Friday 11 January 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 11 January 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Isaiah 55:3-9

Incline your ear, and come to me;
   listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
   my steadfast, sure love for David. 
4See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
   a leader and commander for the peoples. 
5See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
   and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
   for he has glorified you. 


6Seek the Lord while he may be found,
   call upon him while he is near; 
7let the wicked forsake their way,
   and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
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Colossians 3:1-17

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3for you have
died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is
your* life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in
glory. 
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6On
account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are
disobedient.* 7These are the ways you also once followed, when you were
living that life.* 8But now you must get rid of all such things-anger,
wrath, malice, slander, and abusive* language from your mouth. 9Do not
lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with
its practices 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is
being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11In
that renewal* there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all
and in all! 
12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one
another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each
other; just as the Lord* has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything
together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be
thankful. 16Let the word of Christ* dwell in you richly; teach and
admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts
sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.* 17And whatever you do,
in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him.
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John 14:6-14

Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know*
my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.' 
8 Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be
satisfied.' 9Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time,
Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the
Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"? 10Do you not believe that
I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you
I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his
works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but
if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very
truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works
that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am
going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that
the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me* for
anything, I will do it.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 148, 150

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights! 
2Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his host! 


3Praise him, sun and moon;
   praise him, all you shining stars! 
4Praise him, you highest heavens,
   and you waters above the heavens! 


5Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created. 
6He established them for ever and ever;
   he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.* 


7Praise the Lord from the earth,
   you sea monsters and all deeps, 
8fire and hail, snow and frost,
   stormy wind fulfilling his command! 


9Mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars! 
10Wild animals and all cattle,
   creeping things and flying birds! 


11Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth! 
12Young men and women alike,
   old and young together! 


13Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven. 
14He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!


Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
   praise him in his mighty firmament!* 
2Praise him for his mighty deeds;
   praise him according to his surpassing greatness! 


3Praise him with trumpet sound;
   praise him with lute and harp! 
4Praise him with tambourine and dance;
   praise him with strings and pipe! 
5Praise him with clanging cymbals;
   praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 
6Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 61, 62

Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God;
   listen to my prayer. 
2From the end of the earth I call to you,
   when my heart is faint. 


Lead me to the rock
   that is higher than I; 
3for you are my refuge,
   a strong tower against the enemy. 


4Let me abide in your tent for ever,
   find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
          Selah 
5For you, O God, have heard my vows;
   you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 


6Prolong the life of the king;
   may his years endure to all generations! 
7May he be enthroned for ever before God;
   appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him! 


8So I will always sing praises to your name,
   as I pay my vows day after day.


Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
   from him comes my salvation. 
2He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 


3How long will you assail a person,
   will you batter your victim, all of you,
   as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 
4Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
   They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
   but inwardly they curse.
          Selah 


5For God alone my soul waits in silence,
   for my hope is from him. 
6He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 
7On God rests my deliverance and my honour;
   my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 


8Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your heart before him;
   God is a refuge for us.
          Selah 


9Those of low estate are but a breath,
   those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
   they are together lighter than a breath. 
10Put no confidence in extortion,
   and set no vain hopes on robbery;
   if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 


11Once God has spoken;
   twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, 
12   and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
   according to their work.
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