Wednesday 3 October 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 3 October 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Kings 18:9-25

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King
Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up
against Samaria, besieged it, 10and at the end of three years took it.
In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea
of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11The king of Assyria carried the
Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the
river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12because they did not
obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant-all
that Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded; they neither listened
nor obeyed. 
Sennacherib Invades Judah13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah,
King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of
Judah and captured them. 14King Hezekiah of Judah sent to the king of
Assyria at Lachish, saying, 'I have done wrong; withdraw from me;
whatever you impose on me I will bear.' The king of Assyria demanded of
King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty
talents of gold. 15Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in
the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house. 16At
that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the
Lord, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid,
and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17The king of Assyria sent the
Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish
to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When
they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool,
which is on the highway to the Fuller's Field. 18When they called for
the king, there came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in
charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph,
the recorder. 
19 The Rabshakeh said to them, 'Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great
king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours?
20Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom
do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? 21See, you are
relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the
hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who
rely on him. 22But if you say to me, "We rely on the Lord our God", is
it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to
Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar in
Jerusalem"? 23Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria:
I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set
riders on them. 24How then can you repulse a single captain among the
least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and
for horsemen? 25Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up
against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against
this land, and destroy it.'
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1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that 'all of us possess
knowledge.' Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2Anyone who claims
to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3but anyone
who loves God is known by him. 
4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that 'no
idol in the world really exists', and that 'there is no God but one.'
5Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on
earth-as in fact there are many gods and many lords- 6yet for us there
is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom
we exist. 
7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have
become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food
they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak,
is defiled. 8'Food will not bring us close to God.'* We are no worse off
if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9But take care that this
liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.
10For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of
an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged
to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11So by your knowledge
those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed.* 12But when you
thus sin against members of your family,* and wound their conscience
when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food is a cause
of their falling,* I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of
them* to fall. 
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Matthew 7:13-21

'Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is
easy* that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14For
the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there
are few who find it. 
A Tree and Its Fruit15 'Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them
by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree
bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree
bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down
and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will know them by their fruits. 
Concerning Self-Deception21 'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord",
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my
Father in heaven.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 101, 109:1-30

Psalm 101

I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
   to you, O Lord, I will sing. 
2I will study the way that is blameless.
   When shall I attain it? 


I will walk with integrity of heart
   within my house; 
3I will not set before my eyes
   anything that is base. 


I hate the work of those who fall away;
   it shall not cling to me. 
4Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
   I will know nothing of evil. 


5One who secretly slanders a neighbour
   I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart
   I will not tolerate. 


6I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,
   so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
   shall minister to me. 


7No one who practises deceit
   shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies
   shall continue in my presence. 


8Morning by morning I will destroy
   all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all evildoers
   from the city of the Lord.



Psalm 109:1-30

Do not be silent, O God of my praise. 
2For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
   speaking against me with lying tongues. 
3They beset me with words of hate,
   and attack me without cause. 
4In return for my love they accuse me,
   even while I make prayer for them.* 
5So they reward me evil for good,
   and hatred for my love. 


6They say,* 'Appoint a wicked man against him;
   let an accuser stand on his right. 
7When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
   let his prayer be counted as sin. 
8May his days be few;
   may another seize his position. 
9May his children be orphans,
   and his wife a widow. 
10May his children wander about and beg;
   may they be driven out of* the ruins they inhabit. 
11May the creditor seize all that he has;
   may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil. 
12May there be no one to do him a kindness,
   nor anyone to pity his orphaned children. 
13May his posterity be cut off;
   may his name be blotted out in the second generation. 
14May the iniquity of his father* be remembered before the Lord,
   and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. 
15Let them be before the Lord continually,
   and may his* memory be cut off from the earth. 
16For he did not remember to show kindness,
   but pursued the poor and needy
   and the broken-hearted to their death. 
17He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
   He did not like blessing; may it be far from him. 
18He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
   may it soak into his body like water,
   like oil into his bones. 
19May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
   like a belt that he wears every day.' 


20May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
   of those who speak evil against my life. 
21But you, O Lord my Lord,
   act on my behalf for your name's sake;
   because your steadfast love is good, deliver me. 
22For I am poor and needy,
   and my heart is pierced within me. 
23I am gone like a shadow at evening;
   I am shaken off like a locust. 
24My knees are weak through fasting;
   my body has become gaunt. 
25I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
   when they see me, they shake their heads. 


26Help me, O Lord my God!
   Save me according to your steadfast love. 
27Let them know that this is your hand;
   you, O Lord, have done it. 
28Let them curse, but you will bless.
   Let my assailants be put to shame;* may your servant be glad. 
29May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
   may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle. 
30With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
   I will praise him in the midst of the throng. 
31For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
   to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 119:121-144

Psalm 119:121-144

I have done what is just and right;
   do not leave me to my oppressors. 
122Guarantee your servant's well-being;
   do not let the godless oppress me. 
123My eyes fail from watching for your salvation,
   and for the fulfilment of your righteous promise. 
124Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
   and teach me your statutes. 
125I am your servant; give me understanding,
   so that I may know your decrees. 
126It is time for the Lord to act,
   for your law has been broken. 
127Truly I love your commandments
   more than gold, more than fine gold. 
128Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;*
   I hate every false way. 


129Your decrees are wonderful;
   therefore my soul keeps them. 
130The unfolding of your words gives light;
   it imparts understanding to the simple. 
131With open mouth I pant,
   because I long for your commandments. 
132Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   as is your custom towards those who love your name. 
133Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
   and never let iniquity have dominion over me. 
134Redeem me from human oppression,
   that I may keep your precepts. 
135Make your face shine upon your servant,
   and teach me your statutes. 
136My eyes shed streams of tears
   because your law is not kept. 


137You are righteous, O Lord,
   and your judgements are right. 
138You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
   and in all faithfulness. 
139My zeal consumes me
   because my foes forget your words. 
140Your promise is well tried,
   and your servant loves it. 
141I am small and despised,
   yet I do not forget your precepts. 
142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
   and your law is the truth. 
143Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
   but your commandments are my delight. 
144Your decrees are righteous for ever;
   give me understanding that I may live. 
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