Wednesday 20 October 2010 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

 Wednesday 20 October 2010 
DAILY LECTIONARY
 
Email Evangelism, forward to a friend: http://www.dailylectionary.org
 
******************************************************************
Ecclesiasticus 7:4-14
 
Do not seek from the Lord high office,
   or the seat of honour from the king.
Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord,
   or display your wisdom before the king.
Do not seek to become a judge,
   or you may be unable to root out injustice;
you may be partial to the powerful,
   and so mar your integrity.
Commit no offence against the public,
   and do not disgrace yourself among the people.
 
 
Do not commit a sin twice;
   not even for one will you go unpunished.
Do not say, ‘He will consider the great number of my gifts,
   and when I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.’
Do not grow weary when you pray;
   do not neglect to give alms.
Do not ridicule a person who is embittered in spirit,
   for there is One who humbles and exalts.
Do not devise* a lie against your brother,
   or do the same to a friend.
Refuse to utter any lie,
   for it is a habit that results in no good.
Do not babble in the assembly of the elders,
   and do not repeat yourself when you pray.
******************************************************************
Revelation 8:1-13
 
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
 
 Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them.
 
 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
 
 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
 
 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it was made bitter.
 
 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise the night.
 
 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew in mid-heaven, ‘Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!’
******************************************************************
Luke 10:17-24
 
The seventy* returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’
 At that same hour Jesus* rejoiced in the Holy Spirit* and said, ‘I thank* you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.* All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
 
 Then turning to the disciples, Jesus* said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’
******************************************************************
Morning Psalms: Psalm 38
 
Psalm 38
 
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
   or discipline me in your wrath.
For your arrows have sunk into me,
   and your hand has come down on me.
 
 
There is no soundness in my flesh
   because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
   because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
   they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.
 
 
My wounds grow foul and fester
   because of my foolishness;
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
   all day long I go around mourning.
For my loins are filled with burning,
   and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am utterly spent and crushed;
   I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
 
 
O Lord, all my longing is known to you;
   my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
   as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
   and my neighbours stand far off.
 
 
Those who seek my life lay their snares;
   those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,
   and meditate treachery all day long.
 
 
But I am like the deaf, I do not hear;
   like the mute, who cannot speak.
Truly, I am like one who does not hear,
   and in whose mouth is no retort.
 
 
But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;
   it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
For I pray, ‘Only do not let them rejoice over me,
   those who boast against me when my foot slips.’
 
 
For I am ready to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me.
I confess my iniquity;
   I am sorry for my sin.
Those who are my foes without cause* are mighty,
   and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
Those who render me evil for good
   are my adversaries because I follow after good.
 
 
Do not forsake me, O Lord;
   O my God, do not be far from me;
make haste to help me,
   O Lord, my salvation.
******************************************************************
Evening Psalms: Psalm 119:25-48
 
Psalm 119:25-48
 
My soul clings to the dust;
   revive me according to your word.
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
   teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
   and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;
   strengthen me according to your word.
Put false ways far from me;
   and graciously teach me your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
   I set your ordinances before me.
I cling to your decrees, O Lord;
   let me not be put to shame.
I run the way of your commandments,
   for you enlarge my understanding.
 
 
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
   and I will observe it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
   and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
   for I delight in it.
Turn my heart to your decrees,
   and not to selfish gain.
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
   give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise,
   which is for those who fear you.
Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
   for your ordinances are good.
See, I have longed for your precepts;
   in your righteousness give me life.
 
 
Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
   your salvation according to your promise.
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
   for I trust in your word.
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
   for my hope is in your ordinances.
I will keep your law continually,
   for ever and ever.
I shall walk at liberty,
   for I have sought your precepts.
I will also speak of your decrees before kings,
   and shall not be put to shame;
I find my delight in your commandments,
   because I love them.
I revere your commandments, which I love,
   and I will meditate on your statutes.
******************************************************************
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://dailylectionary.org/pipermail/dailylectionary_dailylectionary.org/attachments/20101019/ec01ba31/attachment.html>