Friday 16 May 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 16 May 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ezekiel 39:21-29

I will display my glory among the nations; and all the nations shall see
my judgement that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them.
The house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that
day forward. And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went
into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt treacherously with
me. So I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their
adversaries, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according
to their uncleanness and their transgressions, and hid my face from
them.

 Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Now I will restore the fortunes of
Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be
jealous for my holy name. They shall forget* their shame, and all the
treachery they have practised against me, when they live securely in
their land with no one to make them afraid, when I have brought them
back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies' lands, and
through them have displayed my holiness in the sight of many nations.
Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God because I sent them
into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own
land. I will leave none of them behind; and I will never again hide my
face from them, when I pour out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says
the Lord God.
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1 John 3:1-10

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children
of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we
will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he* is
revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who
have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no
sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him
or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does
what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who
commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from
the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy
the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin,
because God's seed abides in them;* they cannot sin, because they have
been born of God. The children of God and the children of the devil are
revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God,
nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.*
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Matthew 10:24-33

'A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it
is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like
the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how
much more will they malign those of his household!
 'So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be
uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to
you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered,
proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but
cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body
in hell.* Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them
will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs
of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value
than many sparrows.

 'Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will
acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before
others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 140, 142

Psalm 140

Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
   protect me from those who are violent, 
who plan evil things in their minds
   and stir up wars continually. 
They make their tongue sharp as a snake's,
   and under their lips is the venom of vipers.
          Selah 


Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
   protect me from the violent
   who have planned my downfall. 
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
   and with cords they have spread a net;*
   along the road they have set snares for me.
          Selah 


I say to the Lord, 'You are my God;
   give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.' 
O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
   you have covered my head in the day of battle. 
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
   do not further their evil plot.*
          Selah 


Those who surround me lift up their heads;*
   let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 
Let burning coals fall on them!
   Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise! 
Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
   let evil speedily hunt down the violent! 


I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
   and executes justice for the poor. 
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
   the upright shall live in your presence.


Psalm 142

With my voice I cry to the Lord;
   with my voice I make supplication to the Lord. 
I pour out my complaint before him;
   I tell my trouble before him. 
When my spirit is faint,
   you know my way. 


In the path where I walk
   they have hidden a trap for me. 
Look on my right hand and see-
   there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
   no one cares for me. 


I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, 'You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.' 
Give heed to my cry,
   for I am brought very low. 


Save me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me. 
Bring me out of prison,
   so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 141, 143:1-12

Psalm 141

I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
   give ear to my voice when I call to you. 
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 


Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
   keep watch over the door of my lips. 
Do not turn my heart to any evil,
   to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
   do not let me eat of their delicacies. 


Let the righteous strike me;
   let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,*
   for my prayer is continually* against their wicked deeds. 
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
   then they shall learn that my words were pleasant. 
Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
   so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.* 


But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
   in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless. 
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
   and from the snares of evildoers. 
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
   while I alone escape.


Psalm 143:1-12

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
   give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
   answer me in your righteousness. 
Do not enter into judgement with your servant,
   for no one living is righteous before you. 


For the enemy has pursued me,
   crushing my life to the ground,
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead. 
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
   my heart within me is appalled. 


I remember the days of old,
   I think about all your deeds,
   I meditate on the works of your hands. 
I stretch out my hands to you;
   my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
          Selah 


Answer me quickly, O Lord;
   my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
   or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 
Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul. 


Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
   I have fled to you for refuge.* 
Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
   on a level path. 


For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
   In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. 
In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
   and destroy all my adversaries,
   for I am your servant.
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