Tuesday 2 October 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Note: Sorry for the delay.

Tuesday 2 October 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Chronicles 29:1-3,30:1-27

Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; he reigned
for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah
daughter of Zechariah. 2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord,
just as his ancestor David had done. 
The Temple Cleansed3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month,
he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 
The Great Passover30Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah, and
wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the
house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord the God
of Israel. 2For the king and his officials and all the assembly in
Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the passover in the second month
3(for they could not keep it at its proper time because the priests had
not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people
assembled in Jerusalem). 4The plan seemed right to the king and all the
assembly. 5So they decreed the making of a proclamation throughout all
Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the
passover to the Lord the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not
kept it in great numbers as prescribed. 6So couriers went throughout all
Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, as the
king had commanded, saying, 'O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may turn again to the
remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7Do not be like your ancestors and your kindred, who were faithless to
the Lord God of their ancestors, so that he made them a desolation, as
you see. 8Do not now be stiff-necked as your ancestors were, but yield
yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has
sanctified for ever, and serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce
anger may turn away from you. 9For as you return to the Lord, your
kindred and your children will find compassion with their captors, and
return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and
will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.' 
10 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim
and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and
mocked them. 11Only a few from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled
themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12The hand of God was also on Judah to
give them one heart to do what the king and the officials commanded by
the word of the Lord. 
13 Many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the festival of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very large assembly. 14They set
to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the
altars for offering incense they took away and threw into the Wadi
Kidron. 15They slaughtered the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of
the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and they
sanctified themselves and brought burnt-offerings into the house of the
Lord. 16They took their accustomed posts according to the law of Moses
the man of God; the priests dashed the blood that they received* from
the hands of the Levites. 17For there were many in the assembly who had
not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had to slaughter the
passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to make it holy to the
Lord. 18For a multitude of the people, many of them from Ephraim,
Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they
ate the passover otherwise than as prescribed. But Hezekiah prayed for
them, saying, 'The good Lord pardon all 19who set their hearts to seek
God, the Lord the God of their ancestors, even though not in accordance
with the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.' 20The Lord heard Hezekiah, and
healed the people. 21The people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem
kept the festival of unleavened bread for seven days with great
gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day,
accompanied by loud instruments for the Lord. 22Hezekiah spoke
encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of
the Lord. So the people ate the food of the festival for seven days,
sacrificing offerings of well-being and giving thanks to the Lord the
God of their ancestors. 
23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the festival for
another seven days; so they kept it for another seven days with
gladness. 24For King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly a thousand
bulls and seven thousand sheep for offerings, and the officials gave the
assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. The priests sanctified
themselves in great numbers. 25The whole assembly of Judah, the priests
and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the
resident aliens who came out of the land of Israel, and the resident
aliens who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26There was great joy in Jerusalem,
for since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel there had been
nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27Then the priests and the Levites stood
up and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; their prayer came
to his holy dwelling in heaven.
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1 Corinthians 7:32-40

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about
the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; 33but the married man
is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, 34and
his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are
anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body
and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the
world, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not
to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered
devotion to the Lord. 
36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly towards his
fiancée,* if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry
as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. 37But if someone stands firm
in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under
control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancée,*
he will do well. 38So then, he who marries his fiancée* does well; and
he who refrains from marriage will do better. 
39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband
dies,* she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But
in my judgement she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I
think that I too have the Spirit of God. 
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Matthew 7:1-12

'Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2For with the judgement
you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the
measure you get. 3Why do you see the speck in your neighbour's* eye, but
do not notice the log in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your
neighbour,* "Let me take the speck out of your eye", while the log is in
your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour's*
eye. 
Profaning the Holy6 'Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw
your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn
and maul you. 
Ask, Search, Knock7 'Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you
will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8For everyone who
asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who
knocks, the door will be opened. 9Is there anyone among you who, if your
child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10Or if the child asks for a
fish, will give a snake? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven
give good things to those who ask him! 
The Golden Rule12 'In everything do to others as you would have them do
to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 97, 99, 100

Psalm 97

The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
   let the many coastlands be glad! 
2Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
   righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 
3Fire goes before him,
   and consumes his adversaries on every side. 
4His lightnings light up the world;
   the earth sees and trembles. 
5The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
   before the Lord of all the earth. 


6The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
   and all the peoples behold his glory. 
7All worshippers of images are put to shame,
   those who make their boast in worthless idols;
   all gods bow down before him. 
8Zion hears and is glad,
   and the towns* of Judah rejoice,
   because of your judgements, O God. 
9For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
   you are exalted far above all gods. 


10The Lord loves those who hate* evil;
   he guards the lives of his faithful;
   he rescues them from the hand of the wicked. 
11Light dawns* for the righteous,
   and joy for the upright in heart. 
12Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
   and give thanks to his holy name!



Psalm 99

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!
   He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 
2The Lord is great in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the peoples. 
3Let them praise your great and awesome name.
   Holy is he! 
4Mighty King,* lover of justice,
   you have established equity;
you have executed justice
   and righteousness in Jacob. 
5Extol the Lord our God;
   worship at his footstool.
   Holy is he! 


6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
   Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
   They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. 
7He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
   they kept his decrees,
   and the statutes that he gave them. 


8O Lord our God, you answered them;
   you were a forgiving God to them,
   but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 
9Extol the Lord our God,
   and worship at his holy mountain;
   for the Lord our God is holy.



Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 
2   Worship the Lord with gladness;
   come into his presence with singing. 


3Know that the Lord is God.
   It is he that made us, and we are his;*
   we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 


4Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
   and his courts with praise.
   Give thanks to him, bless his name. 


5For the Lord is good;
   his steadfast love endures for ever,
   and his faithfulness to all generations.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 94, 95

Psalm 94

O Lord, you God of vengeance,
   you God of vengeance, shine forth! 
2Rise up, O judge of the earth;
   give to the proud what they deserve! 
3O Lord, how long shall the wicked,
   how long shall the wicked exult? 


4They pour out their arrogant words;
   all the evildoers boast. 
5They crush your people, O Lord,
   and afflict your heritage. 
6They kill the widow and the stranger,
   they murder the orphan, 
7and they say, 'The Lord does not see;
   the God of Jacob does not perceive.' 


8Understand, O dullest of the people;
   fools, when will you be wise? 
9He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see? 
10He who disciplines the nations,
he who teaches knowledge to humankind,
   does he not chastise? 
11The Lord knows our thoughts,*
   that they are but an empty breath. 


12Happy are those whom you discipline, O Lord,
   and whom you teach out of your law, 
13giving them respite from days of trouble,
   until a pit is dug for the wicked. 
14For the Lord will not forsake his people;
   he will not abandon his heritage; 
15for justice will return to the righteous,
   and all the upright in heart will follow it. 


16Who rises up for me against the wicked?
   Who stands up for me against evildoers? 
17If the Lord had not been my help,
   my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 
18When I thought, 'My foot is slipping',
   your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. 
19When the cares of my heart are many,
   your consolations cheer my soul. 
20Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
   those who contrive mischief by statute? 
21They band together against the life of the righteous,
   and condemn the innocent to death. 
22But the Lord has become my stronghold,
   and my God the rock of my refuge. 
23He will repay them for their iniquity
   and wipe them out for their wickedness;
   the Lord our God will wipe them out.



Psalm 95

O come, let us sing to the Lord;
   let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 
2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
   let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 
3For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods. 
4In his hand are the depths of the earth;
   the heights of the mountains are his also. 
5The sea is his, for he made it,
   and the dry land, which his hands have formed. 


6O come, let us worship and bow down,
   let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 
7For he is our God,
   and we are the people of his pasture,
   and the sheep of his hand. 


O that today you would listen to his voice! 
8   Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
   as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 
9when your ancestors tested me,
   and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 
10For forty years I loathed that generation
   and said, 'They are a people whose hearts go astray,
   and they do not regard my ways.' 
11Therefore in my anger I swore,
   'They shall not enter my rest.'
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