Thursday 20 May 2010<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><!--StartFragment-->
<p class="MsoNormal">DAILY LECTIONARY</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Email Evangelism, forward to a friend: http://www.dailylectionary.org</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Zechariah 4:1-14<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep. He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.’ I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ Then the angel who talked with me answered me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ He said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">‘These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.’ Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ And a second time I said to him, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which pour out the oil* through the two golden pipes?’ He said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Ephesians 4:17-32</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practise every kind of impurity. That is not the way you learned Christ! For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,* as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 9:1-8</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">And after getting into a boat he crossed the water and came to his own town.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And just then some people were carrying a paralysed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ Then some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he then said to the paralytic—‘Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.’ And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Morning Psalms: Psalm 105:1-22</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Psalm 105:1-22</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>make known his deeds among the peoples.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sing to him, sing praises to him;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>tell of all his wonderful works.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Glory in his holy name;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seek the Lord and his strength;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>seek his presence continually.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Remember the wonderful works he has done,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">O offspring of his servant Abraham,*</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>children of Jacob, his chosen ones.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">He is the Lord our God;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>his judgements are in all the earth.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He is mindful of his covenant for ever,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the covenant that he made with Abraham,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>his sworn promise to Isaac,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>to Israel as an everlasting covenant,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>as your portion for an inheritance.’</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When they were few in number,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>of little account, and strangers in it,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">wandering from nation to nation,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>from one kingdom to another people,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">he allowed no one to oppress them;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>he rebuked kings on their account,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>do my prophets no harm.’</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">When he summoned famine against the land,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and broke every staff of bread,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">he had sent a man ahead of them,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Joseph, who was sold as a slave.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His feet were hurt with fetters,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>his neck was put in a collar of iron;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">until what he had said came to pass,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>the word of the Lord kept testing him.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The king sent and released him;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>the ruler of the peoples set him free.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He made him lord of his house,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and ruler of all his possessions,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">to instruct* his officials at his pleasure,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and to teach his elders wisdom.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Evening Psalms: Psalm 105:23-45</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Psalm 105:23-45</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Then Israel came to Egypt;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And the Lord made his people very fruitful,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and made them stronger than their foes,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>to deal craftily with his servants.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">He sent his servant Moses,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and Aaron whom he had chosen.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They performed his signs among them,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and miracles in the land of Ham.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He sent darkness, and made the land dark;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>they rebelled* against his words.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He turned their waters into blood,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and caused their fish to die.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their land swarmed with frogs,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>even in the chambers of their kings.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and gnats throughout their country.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He gave them hail for rain,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and lightning that flashed through their land.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He struck their vines and fig trees,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and shattered the trees of their country.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He spoke, and the locusts came,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and young locusts without number;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">they devoured all the vegetation in their land,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and ate up the fruit of their ground.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He struck down all the firstborn in their land,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>the first issue of all their strength.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Then he brought Israel* out with silver and gold,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Egypt was glad when they departed,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>for dread of them had fallen upon it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He spread a cloud for a covering,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and fire to give light by night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They asked, and he brought quails,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and gave them food from heaven in abundance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He opened the rock, and water gushed out;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>it flowed through the desert like a river.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For he remembered his holy promise,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and Abraham, his servant.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">So he brought his people out with joy,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>his chosen ones with singing.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He gave them the lands of the nations,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">that they might keep his statutes</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and observe his laws.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Praise the Lord!</p>
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