Word for today: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV
A Christian’s goal should be to create the Kingdom of God here on earth, as it is in Heaven. Not only, to get to Heaven.
Watch this to start your day.
To finish the Bible in one year, Read 2 Kings 19,20, & Matthew 9 : 27-34
Old Testament Reading for today
2 Kings 19
Hezekiah and Isaiah. 1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his garments, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. 2He sent Eliakim, the master of the palace, Shebnah the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to tell the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, 3“Thus says Hezekiah:A day of distress and rebuke,a day of disgrace is this day!
Children are due to come forth,but the strength to give birth is lacking.*4Perhaps the Lord, your God, will hear all the words of the commander, whom his lord, the king of Assyria, sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke him for the words which the Lord, your God, has heard. So lift up a prayer for the remnant that is here.” 5When the servants of King Hezekiah had come to Isaiah, 6he said to them, “Tell this to your lord: Thus says the Lord: Do not be frightened by the words you have heard, by which the deputies of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.a 7I am putting in him such a spirit that when he hears a report he will return to his land. I will make him fall by the sword in his land.” 8When the commander, on his return, heard that the king of Assyria had withdrawn from Lachish, he found him besieging Libnah. Sennacherib, Hezekiah, and Isaiah. 9The king of Assyria heard a report: “Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, has come out to fight against you.” Again he sent messengers to Hezekiah to say: 10“Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah: Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying, ‘Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.’ 11You, certainly, have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands: they put them under the ban! And are you to be rescued? 12b Did the gods of the nations whom my fathers destroyed deliver them—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, or the Edenites in Telassar? 13Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, or the kings of the cities Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?”
14Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; then he went up to the house of the Lord, and spreading it out before the Lord, 15Hezekiah prayed in the Lord’s presence: “Lord, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. It is you who made the heavens and the earth.c 16Incline your ear, Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, Lord, and see! Hear the words Sennacherib has sent to taunt the living God. 17Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands. 18They gave their gods to the fire—they were not gods at all, but the work of human hands—wood and stone, they destroyed them. 19Therefore, Lord, our God, save us from this man’s power, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”d
20Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you have prayed concerning Sennacherib, king of Assyria: I have listened! 21* This is the word the Lord has spoken concerning him:She despises you, laughs you to scorn,the virgin daughter Zion!Behind you she wags her head,daughter Jerusalem.22Whom have you insulted and blasphemed,at whom have you raised your voiceAnd lifted up your eyes on high?At the Holy One of Israel!23Through the mouths of your messengers you insulted the Lord when you said, ‘With my many chariots I went up to the tops of the peaks, to the recesses of Lebanon, To cut down its lofty cedars, its choice cypresses; I reached to the farthest shelter, the forest ranges. 24I myself dug wells and drank foreign waters, Drying up all the rivers of Egypt beneath the soles of my feet.’ 25“Have you not heard? A long time ago I prepared it, from days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it about: You are here to reduce fortified cities to heaps of ruins, 26Their people powerless, dismayed and distraught. They are plants of the field, green growth, thatch on the rooftops, Grain scorched by the east wind. 27I know when you stand or sit, when you come or goe and how you rage against me. 28Because you rage against me, and your smugness has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, And make you leave by the way you came. 29“This shall be a sign for you: This year you shall eat the aftergrowth, next year, what grows of itself; But in the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit! 30The remaining survivors of the house of Judah shall again strike root below and bear fruit above. 31For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant, and from Mount Zion, survivors. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. 32“Therefore, thus says the Lord about the king:
He shall not come as far as this city, nor shoot there an arrow, nor confront it with a shield, Nor cast up a siege-work against it. 33By the way he came he shall leave, never coming as far as this city,oracle of the Lord. 34I will shield and save this city for my own sake and the sake of David my servant.”f 35That night the angel of the Lord went forth and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. Early the next morning, there they were, dead, all those corpses!g 36So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp, departed, returned home, and stayed in Nineveh. 37When he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and fled into the land of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon reigned in his place.
2 Kings 20
End of Hezekiah’s Reign. 1a In those days, when Hezekiah was mortally ill, the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came and said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you shall not recover.” 2He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord: 3“Ah, Lord, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedly I conducted myself in your presence, doing what was good in your sight!” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4Before Isaiah had left the central courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him: 5Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father:
I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Now I am healing you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6I will add to your life fifteen years. I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; I will be a shield to this city for my own sake and the sake of David my servant.” 7Then Isaiah said, “Bring a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil for his recovery.” 8Hezekiah asked Isaiah, “What is the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9Isaiah replied, “This will be the sign for you from the Lord that he will carry out the word he has spoken: Shall the shadow go forward or back ten steps?” 10“It is easy for the shadow to advance ten steps,” Hezekiah answered. “Rather, let it go back ten steps.” 11So Isaiah the prophet invoked the Lord. He made the shadow go back the ten steps it had descended on the staircase to the terrace of Ahaz.
12At that time, Berodach-baladan,* son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah when he heard that he had been ill. 13Hezekiah listened to the envoys and then showed off his whole treasury: his silver, gold, spices and perfumed oil, his armory, and everything in his storerooms; there was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him: “What did these men say to you? Where did they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They came from a distant land, from Babylon.” 15He asked, “What did they see in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They saw everything in my house. There is nothing in my storerooms that I did not show them.” 16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah: “Hear the word of the Lord: 17The time is coming when all that is in your house, everything that your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried off to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 18Some of your own descendants, your offspring, your progeny, shall be taken and made attendants in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19Hezekiah replied to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and stability in my lifetime.”
20The rest of the acts of Hezekiah, with all his valor, and how he constructed the pool and conduit* and brought water into the city, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.b 21Hezekiah rested with his ancestors, and his son Manasseh succeeded him as king.
New Testament Read for today
Matthew 9: 27-34
The Healing of Two Blind Men.* 27j And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], crying out, “Son of David,* have pity on us!”k 28When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 29Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
The Healing of a Mute Person. 32l As they were going out,* a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, 33and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”m 34* But the Pharisees said,n “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
Listen to today’s Bible readings
The Message Bible – Eugene H. Peterson – In Contemporary Language Read today’s verses in this bible on line, if you like.
The Catholic Daily Reading ahttps://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings/2022-04-01nd homily, Listen, or Read it Here:
Acts 5:27-33
27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,28saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.30The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”33When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them.
Psalms 34:2, 9, 17-20
1I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.8O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!16The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.19Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Gospel
John 3:31-36
31He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all.32He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony;33he who receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for it is not by measure that he gives the Spirit;35the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.36He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
Additional Study Materials
Previous Daily Bible Study Blogs
Book of 2 Kings, Outline Summary, Outline Book of Matthew (we are studying these books presently)
Audio Drama: Old Testament New Testament Each book is read in its entirety. You can listen to the bible, one book at a time in contemporary English.
Dr. Myles Munroe
I am including a video by Dr. Myles Munroe, I’ve listened to him back in the nineties, and rediscovered him recently. Now his perspective seems to be a good way to also look at scripture. In Pursuit of Purpose – Book Highlights
Catholic Daily Reflections
The reflection prayer for today.
Lord of superabundance, I do want to let You do whatever You want in my life. I want to be fully immersed in Your grace. Help me to say “Yes” to You no matter what that leads to and help me to trust in this glorious “Yes” You are calling me to make. Jesus, I trust in You.
Sermons Rosary Prayers Catholic Answers
Catholic Answers 2021-11-27 – Christ’s Death
Are some prayers more efficacious than others? Dr. Anders debates this and other topics, including in vitro fertilization, praying for the dead and the role of Christ’s saving death in the salvation of people today.
Catholic Answers A long list of questions for Dr. Anders includes the inspiration for the Bible, Catholic teaching on infant baptism, how sin compromises people, freemasonry, renewing baptismal promises and obeying one’s conscience.
Catholic answers 2021-11-15 – Honoring Mary. Learn why Catholics honor Mary, as Dr. Anders answers questions on Our Lady as “full of grace,” the Immaculate Conception and her sinless life. Plus, praying the rosary and the Real Presence of Christ in Communion.
Rosary Mysteries
The following 4 videos are the 4 Mysteries that we pray on certain days of the week. I like these videos, because I can pray it alone, with only the images, or go along with the sound. The images help me to focus on the particular mystery that I am contemplating as I say the Hail Mary on each bead.
Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
Prayers of the Rosary
Links to “How to pray the rosary” Popular Catholic Prayers
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried,
He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
(this prayer is optional and may be said after all Glory Be to the Fathers…..)
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of thy mercy.
Console the souls in Purgatory, particularly those most abandoned. Amen
Hail Mary,
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
The Hail, Holy Queen
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
That we maybe made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Closing Prayer
O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation.
Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(The Fatima Prayer:)
Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – I adore thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference’s whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.
Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Thurzo Gizella Bible Study 
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