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Reading
January 3
First Lesson
Isaiah 64:4-12
4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor
perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside
thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
5 Thou
meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that
remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have
sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
6 But
we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.
7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth
up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from
us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and
thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for
ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem
a desolation.
11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised
thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are
laid waste.
12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou
hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?
QUESTIONS - Isaiah 64:4-12. Do I rejoice and work righteousness in my life? (V. 5) Do I agree with verse 6? How do the two verses square with one another? How can our righteousness be as filthy rags in the presence of God? Does that say more about God or man? RESOLVE.
Second Lesson
1 John 3:13-24
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We
know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that
no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his
life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure
our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his
sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the
name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave
us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and
he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit
which he hath given us.
QUESTIONS - 1 John 3:13-24. Have I embraced verses 14,15 and 18 in my life? What do I need to do more consistently in order to accomplish those things? RESOLVE.