Thursday 3 January 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

[info at dailylectionary.org]

Thursday 3 January 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

Email Evangelism, forward to a friend: http://www.dailylectionary.org

******************************************************************
1 Kings 19:9-18

At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'What are you doing here,
Elijah?' 10He answered, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God
of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down
your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left,
and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 
Elijah Meets God at Horeb11 He said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain
before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Now there was a
great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks
in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after
the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12and
after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after
the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped
his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the
cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, 'What are you doing
here, Elijah?' 14He answered, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord,
the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown
down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am
left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 15Then the Lord
said to him, 'Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when
you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16Also you shall
anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint
Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18Yet I will leave
seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and
every mouth that has not kissed him.'
******************************************************************
Ephesians 4:17-32

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. 18They are darkened
in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their
ignorance and hardness of heart. 19They have lost all sensitivity and
have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practise every
kind of impurity. 20That is not the way you learned Christ! 21For surely
you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus.
22You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self,
corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of
your minds, 24and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created
according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 
Rules for the New Life25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us
speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another.
26Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27and do not make room for the devil. 28Thieves 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. 29Let 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. 30And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the
day of redemption. 31Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and
anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32and be kind
to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ
has forgiven you.*
******************************************************************
John 6:15-27

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force
to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 
Jesus Walks on the Water16 When evening came, his disciples went down to
the lake, 17got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum.
It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The lake became
rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about
three or four miles,* they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near
the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, 'It is I;* do
not be afraid.' 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and
immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going. 
The Bread from Heaven22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the
other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They
also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but
that his disciples had gone away alone. 23Then some boats from Tiberias
came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had
given thanks.* 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his
disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to
Capernaum looking for Jesus. 
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him,
'Rabbi, when did you come here?' 26Jesus answered them, 'Very truly, I
tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because
you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that
perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son
of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his
seal.'
******************************************************************
Morning Psalms:  Psalm 68

Psalm 68

Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
   let those who hate him flee before him. 
2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
   as wax melts before the fire,
   let the wicked perish before God. 
3But let the righteous be joyful;
   let them exult before God;
   let them be jubilant with joy. 


4Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds*-
his name is the Lord-
   be exultant before him. 


5Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation. 
6God gives the desolate a home to live in;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious live in a parched land. 


7O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness,
          Selah 
8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
   at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 
9Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
   you restored your heritage when it languished; 
10your flock found a dwelling in it;
   in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 


11The Lord gives the command;
   great is the company of those* who bore the tidings: 
12   'The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!'
The women at home divide the spoil, 
13   though they stay among the sheepfolds-
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
   its pinions with green gold. 
14When the Almighty* scattered kings there,
   snow fell on Zalmon. 


15O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
   O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! 
16Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
   at the mount that God desired for his abode,
   where the Lord will reside for ever? 


17With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
   thousands upon thousands,
   the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.* 
18You ascended the high mount,
   leading captives in your train
   and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God's abiding there. 
19Blessed be the Lord,
   who daily bears us up;
   God is our salvation.
          Selah 
20Our God is a God of salvation,
   and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death. 


21But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
   the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways. 
22The Lord said,
   'I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 
23so that you may bathe* your feet in blood,
   so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.' 


24Your solemn processions are seen,* O God,
   the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary- 
25the singers in front, the musicians last,
   between them girls playing tambourines: 
26'Bless God in the great congregation,
   the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!' 
27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
   the princes of Judah in a body,
   the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 


28Summon your might, O God;
   show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before. 
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
   kings bear gifts to you. 
30Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
   the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample* under foot those who lust after tribute;
   scatter the peoples who delight in war.* 
31Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
   let Ethiopia* hasten to stretch out its hands to God. 


32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
   sing praises to the Lord,
          Selah 
33O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
   listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 
34Ascribe power to God,
   whose majesty is over Israel;
   and whose power is in the skies. 
35Awesome is God in his* sanctuary,
   the God of Israel;
   he gives power and strength to his people. 


Blessed be God!
******************************************************************
Evening Psalms:  Psalm 136

Psalm 136

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
2O give thanks to the God of gods,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
3O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


4who alone does great wonders,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
5who by understanding made the heavens,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
6who spread out the earth on the waters,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
7who made the great lights,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
8the sun to rule over the day,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
9the moon and stars to rule over the night,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


10who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
11and brought Israel out from among them,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
12with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
13who divided the Red Sea* in two,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
14and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,*
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
16who led his people through the wilderness,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
17who struck down great kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
18and killed famous kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
19Sihon, king of the Amorites,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
20and Og, king of Bashan,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
21and gave their land as a heritage,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
22a heritage to his servant Israel,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


23It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
24and rescued us from our foes,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
25who gives food to all flesh,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


26O give thanks to the God of heaven,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
******************************************************************