If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... 1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept 2 There on the poplars 3 for there our captors asked us for songs, 4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD 5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, 6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth 7 Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did 8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, 9 Happy are those who seize your infants 27 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD. 29 "In those days people will no longer say, 30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge. 31 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, 32 It will not be like the covenant 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel 34 No longer will they teach their neighbors, 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not think you are superior: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way [a] all Israel will be saved. As it is written: 27 And this is [b] my covenant with them 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now [d] receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and [e] knowledge of God! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? 35 "Who has ever given to God, 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 "Where have you laid him?" he asked. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said. 40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 137 TNIV
His love endures forever.
when we remembered Zion.
we hung our harps,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
while in a foreign land?
may my right hand forget its skill.
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.
on the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear it down," they cried,
"tear it down to its foundations!"
happy are those who repay you
according to what you have done to us.
and dash them against the rocks.Jeremiah 31:27-34 TNIV
'The parents have eaten sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to [a] them, [b]"
declares the LORD.
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."Romans 11:25-36 TNIV
All Israel Will Be Saved
"The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
when I take away their sins." [c] Doxology
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
Or who has been his counselor?" [f]
that God should repay them?" [g]
To him be the glory forever! Amen.John 11:28-44 TNIV
"Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
Friday, March 30, 2007
Lent Readings: Saturday 31 March
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Lent Readings: Friday 30 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... [a] 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; 4 In you our ancestors put their trust; 5 They cried to you and were saved; 6 But I am a worm, not a human being; 7 All who see me mock me; 8 "He trusts in the LORD," they say, 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; 10 From birth I was cast on you; 11 Do not be far from me, 12 Many bulls surround me; 13 Roaring lions that tear their prey 14 I am poured out like water, 15 My mouth [d] is dried up like a potsherd, 16 Dogs surround me, 17 All my bones are on display; 18 They divide my clothes among them 19 But you, LORD, do not be far from me. 20 Deliver me from the sword, 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; 22 I will declare your name to my people; 23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! 24 For he has not despised or scorned 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; 27 All the ends of the earth 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; 30 Posterity will serve him; 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, 1 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin [a] and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans and the other skilled workers had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said: 4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." 8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD. 10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." 8 "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light. 10 It is when people walk at night that they stumble, for they have no light." 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." 12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus [a]) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles [b] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 22 TNIV
For the director of music. To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
by night, but I find no rest. [b]
you are the praise [c] of Israel.
they trusted and you delivered them.
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
I am scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
"let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."
you made me feel secure on my mother's breast.
from my mother's womb you have been my God.
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
open their mouths wide against me.
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me [e] in the dust of death.
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce [f] my hands and my feet.
people stare and gloat over me.
and cast lots for my garment.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
in the assembly I will praise you.
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him,
all you descendants of Israel!
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
before those who fear you [g] I will fulfill my vows.
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
and he rules over the nations.
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
future generations will be told about the Lord.
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!Jeremiah 29:1-13 TNIV
A Letter to the Exiles
Romans 11:13-24 TNIV
John 11:1-27 TNIV
The Death of Lazarus
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
Lent Readings: Thursday 29 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... 1 My heart is not proud, LORD, 2 But I have calmed myself 3 Israel, put your hope in the LORD 1 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD: 2 "This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD's house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse [a] among all the nations of the earth.' " 7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, "You must die! 9 Why do you prophesy in the LORD's name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?" And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. 10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the LORD and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD's house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!" 12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. 13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing." 16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God." 1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me" [a]? 4 And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." [b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. 7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written: 9 And David says: 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, 11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! 19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" 21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" 22 Then came the Festival of Dedication [a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all [b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." 31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods" ' [c]? 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed 41 and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true." 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 131 TNIV
A song of ascents. Of David.
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
and quieted my ambitions.
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.
both now and forevermore.Jeremiah 26:1-16 TNIV
Jeremiah Threatened With Death
Romans 11:1-12 TNIV
The Remnant of Israel
"God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,
to this very day." [c]
"May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
and their backs be bent forever." [d] Ingrafted Branches
John 10:19-42 TNIV
Further Conflict Over Jesus' Claims
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
It's not that noisy at 8848m
Or is it? I dunno. 2 My help comes from the LORD, 3 He will not let your foot slip— 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel 5 The LORD watches over you— 6 the sun will not harm you by day, 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
Michael Dunjey is leaving on a jet plane tomorrow morning to climb Mount Everest. That's all.
I'm planning to see my mate, quasi-brother-in-law, fellow 9CC-er and avowed cacophonist off on a journey that is planned to be punctuated by a moment at the top of the world (looking down on creation). I'm trusting that the years of running coaching come in handy...probably on the way down. No matter how much they plaster him over the TV, he'll always be 'Scunge-belly' to me.
You can track his progress on this website when you feel the mood takes.
For the moment though, a song for the ascendant:
We're praying for you big guy. Be bold and courageous!Psalm 121 (A song of ascents)
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
the Maker of heaven and earth.
he who watches over you will not slumber;
will neither slumber nor sleep.
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
nor the moon by night.
he will watch over your life;
both now and forevermore.
Top 5: Current Obsessions
Obsession: A compulsive, often unreasonable idea or emotion.
I love finding out what people are obsessed with, especially if it’s unreasonable. Not if it’s writing-my-name-in-lipstick-on-their-mirror unreasonable, but the curious, the unorthodox, the idiosyncratic are good. So tell me — what lights your fire, licks your lollipop, bakes your goose? Here are my current top five:
1. Pretty paper — All shapes, sizes, textures, colours.
2. Making cupcakes — I love getting all fifties in the kitchen and producing a piping-hot platter of these puppies.
3. Tweezers — it’s hard for me to describe the thrill that the excavation and extraction of an ingrown hair brings. It’s like a hard day’s work on an archaeological site.
4. Online stores — I like to see my family when I get home from work, but my favourite kind of greeting is the brown paper package with my name on it variety, and the knowledge that it came from somewhere I haven’t been yet.
5. Journalling — Recording both the frequent mundane and infrequent profound on paper helps to clear up some space upstairs. And I won’t deny that looking through pages filled with words — my words — is deeply satisfying in a narcissistic way.
Just for the record, I don’t normally combine these obsessions, so if you find some ingrown hairs in your cupcakes, they’re not mine.
I am looking into the future and I see.......
Men, on motorcycles....
Finding excuses to leave wives and babies together at home discussing curtains or something, they will pursue adventure on the open road astride mighty and noisy steeds, wind in hair, exploring areas distal to Perth that may play host to commendable coffee and cuisine. These men are very good looking, friends, lovers of the Lord, united in a silent understanding of the bond between man and machine, rubber and road, taste buds and coffee. They venture far and wide, New Norcia, Busselton, Beverley, any where a winding road may take them inside the hours allotted to them by their wives and family.
As the sun sets, may they return, the release of horse power having instilled a refreshed sense of joy and fellowship. The pizza sizzles on the hot stone, the bottle of wine is de-corked, the adventure stories will be shared, wives may roll eyes and sigh, but men smile big happy smiles because they have freedom, they have liberty, they have motorcycles, and they have licenses!!!
A challenge to the willing: Assemble a gang, a posse, a collection of like-minded colleagues, rebels without a clue, and together we will ride for common good if and when we can all afford it. My Cacophony brothers: I have perceived the desires of your heart for the desires of mine are the same, and where motorcycles are concerned it is a blessed thing. Grace and disturbance of the peace to you all.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Lent Readings: Wednesday 28 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... 1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, 2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine 4 Yes, this will be the blessing 5 May the LORD bless you from Zion; 6 May you live to see your children's children— 30 "Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: 31 The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, 32 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 33 At that time those slain by the LORD will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like dung lying on the ground. 34 Weep and wail, you shepherds; 35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, 36 Hear the cry of the shepherds, 37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste 38 Like a lion he will leave his lair, 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" [a] 16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" [b] 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, 20 And Isaiah boldly says, 21 But concerning Israel he says, 1 "Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. [a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 128 TNIV
A song of ascents.
who walk in obedience to him.
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
for the man who fears the LORD.
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
peace be on Israel.Jeremiah 25:30-38 TNIV
" 'The LORD will roar from on high;
he will thunder from his holy dwelling
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
for the LORD will bring charges against the nations;
he will bring judgment on all humankind
and put the wicked to the sword,' "
declares the LORD.
"Look! Disaster is spreading
from nation to nation;
a mighty storm is rising
from the ends of the earth."
roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered has come;
you will fall like the best of the rams. [a]
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the LORD is destroying their pasture.
because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
and their land will become desolate
because of the sword [b] of the oppressor
and because of the LORD's fierce anger. Romans 10:14-21 TNIV
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world." [c]
"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding." [d]
"I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." [e]
"All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people." [f]John 10:1-18 TNIV
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
Buechner on Vocation
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet –– Frederick Buechner
Thoughts?
Monday, March 26, 2007
Lent Readings: Tuesday 27 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... [a] 1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; 2 Turn your ear to me, 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, 8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy 9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; 10 My life is consumed by anguish 11 Because of all my enemies, 12 I am forgotten as though I were dead; 13 For I hear many whispering, 14 But I trust in you, LORD; 15 My times are in your hands; 16 Let your face shine on your servant; 17 Let me not be put to shame, LORD, 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, 19 How great is your goodness, 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them 21 Praise be to the LORD, 22 In my alarm I said, 23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people! 24 Be strong and take heart, 1 After Jehoiachin [a] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the artisans and the other skilled workers of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. 2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten. 3 Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" 4 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5 "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. [b] 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. 8 " 'But like the bad figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. 9 I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse [c] and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them. 10 I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.' " 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " [a] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse? 22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: 26 and, 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 28 For the Lord will carry out 29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: 1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. 10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked. 11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." 17 Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 31 TNIV
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
for you are my refuge.
redeem me, LORD, my faithful God.
as for me, I trust in the LORD.
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction, [b]
and my bones grow weak.
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
I have become like broken pottery.
"Terror on every side!"
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
I say, "You are my God."
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
save me in your unfailing love.
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of all
on those who take refuge in you.
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
all you who hope in the LORD.Jeremiah 24:1-10 TNIV
Two Baskets of Figs
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten." Romans 9:19-33 TNIV
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people;
and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," [b]
"In the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'children of the living God.' " [c]
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
his sentence on earth with speed and finality." [d]
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah." [e] Israel's Unbelief
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." [fJohn 9:1-17 TNIV
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
"I don't know," he said. The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
But others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" So they were divided.
The man replied, "He is a prophet."
Anti-Lent Peruvian style
Ok, so you called for it a few posts back, and I've been lazy and have had little blogging in weeks gone by. But on Monday night we found a place worthy of some Anti-Lent action....
Just back from the intersection of Avenida Angamos and Caminos de Los Incas over towards Monterrico/Surco sort of area (just incase you're ever in the neighbourhood) is the funkiest little Thai restaurant this side of the Nazca Lines. Polished concrete floors with dark wood paneled walls, white leather seats, orange lamps, brown floor cushions for those who don't mind getting low to the ground when they eat, exquisite table decorations, food presentation to blow the mind, this place was hot. We joined our missionary friends Jordan and Vaness (from Noo Yorwk, Noo Yorwk Ceedy), and Nick and Kristin (from Michigan, somewhere in the mid west where the settlers on the way to the the goldrush in California got tired and stopped in the middle of the country and planted corn or something) for a Thai nosh up that tops any Thai restaurant I've experienced so far.
Warm chicken and mango Thai sushi with sweet dips, red beef curry, green chicken curry, sweet chicken and prawn rice, Thai vegetables, every dish a party in our collective mouths! Next time you are in Lima check out Restaurante Siam Thai.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Lent Readings: Monday 26 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... [a] 1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; 2 Turn your ear to me, 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, 8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy 9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; 10 My life is consumed by anguish 11 Because of all my enemies, 12 I am forgotten as though I were dead; 13 For I hear many whispering, 14 But I trust in you, LORD; 15 My times are in your hands; 16 Let your face shine on your servant; 17 Let me not be put to shame, LORD, 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, 19 How great is your goodness, 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them 21 Praise be to the LORD, 22 In my alarm I said, 23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people! 24 Be strong and take heart, 1 After Jehoiachin [a] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the artisans and the other skilled workers of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. 2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten. 3 Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" 4 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5 "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. [b] 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. 8 " 'But like the bad figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. 9 I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse [c] and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them. 10 I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.' " 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " [a] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse? 22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: 26 and, 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 28 For the Lord will carry out 29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: 1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. 10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked. 11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." 17 Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 31 TNIV
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
for you are my refuge.
redeem me, LORD, my faithful God.
as for me, I trust in the LORD.
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction, [b]
and my bones grow weak.
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
I have become like broken pottery.
"Terror on every side!"
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
I say, "You are my God."
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
save me in your unfailing love.
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of all
on those who take refuge in you.
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
all you who hope in the LORD.Jeremiah 24:1-10 TNIV
Two Baskets of Figs
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten." Romans 9:19-33 TNIV
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people;
and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," [b]
"In the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'children of the living God.' " [c]
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
his sentence on earth with speed and finality." [d]
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah." [e] Israel's Unbelief
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." [f]John 9:1-17 TNIV
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
"I don't know," he said. The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
But others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" So they were divided.
The man replied, "He is a prophet."
Lent Readings: Sunday 25 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 2 Let Israel say: 3 Let the house of Aaron say: 4 Let those who fear the LORD say: 5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. 7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD 10 All the nations surrounded me, 11 They surrounded me on every side, 12 They swarmed around me like bees, 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, 14 The LORD is my strength and my defense [a]; 15 Shouts of joy and victory 16 The LORD's right hand is lifted high; 17 I will not die but live, 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; 20 This is the gate of the LORD 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; 22 The stone the builders rejected 23 the LORD has done this, 24 The LORD has done it this very day; 25 LORD, save us! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, 28 You are my God, and I will praise you; 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, 18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD 19 See, the storm of the LORD 20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back 21 I did not send these prophets, 22 But if they had stood in my council, 23 "Am I only a God nearby," 24 Who can hide in secret places 25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. 28 Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. 29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? 30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD. 19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life [a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? 37 Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? 38 If any of you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." 1 And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."
LEAVING DESPAIR FOR HOPE...Psalm 118 TNIV
his love endures forever.
"His love endures forever."
"His love endures forever."
"His love endures forever."
he brought me into a spacious place.
What can human beings do to me?
I look in triumph on my enemies.
than to trust in human beings.
than to trust in princes.
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
but the LORD helped me.
he has become my salvation.
resound in the tents of the righteous:
"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!
the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
but he has not given me over to death.
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
through which the righteous may enter.
you have become my salvation.
has become the cornerstone;
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
let us rejoice today and be glad.
LORD, grant us success!
From the house of the LORD we bless you. [b]
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up [c] to the horns of the altar.
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
his love endures forever.Jeremiah 23:16-32 TNIV
"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD.
'The LORD says: You will have peace.'
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, 'No harm will come to you.'
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.
declares the LORD,
"and not a God far away?
so that I cannot see them?"
declares the LORD.
"Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
declares the LORD. 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 TNIV
Paul's Use of His Freedom
The Need for Self-Discipline
Mark 8:31-9:1 TNIV
Jesus Predicts His Death
The Way of the Cross
Friday, March 23, 2007
Lent Readings: Saturday 24 March
If you've got no idea what this is all about, go here. If you're up for the ride, let's read... [a] 1 Hear my prayer, LORD; 2 Do not hide your face from me 3 For my days vanish like smoke; 4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; 5 In my distress I groan aloud 6 I am like a desert owl, 7 I lie awake; I have become 8 All day long my enemies taunt me; 9 For I eat ashes as my food 10 because of your great wrath, 11 My days are like the evening shadow; 12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; 13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, 14 For her stones are dear to your servants; 15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, 16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion 17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; 18 Let this be written for a future generation, 19 "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners 21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion 22 when the peoples and the kingdoms 23 In the course of my life [b] he broke my strength; 24 So I said: 25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, 26 They will perish, but you remain; 27 But you remain the same, 28 The children of your servants will live in your presence; 9 Concerning the prophets: 10 The land is full of adulterers; 11 "Both prophet and priest are godless; 12 "Therefore their path will become slippery; 13 "Among the prophets of Samaria 14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem 15 Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty says concerning the prophets: 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! [a] Amen. 6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." [b] 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." [c] 10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." [d] 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." [e] 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, 16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." [g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit [a] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them." 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
LEAVING ADDICTION FOR HEALING...Psalm 102 TNIV
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the L
let my cry for help come to you.
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
my bones burn like glowing embers.
I forget to eat my food.
and am reduced to skin and bones.
like an owl among the ruins.
like a bird alone on a roof.
those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
and mingle my drink with tears
for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
I wither away like grass.
your renown endures through all generations.
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come.
her very dust moves them to pity.
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
and appear in his glory.
he will not despise their plea.
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
from heaven he viewed the earth,
and release those condemned to death."
and his praise in Jerusalem
assemble to worship the LORD.
he cut short my days.
"Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
your years go on through all generations.
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.
and your years will never end.
their descendants will be established before you."Jeremiah 23:9-15 TNIV
Lying Prophets
My heart is broken within me;
all my bones tremble.
I am like a drunken man,
like one overcome by wine,
because of the LORD
and his holy words.
because of the curse [a] the land lies parched
and the pastures in the wilderness are withered.
The [prophets] follow an evil course
and use their power unjustly.
even in my temple I find their wickedness,"
declares the LORD.
they will be banished to darkness
and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
in the year they are punished,"
declares the LORD.
I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal
and led my people Israel astray.
I have seen something horrible:
They commit adultery and live a lie.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that none of them turn from their wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."
"I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land."Romans 9:1-18 TNIV
Paul's Anguish Over Israel
God's Sovereign Choice
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [f] John 6:60-71 TNIV
Many Disciples Desert Jesus