2 Kings 18:9-25
In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it, and at the end of three years, took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken. The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but transgressed his covenant-- all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed. In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. King Hezekiah of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear." The king of Assyria demanded of King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Fuller's Field. When they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. But if you say to me, 'We rely on the LORD our God,' is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem'? Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it."
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth-- as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Matthew 7:13-21
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Morning Psalms
Psalm 101 Misericordiam et judicium
1 I will sing of mercy and justice; to you, O LORD, will I sing praises.
2 I will strive to follow a blameless course; oh, when will you come to me? I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the doers of evil deeds; they shall not remain with me.
4 A crooked heart shall be far from me; I will not know evil.
5 Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.
6 My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.
7 Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.
8 I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the LORD.
Psalm 109 Deus, laudem
1 Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.
2 They speak to me with a lying tongue; they encompass me with hateful words and fight against me without a cause.
3 Despite my love, they accuse me; but as for me, I pray for them.
4 They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love.
5 Set a wicked man against him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
6 When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his appeal be in vain.
7 Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
8 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
9 Let his children be waifs and beggars; let them be driven from the ruins of their homes.
10 Let the creditor seize everything he has; let strangers plunder his gains.
11 Let there be no one to show him kindness, and none to pity his fatherless children.
12 Let his descendants be destroyed, and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and his mother's sin not be blotted out;
14 Let their sin be always before the LORD; but let him root out their names from the earth;
15 Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy and sought to kill the brokenhearted.
16 He loved cursing, let it come upon him; he took no delight in blessing, let it depart from him.
17 He put on cursing like a garment, let it soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil;
18 Let it be to him like the cloak which he wraps around himself, and like the belt that he wears continually.
19 Let this be the recompense from the LORD to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against me.
20 But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your Name; for your tender mercy's sake, deliver me.
21 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
22 I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
23 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.
24 I have become a reproach to them; they see and shake their heads.
25 Help me, O LORD my God; save me for your mercy's sake.
26 Let them know that this is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.
27 They may curse, but you will bless; let those who rise up against me be put to shame, and your servant will rejoice.
28 Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
29 I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth; in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;
30 Because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save his life from those who would condemn him.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 119: Ayin Feci judicium
121 I have done what is just and right; do not deliver me to my oppressors.
122 Be surety for your servant's good; let not the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes have failed from watching for your salvation and for your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your loving-kindness and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; grant me understanding, that I may know your decrees.
126 It is time for you to act, O LORD, for they have broken your law.
127 Truly, I love your commandments more than gold and precious stones.
128 I hold all your commandments to be right for me; all paths of falsehood I abhor.
Psalm 119: Pe Mirabilia
129 Your decrees are wonderful; therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130 When your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant; I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me in mercy, as you always do to those who love your Name.
133 Steady my footsteps in your word; let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Rescue me from those who oppress me, and I will keep your commandments.
135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.
Psalm 119: Sadhe Justus es, Domine
137 You are righteous, O LORD, and upright are your judgments.
138 You have issued your decrees with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139 My indignation has consumed me, because my enemies forget your words.
140 Your word has been tested to the uttermost, and your servant holds it dear.
141 I am small and of little account, yet I do not forget your commandments.
142 Your justice is an everlasting justice and your law is the truth.
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, yet your commandments are my delight.
144 The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; grant me understanding, that I may live.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
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