Saturday 4 February 2023 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 4 February 2023
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Isaiah 57:3-13

But as for you, come here,
   you children of a sorceress,
   you offspring of an adulterer and a whore.* 
Whom are you mocking?
   Against whom do you open your mouth wide
   and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
   the offspring of deceit— 
you that burn with lust among the oaks,
   under every green tree;
you that slaughter your children in the valleys,
   under the clefts of the rocks? 
Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;
   they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink-offering,
   you have brought a grain-offering.
   Shall I be appeased for these things? 
Upon a high and lofty mountain
   you have set your bed,
   and there you went up to offer sacrifice. 
Behind the door and the doorpost
   you have set up your symbol;
for, in deserting me,* you have uncovered your bed,
   you have gone up to it,
   you have made it wide;
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,
   you have loved their bed,
   you have gazed on their nakedness.* 
You journeyed to Molech* with oil,
   and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away,
   and sent down even to Sheol. 
You grew weary from your many wanderings,
   but you did not say, ‘It is useless.’
You found your desire rekindled,
   and so you did not weaken. 

Whom did you dread and fear
   so that you lied,
and did not remember me
   or give me a thought?
Have I not kept silent and closed my eyes,*
   and so you do not fear me? 
I will concede your righteousness and your works,
   but they will not help you. 
When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
   The wind will carry them off,
   a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land
   and inherit my holy mountain.
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Galatians 5:25-6:10

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us
not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one
another.
My friends,* if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have
received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of
gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one
another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil* the law of
Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they
deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work,
rather than their neighbour’s work, will become a cause for pride.
For all must carry their own loads.

 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with
their teacher.

 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you
sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the
flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from
the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we
will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we
have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially
for those of the family of faith.
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Mark 9:14-29

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them,
and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they
were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.
He asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ Someone
from the crowd answered him, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son; he has
a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him,
it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes
rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not
do so.’ He answered them, ‘You faithless generation, how much
longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you?
Bring him to me.’ And they brought the boy* to him. When the spirit
saw him, immediately it threw the boy* into convulsions, and he fell
on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus* asked the
father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said,
‘From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the
water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity
on us and help us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you are able!—All
things can be done for the one who believes.’ Immediately the father
of the child cried out,* ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ When Jesus
saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit,
saying to it, ‘You spirit that keep this boy from speaking and
hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!’
After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy
was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But
Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to
stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him
privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them,
‘This kind can come out only through prayer.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 75.76

Psalm 75

We give thanks to you, O God;
   we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds. 

At the set time that I appoint
   I will judge with equity. 
When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
   it is I who keep its pillars steady.
          Selah 
I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast’,
   and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; 
do not lift up your horn on high,
   or speak with insolent neck.’ 

For not from the east or from the west
   and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; 
but it is God who executes judgement,
   putting down one and lifting up another. 
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
   with foaming wine, well mixed;
he will pour a draught from it,
   and all the wicked of the earth
   shall drain it down to the dregs. 
But I will rejoice* for ever;
   I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 

All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
   but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm 76

In Judah God is known,
   his name is great in Israel. 
His abode has been established in Salem,
   his dwelling-place in Zion. 
There he broke the flashing arrows,
   the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.
          Selah 

Glorious are you, more majestic
   than the everlasting mountains.* 
The stout-hearted were stripped of their spoil;
   they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
   was able to lift a hand. 
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
   both rider and horse lay stunned. 

But you indeed are awesome!
   Who can stand before you
   when once your anger is roused? 
>From the heavens you uttered judgement;
   the earth feared and was still 
when God rose up to establish judgement,
   to save all the oppressed of the earth.
          Selah 

Human wrath serves only to praise you,
   when you bind the last bit of your* wrath around you. 
Make vows to the Lord your God, and perform them;
   let all who are around him bring gifts
   to the one who is awesome, 
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
   who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 23, 27

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;* 
   he restores my soul.*
He leads me in right paths*
   for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,*
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows. 
Surely* goodness and mercy* shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
   whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold* of my life;
   of whom shall I be afraid? 

When evildoers assail me
   to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
   they shall stumble and fall. 

Though an army encamp against me,
   my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
   yet I will be confident. 

One thing I asked of the Lord,
   that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
   all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
   and to inquire in his temple. 

For he will hide me in his shelter
   in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
   he will set me high on a rock. 

Now my head is lifted up
   above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
   sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
   be gracious to me and answer me! 
‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’
   Your face, Lord, do I seek. 
   Do not hide your face from me. 

Do not turn your servant away in anger,
   you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
   O God of my salvation! 
If my father and mother forsake me,
   the Lord will take me up. 

Teach me your way, O Lord,
   and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies. 
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
   for false witnesses have risen against me,
   and they are breathing out violence. 

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
   in the land of the living. 
Wait for the Lord;
   be strong, and let your heart take courage;
   wait for the Lord!
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