anointed me with fresh oil.

11 And so my eye looks on my enemies.

My ears hear those evildoers who rise up against me.

12 The righteous will flourish like the date palm.

They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Planted in the house of Yahweh,

they will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They will still prosper in old age.

They will be fat and luxuriant,

15 to declare that Yahweh is upright.

He is my rock, and there is no injustice in him.