Here's some more of today's readings (Sun 18 Nov):
Luke 21: 5-19
Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, “As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!” So they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?” He said, “Watch out that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven. But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of my name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives."
2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12
For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.
Malachi 4: 1-2
“For indeed the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up,” says the Lord who rules over all. “It will not leave even a root or branch. But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall."
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Saturday, 17 November 2007
Today's Readings
Some more of the readings 4 2day (Sat 17 Nov):
Luke 18: 1-8 (Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow)
Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Wisdom 18: 14-16, 19: 6-9
For while all things were in quiet silence and night in the midst of her swift course your Almighty judgment sped from your royal throne in heaven, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, and brought your firm commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and standing on the earth, reached even to heaven.
...For the universe was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying your commandments, that your children might be kept without hurt. For a cloud overshadowed their camps; and where water was before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red Sea appeared a way without hindrance, and out of the violent stream a green field; through which all the nation passed while defended by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders. They fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had delivered them.
Luke 18: 1-8 (Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow)
Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Wisdom 18: 14-16, 19: 6-9
For while all things were in quiet silence and night in the midst of her swift course your Almighty judgment sped from your royal throne in heaven, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, and brought your firm commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and standing on the earth, reached even to heaven.
...For the universe was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying your commandments, that your children might be kept without hurt. For a cloud overshadowed their camps; and where water was before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red Sea appeared a way without hindrance, and out of the violent stream a green field; through which all the nation passed while defended by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders. They fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had delivered them.
Friday, 16 November 2007
Today's Readings
More of today's readings (Fri 16 Nov)
Luke 17: 26-37
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage – right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then the disciples said to him, “Where, Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.”
Wisdom 13: 1-9
But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know Him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the Workmaster; but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. Let them know how much better the Lord of these beautiful and delightful things is: for the first Author of beauty had created them. If men were astonished at the power and virtue of these things, let them understand how much mightier He is that made them. For by the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen and known. But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. But then again they are not to be pardoned. For if they were able to know so much that they could aim at the world, how did they not sooner find out the Lord who created it?
P.S. This reminds me of something I read about the difference between cats and dogs:
Dog- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: he must be God!
Cat- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: I must be God!
Aren't we human beings the same? Either we put Nature above us or under our feet (i.e. treat Nature as a god or consider ourselves possessing godly authority over Nature)
Luke 17: 26-37
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage – right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then the disciples said to him, “Where, Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.”
Wisdom 13: 1-9
But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know Him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the Workmaster; but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. Let them know how much better the Lord of these beautiful and delightful things is: for the first Author of beauty had created them. If men were astonished at the power and virtue of these things, let them understand how much mightier He is that made them. For by the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen and known. But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. But then again they are not to be pardoned. For if they were able to know so much that they could aim at the world, how did they not sooner find out the Lord who created it?
P.S. This reminds me of something I read about the difference between cats and dogs:
Dog- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: he must be God!
Cat- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: I must be God!
Aren't we human beings the same? Either we put Nature above us or under our feet (i.e. treat Nature as a god or consider ourselves possessing godly authority over Nature)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
