Sunday 16 December 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 16 December 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Amos 9:11-15

On that day I will raise up
   the booth of David that is fallen,
and repair its* breaches,
   and raise up its* ruins,
   and rebuild it as in the days of old; 
12in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom
   and all the nations who are called by my name,
   says the Lord who does this. 


13The time is surely coming, says the Lord,
   when the one who ploughs shall overtake the one who reaps,
   and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed;
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
   and all the hills shall flow with it. 
14I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,
   and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,
   and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 
15I will plant them upon their land,
   and they shall never again be plucked up
   out of the land that I have given them, 
says the Lord your God.
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2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,13-17

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered
together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters,* 2not to be quickly
shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as
though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.
3Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless
the rebellion comes first and the lawless one* is revealed, the one
destined for destruction.* 
Chosen for Salvation13 But we must always give thanks to God for you,
brothers and sisters* beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the
first fruits* for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and
through belief in the truth. 14For this purpose he called you through
our proclamation of the good news,* so that you may obtain the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers and sisters,* stand firm and
hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word
of mouth or by our letter. 
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved
us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17comfort
your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
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John 5:30-47

'I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is
just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent
me. 
31 'If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32There is
another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me
is true. 33You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth.
34Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that
you may be saved. 35He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were
willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36But I have a testimony
greater than John's. The works that the Father has given me to complete,
the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has
sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my
behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, 38and you do
not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he
has sent. 
39 'You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have
eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40Yet you refuse
to come to me to have life. 41I do not accept glory from human beings.
42But I know that you do not have the love of God in* you. 43I have come
in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his
own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe when you accept
glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one
who alone is God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you before the
Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46If you
believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But if
you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?' 
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 63:1-11, 98

Psalm 63:1-11

O God, you are my God, I seek you,
   my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory. 
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you. 
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
   I will lift up my hands and call on your name. 


5My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,*
   and my mouth praises you with joyful lips 
6when I think of you on my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 
7for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. 
8My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me. 


9But those who seek to destroy my life
   shall go down into the depths of the earth; 
10they shall be given over to the power of the sword,
   they shall be prey for jackals. 
11But the king shall rejoice in God;
   all who swear by him shall exult,
   for the mouths of liars will be stopped.


Psalm 98

O sing to the Lord a new song,
   for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
   have gained 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.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 103

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name. 
2Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and do not forget all his benefits- 
3who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases, 
4who redeems your life from the Pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 
5who satisfies you with good as long as you live*
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 


6The Lord works vindication
   and justice for all who are oppressed. 
7He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel. 
8The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
9He will not always accuse,
   nor will he keep his anger for ever. 
10He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities. 
11For as the heavens are high above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; 
12as far as the east is from the west,
   so far he removes our transgressions from us. 
13As a father has compassion for his children,
   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 
14For he knows how we were made;
   he remembers that we are dust. 


15As for mortals, their days are like grass;
   they flourish like a flower of the field; 
16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more. 
17But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
   on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children's children, 
18to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments. 


19The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all. 
20Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   obedient to his spoken word. 
21Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
   his ministers that do his will. 
22Bless the Lord, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
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