Word for today: But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 1 Thesalonians 2:7 NIV
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.
To finish the Bible in one year, Read Psalms 31 to 35, and 2nd Corinthians 6 to 7:1
Old Testament Reading for today – Listen or read it for yourself:
Reflection for Today.
Also read the verses, if you like.
psalm 31
1 [For the choirmaster Psalm Of David] In you, Yahweh, I have taken refuge, let me never be put to shame, in your saving justice deliver me, rescue me,
2 turn your ear to me, make haste. Be for me a rock-fastness, a fortified citadel to save me.
3 You are my rock, my rampart; true to your name, lead me and guide me!
4 Draw me out of the net they have spread for me, for you are my refuge;
5 to your hands I commit my spirit, by you have I been redeemed. God of truth,
6 you hate those who serve useless idols; but my trust is in Yahweh:
7 I will delight and rejoice in your faithful love! You, who have seen my misery, and witnessed the miseries of my soul,
8 have not handed me over to the enemy, but have given me freedom to roam at large.
9 Take pity on me, Yahweh, for I am in trouble. Vexation is gnawing away my eyes, my soul deep within me.
10 For my life is worn out with sorrow, and my years with sighs. My strength gives way under my misery, and my bones are all wasted away.
11 The sheer number of my enemies makes me contemptible, loathsome to my neighbours, and my friends shrink from me in horror. When people see me in the street they take to their heels.
12 I have no more place in their hearts than a corpse, or something lost.
13 All I hear is slander — terror wherever I turn — as they plot together against me, scheming to take my life.
14 But my trust is in you, Yahweh; I say, ‘You are my God,’
15 every moment of my life is in your hands, rescue me from the clutches of my foes who pursue me;
16 let your face shine on your servant, save me in your faithful love.
17 I call on you, Yahweh, so let disgrace fall not on me, but on the wicked. Let them go down to Sheol in silence,
18 muzzles on their lying mouths, which speak arrogantly against the upright in pride and contempt.
19 Yahweh, what quantities of good things you have in store for those who fear you, and bestow on those who make you their refuge, for all humanity to see.
20 Safe in your presence you hide them, far from human plotting, shielding them in your tent, far from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be Yahweh who works for me miracles of his faithful love (in a fortified city)!
22 In a state of terror I cried, ‘I have been cut off from your sight!’ Yet you heard my plea for help when I cried out to you.
23 Love Yahweh, all his faithful: Yahweh protects his loyal servants, but he repays the arrogant with interest.
24 Be brave, take heart, all who put your hope in Yahweh.
psalm 32
1 [Of David Poem] How blessed are those whose offence is forgiven, whose sin blotted out.
2 How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt, whose spirit harbours no deceit.
3 I said not a word, but my bones wasted away from groaning all the day;
4 day and night your hand lay heavy upon me; my heart grew parched as stubble in summer drought.
5 I made my sin known to you, did not conceal my guilt. I said, ‘I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.’ And you, for your part, took away my guilt, forgave my sin.
6 That is why each of your faithful ones prays to you in time of distress. Even if great floods overflow, they will never reach your faithful.
7 You are a refuge for me, you guard me in trouble, with songs of deliverance you surround me.
8 I shall instruct you and teach you the way to go; I shall not take my eyes off you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule; that does not understand bridle or bit; if you advance to master them, there is no means of bringing them near.
10 Countless troubles are in store for the wicked, but one who trusts in Yahweh is enfolded in his faithful love.
11 Rejoice in Yahweh, exult all you upright, shout for joy, you honest of heart.
Psalm 33
1 Shout for joy, you upright; praise comes well from the honest.
2 Give thanks to Yahweh on the lyre, play for him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song, make sweet music for your cry of victory.
4 The word of Yahweh is straightforward, all he does springs from his constancy.
5 He loves uprightness and justice; the faithful love of Yahweh fills the earth.
6 By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, by the breath of his mouth all their array.
7 He collects the waters of the sea like a dam, he stores away the abyss in his treasure-house.
8 Let the whole earth fear Yahweh, let all who dwell in the world revere him;
9 for, the moment he spoke, it was so, no sooner had he commanded, than there it stood!
10 Yahweh thwarts the plans of nations, frustrates the counsels of peoples;
11 but Yahweh’s own plan stands firm for ever, his heart’s counsel from age to age.
12 How blessed the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people he has chosen as his heritage.
13 From heaven Yahweh looks down, he sees all the children of Adam,
14 from the place where he sits he watches all who dwell on the earth;
15 he alone moulds their hearts, he understands all they do.
16 A large army will not keep a king safe, nor his strength save a warrior’s life;
17 it is delusion to rely on a horse for safety, for all its power it cannot save.
18 But see how Yahweh watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his faithful love,
19 to rescue them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20 We are waiting for Yahweh; he is our help and our shield,
21 for in him our heart rejoices, in his holy name we trust.
22 Yahweh, let your faithful love rest on us, as our hope has rested in you.
Psalm 34
1 [Of David, when he had feigned insanity before Abimelech, and Abimelech sent him away] I will bless Yahweh at all times, his praise continually on my lips.
2 I will praise Yahweh from my heart; let the humble hear and rejoice.
3 Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh, let us acclaim his name together.
4 I seek Yahweh and he answers me, frees me from all my fears.
5 Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face will grow bright, you will never hang your head in shame.
6 A pauper calls out and Yahweh hears, saves him from all his troubles.
7 The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them.
8 Taste and see that Yahweh is good. How blessed are those who take refuge in him.
9 Fear Yahweh, you his holy ones; those who fear him lack for nothing.
10 Young lions may go needy and hungry, but those who seek Yahweh lack nothing good.
11 Come, my children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
12 Who among you delights in life, longs for time to enjoy prosperity?
13 Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from any breath of deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of Yahweh are on the upright, his ear turned to their cry.
16 But Yahweh’s face is set against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 They cry in anguish and Yahweh hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 Yahweh is near to the broken-hearted, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.
19 Though hardships without number beset the upright, Yahweh brings rescue from them all.
20 Yahweh takes care of all their bones, not one of them will be broken.
21 But to the wicked evil brings death, those who hate the upright will pay the penalty.
22 Yahweh ransoms the lives of those who serve him, and there will be no penalty for those who take refuge in him.
Psalm 35
1 [Of David] Accuse my accusers, Yahweh, attack my attackers.
2 Grasp your buckler and shield, up, and help me.
3 Brandish spear and pike to confront my pursuers, give me the assurance, ‘I am your Saviour.’
4 Shame and humiliation on those who are out to kill me! Defeat and repulse in dismay on those who plot my downfall.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of Yahweh to chase them.
6 May their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of Yahweh to hound them.
7 Unprovoked they laid their snare for me, unprovoked dug a trap to kill me.
8 Ruin comes upon them unawares; the snare they have laid will catch them, and into their own trap they will fall.
9 Then I shall delight in Yahweh, rejoice that he has saved me.
10 My very bones will all exclaim, Yahweh, who can compare with you in rescuing the poor from the oppressor; the needy from the exploiter?
11 False witnesses come forward against me asking me questions I cannot answer, they cross-examine me,
12 repay my kindness with cruelty, make my life barren.
13 But I, when they were ill, had worn sackcloth, and mortified myself with fasting, praying ever anew in my heart,
14 as if for a friend or brother; I had wandered restless, as if mourning a mother, so bowed had I been in sorrow.
15 When I stumble they gather in glee, gather around me; strangers I never even knew tear me apart incessantly.
16 If I fall they surround me, grinding their teeth at me.
17 How much longer, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their onslaughts, from young lions rescue the one life that I have.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly praise you where the people gather.
19 Let not my lying enemies gloat over me; those who hate me unprovoked look askance at me.
20 They have no greeting of peace to the peace-loving people of the land; they think up deceptive speeches.
21 Their mouths wide open to accuse me, they say, ‘Come on now, we saw you.’
22 You saw it, Yahweh, do not stay silent; Lord, do not stand aloof from me.
23 Up, awake, to my defence, my God and my Lord, to my cause.
24 In your saving justice give judgement for me, Yahweh my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, ‘Just as we hoped,’ nor, ‘Now we have swallowed him up.’
26 Shame and dismay on them all who gloat over my misfortunes. Let all who profit at my expense be covered with shame and disgrace.
27 But let all who delight in my uprightness shout for joy and gladness; let them constantly say, ‘Great is Yahweh, who delights to see his servant in peace.’
28 And my tongue shall recount your saving justice, all day long sing your praise.
2nd Corinthians 6 to 7:1
1 As his fellow-workers, we urge you not to let your acceptance of his grace come to nothing.
2 As he said, ‘At the time of my favour I have answered you; on the day of salvation I have helped you’; well, now is the real time of favour, now the day of salvation is here.
3 We avoid putting obstacles in anyone’s way, so that no blame may attach to our work of service;
4 but in everything we prove ourselves authentic servants of God; by resolute perseverance in times of hardships, difficulties and distress;
5 when we are flogged or sent to prison or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving;
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness; in the Holy Spirit, in a love free of affectation;
7 in the word of truth and in the power of God; by using the weapons of uprightness for attack and for defence:
8 in times of honour or disgrace, blame or praise; taken for impostors and yet we are genuine;
9 unknown and yet we are acknowledged; dying, and yet here we are, alive; scourged but not executed;
10 in pain yet always full of joy; poor and yet making many people rich; having nothing, and yet owning everything.
11 People of Corinth, we have spoken frankly and opened our heart to you.
12 Any distress you feel is not on our side; the distress is in your own selves.
13 In fair exchange — I speak as though to children of mine — you must open your hearts too.
14 Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common?
15 How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever?
16 The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are — the temple of the living God. We have God’s word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people.
17 Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and then I shall welcome you.
18 I shall be father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the almighty Lord.
Chapter 7:1
1 Since these promises have been made to us, my dear friends, we should wash ourselves clean of everything that pollutes either body or spirit, bringing our sanctification to completion in the fear of God.
Gospel, Matthew 10:7-15
7 And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.
9 Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with coppers for your purses,
10 with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the labourer deserves his keep.
11 ‘Whatever town or village you go into, seek out someone worthy and stay with him until you leave.
12 As you enter his house, salute it,
13 and if the house deserves it, may your peace come upon it; if it does not, may your peace come back to you.
14 And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet.
15 In truth I tell you, on the Day of Judgement it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Previous Daily Bible Study Blogs
Book of Psalms, Outline Summary, Outline Book of 2 Corinthians (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
Sermons Rosary Prayers Catholic Answers
Did Mary have other children? No, Listen here
Called to Communion
Pray the Rosary
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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