Daily Lesson for January 11, 2020

 Today's Daily Lesson is Psalms 1:

1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, * nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! 2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, * and they meditate on his law day and night. 3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; * everything they do shall prosper. 4 It is not so with the wicked; * they are like chaff which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, * nor the sinner in the council of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, * but the way of the wicked is doomed.

I'm looking out my window this morning at the old oak tree in my front yard. My house is almost 100 years old. Who knows how old the oak tree is, how many seasons it has had.

The seasons come and go. The wicked rise up in a sudden spring but then fade like grass in the summer. The oak remains.

The oak remains; and it stands tall and strong.

Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for January 8, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalms 118:

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; * his mercy endures for ever. 4 Let those who fear the Lord now proclaim, * "His mercy endures for ever." 5 I called to the Lord in my distress; * the Lord answered by setting me free. 10 All the ungodly encompass me; * in the name of the Lord I will repel them. 11 They hem me in, they hem me in on every side; * in the name of the Lord I will repel them. 12 They swarm about me like bees; they blaze like a fire of thorns; * in the name of the Lord I will repel them. 13 I was pressed so hard that I almost fell, * but the Lord came to my help. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song, * and he has become my salvation.

The seat of American democracy was attacked this week, and it was a sad and scary thing. A life was lost, blood was shed, fear and dread gripped us all. Who knows how far it could have gone, had not Congress escaped?

Yet Congress did escape. And for that we give thanks.

A democracy is a fragile thing. Democracies can rise and fall. And American democracy is no exception.

Wednesday was a warning, and should be a wakeup call for us all. The institutions which protect and preserve this Union have been imperiled. They were attacked -- and are still under attack by enemies both domestic and foreign.

But thus far they have been preserved. And it is not inappropriate that we give thanks for that. Indeed, it is appropriate that we give thanks that on Wednesday democracy prevailed.

We still have many a trial to get through. And a transfer of power will not bring the end of all our travails. The future will not be easy.

Nevertheless, for today we can thank God the statue of Freedom is still standing on the Capitol dome. We can thank God and pray also these hallowed words:

"God bless America, land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above."

Rev. Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

Daily Lesson for January 7, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalms 103:

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, * and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits. 3 He forgives all your sins * and heals all your infirmities; 4 He redeems your life from the grave * and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness; 5 He satisfies you with good things, * and your youth is renewed like an eagle's. 6 The Lord executes righteousness * and judgment for all who are oppressed. 7 He made his ways known to Moses * and his works to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, * slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 He will not always accuse us, * nor will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, * nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, * so is his mercy great upon those who fear him. 16 When the wind goes over it, it is gone, * and its place shall know it no more. 17 But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever on those who fear him, * and his righteousness on children's children; 18 On those who keep his covenant * and remember his commandments and do them. 19 The Lord has set his throne in heaven, * and his kingship has dominion over all. 20 Bless the Lord, you angels of his, you mighty ones who do his bidding, * and hearken to the voice of his word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, * you ministers of his who do his will. 22 Bless the Lord, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion; * bless the Lord, O my soul.

On this day after the terrible events in our nation's Capitol yesterday, this morning's Lesson is a reminder of the consolations of God, the grace of redemption, and the hope of healing.

We are so far long now in an era of hate and division. For years the seeds of antagonism and discord have been sown, and of which yesterday was the bitter fruit. We pray and resolve it was not just the first fruits.

We come to a place of decision.

Yesterday life was lost, innocent blood was shed, and our reputation as a nation was deeply damaged. It was a deeply disturbing and sorrowful day for our country.

But hatred, and violence, and discord do not have to have the last word. The door to a more bright and hopeful future is still open. We must choose to walk through that door.

The Psalmist says:

"The merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever on those who fear him,

and his righteousness on children's children."

There is hope for our children yet, and for our children's children. There is hope for our nation -- "one nation, with liberty and justice for all" -- with two paths set out before it.

Let us choose the path of peace; and may God's mercy and righteousness be our guide.

Rev. Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for Epiphany, January 6, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalms 97:

1 The Lord is King; let the earth rejoice; * let the multitude of the isles be glad. 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, * righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne. 11 Light has sprung up for the righteous, * and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted. 12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, * and give thanks to his holy Name.

Today is the Feast of Epiphany, the day when we commemorate the wise men's arrival in Bethlehem and their coronation of Christ as king.

It is a day of rejoicing, and of celebration. For after the long, long journey, they arrived to proclaim the coming of a new reign, the anointing of a new ruler. And so the frankincense and myrrh were used to coronate this new king.

The Psalm declares, "righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne." Morality matters; justice for all is promised. And the people rejoice, and give thanks unto God.

It is Epiphany; so behold, our light has come!

And now, we must walk in the light, and live in the light, and protect the light; for the lamp has now been lit, and it is ours to keep and protect.

Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for January 5, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalms 2 and Joshua chapter 1 verses 7 through 9:

"Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

We are in the last days of the Christmastide, before Epiphany; and the Office gives us a word about facing what is ahead.

We are not to be afraid, or dismayed by the events which are to come. We are to walk in boldness, and courage, and in the right as we see the right.

And God will help us as we go.

"Why are the nations in an uproar?" the psalmist asks.

And the answer is, Because they see the LORD coming. The LORD comes with us into this new year to bring justice, and peace, and order, and the rule of law.

So let us walk without fear into the season that is to come. For God is with us. And as the old saying goes, "God plus one is always a majority."

Rev. Ryon Price is senior pastor of Broadway Baptist in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for January 4, 2021

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 85 verses 8 through 13:

8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, 

for he is speaking peace to his faithful people

and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, 

that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth have met together; 

righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, 

and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, 

and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him, 

and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Yesterday’s revelation of President Trump’s call to the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was a startling beginning to what is surely to be an intense week in America.  The President’s clear coercion of Secretary Raffensperger was obvious, unethical, and illegal. It is sad that so many of the President’s supporters will turn yet another blind eye to this kind of intimidation. But credit belongs to the Secretary, and also his attorney who both stood their ground in defense of the truth. 

So, while the state of politics in America is dismal, there is hope. Despite so many who have enabled the kind of coercive and unethical tactics we heard in the phone call yesterday, there are still servants and officers of good conscience from both major political parties who are standing for truth, integrity, and law and order. We pray to God these leaders and servants will continue to hold out for the sake of the future of the Union. 

The Lesson today gives us hope also. 

“Truth shall spring up from the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven,” the psalmist says, that “glory may dwell in our land.”

May it be so for America; and may God mend her every flaw . . .

Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor or Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for January 1, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 2 verse 21:

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Today's is New Year's Day and the day known as The Holy Name of Jesus or, in the old liturgy of the Church, as the Circumcision of Christ. It was on this the eighth day that Jesus was circumcised and named.

Eight has an important meaning in Christianity. It is the number of new beginnings and new creation. The eighth day marks the beginning of a new week. Eight was the number of those saved during the Flood in the Ark. And it is purported that Jesus appeared eight times in the flesh after the resurrection (that's a matter of dispute.). Jesus was also circumcised and named on the eighth day -- January 1 in the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the New Year.

On January 1, this eighth day after Christmas, we have the chance to start again with a new beginning. The old has passed and the new has come. This is why one of the readings for the Day is from Exodus 34, where after having broken the first set of the Commandments, Moses cuts two more stone tablets in covenant with God. Jesus was cut on the eight day also, a sign of new covenant. All this points to a day of new beginnings, of brokenness and restoration.

New Year's Day is a day for reflection and for promise. It is a day for letting go of what was and embracing what is to come. It is a day of solemn remembrance of all that was and was lost or was not and should have been. And, more importantly, it is a day for embracing what can yet still be.

God did leave Moses with only the broken stones of a broken covenant. God commanded Moses to make another covenant. And so we make ours too.

"What is man that God is mindful of him?" the psalmist asks.

And then the answer:

"God has made us a little lower than the angels;

Adorned with glory and honor;

And given mastery over the works of our hands;

And all things put under our feet."

It's a new year. Yes, there is much to lament of the old. We made plenty of mistakes, and even failed miserably in certain aspects. Perhaps we even failed morally. But the new day is given, with new beginnings possible. A second chance is ours.

Let's take it . . .

Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.