Word for today: It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Exodus 31:17 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.
To finish the Bible in one year, Read Psalms 45 to 49 and 2nd Corinthians 9
Old Testament Reading for today – Listen or read it for yourself:
Reflection for Today.
Also read the verses, if you like.
Psalm 45
1 [For the choirmaster Tune: ‘Lilies . . .’ Of the sons of Korah Poem Love song] My heart is stirred by a noble theme, I address my poem to the king, my tongue the pen of an expert scribe.
2 Of all men you are the most handsome, gracefulness is a dew upon your lips, for God has blessed you for ever.
3 Warrior, strap your sword at your side, in your majesty and splendour advance,
4 ride on in the cause of truth, gentleness and uprightness. Stretch the bowstring tight, lending terror to your right hand.
5 Your arrows are sharp, nations lie at your mercy, the king’s enemies lose heart.
6 Your throne is from God, for ever and ever, the sceptre of your kingship a sceptre of justice,
7 you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God, has anointed you with oil of gladness, as none of your rivals,
8 your robes all myrrh and aloes. From palaces of ivory, harps bring you joy,
9 in your retinue are daughters of kings, the consort at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, my daughter, attend to my words and hear; forget your own nation and your ancestral home,
11 then the king will fall in love with your beauty; he is your lord, bow down before him.
12 The daughter of Tyre will court your favour with gifts, and the richest of peoples
13 with jewels set in gold. Clothed
14 in brocade, the king’s daughter is led within to the king with the maidens of her retinue; her companions are brought to her,
15 they enter the king’s palace with joy and rejoicing.
16 Instead of your ancestors you will have sons; you will make them rulers over the whole world.
17 I will make your name endure from generation to generation, so nations will sing your praise for ever and ever.
Psalm 46
1 [For the choirmaster Of the sons of Korah For oboe Song] God is both refuge and strength for us, a help always ready in trouble;
2 so we shall not be afraid though the earth be in turmoil, though mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,
3 and its waters roar and seethe, and the mountains totter as it heaves. (Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.)
4 There is a river whose streams bring joy to God’s city, it sanctifies the dwelling of the Most High.
5 God is in the city, it cannot fall; at break of day God comes to its rescue.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are tumbling, when he raises his voice the earth crumbles away.
7 Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.
8 Come, consider the wonders of Yahweh, the astounding deeds he has done on the earth;
9 he puts an end to wars over the whole wide world, he breaks the bow, he snaps the spear, shields he burns in the fire.
10 ‘Be still and acknowledge that I am God, supreme over nations, supreme over the world.’
11 Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.
Psalm 47
1 [For the choirmaster Of the sons of Korah Psalm] Clap your hands, all peoples, acclaim God with shouts of joy.
2 For Yahweh, the Most High, is glorious, the great king over all the earth.
3 He brings peoples under our yoke and nations under our feet.
4 He chooses for us our birthright, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5 God goes up to shouts of acclaim, Yahweh to a fanfare on the ram’s horn.
6 Let the music sound for our God, let it sound, let the music sound for our king, let it sound.
7 For he is king of the whole world; learn the music, let it sound for God!
8 God reigns over the nations, seated on his holy throne.
9 The leaders of the nations rally to the people of the God of Abraham. The shields of the earth belong to God, who is exalted on high.
Psalm 48
1 [Song Psalm Of the sons of Korah] Great is Yahweh and most worthy of praise in the city of our God, the holy mountain,
2 towering in beauty, the joy of the whole world: Mount Zion in the heart of the north, the settlement of the great king;
3 God himself among its palaces has proved himself its bulwark.
4 For look, kings made alliance, together they advanced;
5 without a second glance, when they saw, they panicked and fled away.
6 Trembling seized them on the spot, pains like those of a woman in labour;
7 it was the east wind, that wrecker of ships from Tarshish.
8 What we had heard we saw for ourselves in the city of our God, in the city of Yahweh Sabaoth, which God has established for ever.
9 We reflect on your faithful love, God, in your temple!
10 Both your name and your praise, God, are over the whole wide world. Your right hand is full of saving justice,
11 Mount Zion rejoices, the daughters of Judah delight because of your saving justice.
12 Go round Zion, walk right through her, count her bastions,
13 admire her walls, examine her palaces, to tell future generations
14 that such is God; our God for ever and ever, he is our guide!
Psalm 49
1 [For the choirmaster Of the sons of Korah Psalm] Hear this, all nations, listen, all who dwell on earth,
2 people high and low, rich and poor alike!
3 My lips have wisdom to utter, my heart good sense to whisper.
4 I listen carefully to a proverb, I set my riddle to the music of the harp.
5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble? Malice dogs me and hems me in.
6 They trust in their wealth, and boast of the profusion of their riches.
7 But no one can ever redeem himself or pay his own ransom to God,
8 the price for himself is too high; it can never be
9 that he will live on for ever and avoid the sight of the abyss.
10 For he will see the wise also die no less than the fool and the brute, and leave their wealth behind for others.
11 For ever no home but their tombs, their dwelling-place age after age, though they gave their name to whole territories.
12 In prosperity people lose their good sense, they become no better than dumb animals.
13 So they go on in their self-assurance, right up to the end they are content with their lot.
14 They are penned in Sheol like sheep, Death will lead them to pasture, and those who are honest will rule over them. In the morning all trace of them will be gone, Sheol will be their home.
15 But my soul God will ransom from the clutches of Sheol, and will snatch me up.
16 Do not be overawed when someone gets rich, and lives in ever greater splendour;
17 when he dies he will take nothing with him, his wealth will not go down with him.
18 Though he pampered himself while he lived — and people praise you for looking after yourself-
19 he will go to join the ranks of his ancestors, who will never again see the light.
20 In prosperity people lose their good sense, they become no better than dumb animals.
2nd Corinthians 9
1 About the help to God’s holy people, there is really no need for me to write to you;
2 for I am well aware of your enthusiasm, and I have been boasting of it to the Macedonians that ‘Achaia has been ready for a year’; your enthusiasm has been a spur to many others.
3 All the same, I have sent the brothers, to make sure that our boast about you may not prove hollow in this respect and that you may be ready, as I said you would be;
4 so that if by chance some of the Macedonians came with me and found you unprepared we — to say nothing of yourselves — would not be put to shame by our confidence in you.
5 So I have thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go to you ahead of us and make sure in advance of the gift that you have already promised, so that it is all at hand as a real gift and not an imposition.
6 But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well — and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well.
7 Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work.
9 As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.
10 The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one:
11 you will be rich enough in every way for every kind of generosity that makes people thank God for what we have done.
12 For the help provided by this contribution not only satisfies the needs of God’s holy people, but also overflows into widespread thanksgiving to God;
13 because when you have proved your quality by this help, they will give glory to God for the obedience which you show in professing the gospel of Christ, as well as for the generosity of your fellowship towards them and towards all.
14 At the same time, their prayer for you will express the affection they feel for you because of the unbounded grace God has given you.
15 Thanks be to God for his gift that is beyond all telling!
Sermons by various people regarding the above verses.
Reading 1, Deuteronomy 30:10-14
10 if you obey the voice of Yahweh your God, by keeping his commandments and decrees written in the book of this Law, and if you return to Yahweh your God with all your heart and soul.
11 ‘For this Law which I am laying down for you today is neither obscure for you nor beyond your reach.
12 It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we can hear and practise it?”
13 Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we can hear and practise it?”
14 No, the word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to put into practice.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
14 Rescue me from the mire before I sink in; so I shall be saved from those who hate me, from the watery depths.
17 do not turn away from your servant, be quick to answer me, for I am in trouble.
30 I will praise God’s name in song, I will extol him by thanksgiving,
31 for this will please Yahweh more than an ox, than a bullock horned and hoofed.
33 For God listens to the poor, he has never scorned his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth and seas, and all that stirs in them, acclaim him!
36 the descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.
Gospel, Luke 10:25-37
25 And now a lawyer stood up and, to test him, asked, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
26 He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What is your reading of it?’
27 He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’
28 Jesus said to him, ‘You have answered right, do this and life is yours.’
29 But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
30 In answer Jesus said, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of bandits; they stripped him, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead.
31 Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
32 In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan traveller who came on him was moved with compassion when he saw him.
34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him onto his own mount and took him to an inn and looked after him.
35 Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper and said, “Look after him, and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.”
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the bandits’ hands?’
37 He replied, ‘The one who showed pity towards him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’
Reading 2, Colossians 1:15-20
15 He is the image of the unseen God, the first-born of all creation,
16 for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible, thrones, ruling forces, sovereignties, powers — all things were created through him and for him.
17 He exists before all things and in him all things hold together,
18 and he is the Head of the Body, that is, the Church. He is the Beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that he should be supreme in every way;
19 because God wanted all fullness to be found in him
20 and through him to reconcile all things to him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, by making peace through his death on the cross.
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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