Thursday 1 November 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Thursday 1 November 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Nehemiah 1:1-11

The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the
twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, one of my brothers,
Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the
Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about
Jerusalem. They replied, 'The survivors there in the province who
escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem
is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.'

 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days,
fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, 'O Lord God of
heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love
with those who love him and keep his commandments; let your ear be
attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I
now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of
Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have
sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. We have offended
you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the
ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that
you commanded your servant Moses, "If you are unfaithful, I will scatter
you among the peoples; but if you return to me and keep my commandments
and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will
gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have
chosen to establish my name." They are your servants and your people,
whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. O Lord, let
your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer
of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your
servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!'

At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.
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Revelation 5:11-6:11

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the
throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of
myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
'Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honour and glory and blessing!' 
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
'To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might
for ever and ever!' 
And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' And the elders fell down and
worshipped. 


Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the
four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, 'Come!'* I
looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was
given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.

 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call
out, 'Come!'* And out came* another horse, bright red; its rider was
permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter
one another; and he was given a great sword.

 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call
out, 'Come!'* I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a
pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the
midst of the four living creatures saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's
pay,* and three quarts of barley for a day's pay,* but do not damage the
olive oil and the wine!'

 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living
creature call out, 'Come!'* I looked and there was a pale green horse!
Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given
authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and
pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.

 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they
had given; they cried out with a loud voice, 'Sovereign Lord, holy and
true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the
inhabitants of the earth?' They were each given a white robe and told to
rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their
fellow-servants* and of their brothers and sisters,* who were soon to be
killed as they themselves had been killed.
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Matthew 13:18-23

'Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the
kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away
what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for
what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and
immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but
endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on
account of the word, that person immediately falls away.* As for what
was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares
of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields
nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who
hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in
one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 50

Psalm 50

The mighty one, God the Lord,
   speaks and summons the earth
   from the rising of the sun to its setting. 
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
   God shines forth. 


Our God comes and does not keep silence,
   before him is a devouring fire,
   and a mighty tempest all around him. 
He calls to the heavens above
   and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 
'Gather to me my faithful ones,
   who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!' 
The heavens declare his righteousness,
   for God himself is judge.
          Selah 


'Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
   O Israel, I will testify against you.
   I am God, your God. 
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
   your burnt-offerings are continually before me. 
I will not accept a bull from your house,
   or goats from your folds. 
For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
   the cattle on a thousand hills. 
I know all the birds of the air,*
   and all that moves in the field is mine. 


'If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
   for the world and all that is in it is mine. 
Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
   or drink the blood of goats? 
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,*
   and pay your vows to the Most High. 
Call on me in the day of trouble;
   I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.' 


But to the wicked God says:
   'What right have you to recite my statutes,
   or take my covenant on your lips? 
For you hate discipline,
   and you cast my words behind you. 
You make friends with a thief when you see one,
   and you keep company with adulterers. 


'You give your mouth free rein for evil,
   and your tongue frames deceit. 
You sit and speak against your kin;
   you slander your own mother's child. 
These things you have done and I have been silent;
   you thought that I was one just like yourself.
But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you. 


'Mark this, then, you who forget God,
   or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver. 
Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honour me;
   to those who go the right way*
   I will show the salvation of God.'
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 103

Psalm 103

Xxx

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