19 JUN 2015 · PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 R. (see 18b) From all their distress God rescues the just. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. R. From all their distress God rescues the just. Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. R. From all their distress God rescues the just. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

14 JUN 2015 · Ez 17:22-24 Thus says the Lord GOD: I, too, will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain; on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom. As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.

1 FEB 2015 · Mark 4:35-41 35 With the coming of evening that same day, he said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' 36 And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. 37 Then it began to blow a great gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. 39 They woke him and said to him, 'Master, do you not care? We are lost!' And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and there followed a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?' 41 They were overcome with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'

31 JAN 2015 · Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75 69 and he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David, 70 just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, 71 that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all those who hate us, 72 and show faithful love to our ancestors, and so keep in mind his holy covenant. 73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, 74 that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies, 75 to serve him in holiness and uprightness in his presence, all our days.

31 JAN 2015 · Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 1 Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen. 2 It is for their faith that our ancestors are acknowledged. 8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as though it were not his, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 He looked forward to the well-founded city, designed and built by God. 11 It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise was faithful to it. 12 Because of this, there came from one man, and one who already had the mark of death on him, descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore which cannot be counted. 13 All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. 14 People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of a homeland. 15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have had the opportunity to return to it; 16 but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them. 17 It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though he had yet to receive what had been promised, 18 and he had been told: Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on. 19 He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

31 JAN 2015 · Mark 4:26-34 26 He also said, 'This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the land. 27 Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. 28 Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the crop is ready, at once he starts to reap because the harvest has come.' 30 He also said, 'What can we say that the kingdom is like? What parable can we find for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, at the time of its sowing, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth. 32 Yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.' 33 Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. 34 He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were by themselves.

30 JAN 2015 · Psalms 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40 3 Put your trust in Yahweh and do right, make your home in the land and live secure. 4 Make Yahweh your joy and he will give you your heart's desires. 5 Commit your destiny to Yahweh, be confident in him, and he will act, 6 making your uprightness clear as daylight, and the justice of your cause as the noon. 5 Commit your destiny to Yahweh, be confident in him, and he will act, 6 making your uprightness clear as daylight, and the justice of your cause as the noon. 23 Yahweh guides a strong man's steps and keeps them firm; and takes pleasure in him. 24 When he trips he is not thrown sprawling, since Yahweh supports him by the hand. 39 The upright have Yahweh for their Saviour, their refuge in times of trouble; 40 Yahweh helps them and rescues them, he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them because they take refuge in him.

30 JAN 2015 · Hebrews 10:32-39 32 Remember the great challenge of the sufferings that you had to meet after you received the light, in earlier days; 33 sometimes by being yourselves publicly exposed to humiliations and violence, and sometimes as associates of others who were treated in the same way. 34 For you not only shared in the sufferings of those who were in prison, but you accepted with joy being stripped of your belongings, knowing that you owned something that was better and lasting. 35 Do not lose your fearlessness now, then, since the reward is so great. 36 You will need perseverance if you are to do God's will and gain what he has promised. 37 Only a little while now, a very little while, for come he certainly will before too long. 38 My upright person will live through faith but if he draws back, my soul will take no pleasure in him. 39 We are not the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it; we are the sort who keep faith until our souls are saved.

30 JAN 2015 · Mark 4:21-25 21 He also said to them, 'Is a lamp brought in to be put under a tub or under the bed? Surely to be put on the lamp-stand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. 23 Anyone who has ears for listening should listen!' 24 He also said to them, 'Take notice of what you are hearing. The standard you use will be used for you -- and you will receive more besides; 25 anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he has.'

29 JAN 2015 · Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 1 [Psalm Of David] To Yahweh belong the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live there; 2 it is he who laid its foundations on the seas, on the flowing waters fixed it firm. 3 Who shall go up to the mountain of Yahweh? Who shall take a stand in his holy place? 4 The clean of hands and pure of heart, whose heart is not set on vanities, who does not swear an oath in order to deceive. 5 Such a one will receive blessing from Yahweh, saving justice from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the people that seeks him, that seeks your presence, God of Jacob.Pause