15-Cheshvan 5994 / 30 October 2023
Day 303 Readings
Torah: Vayeira, 2nd Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 18:15-33
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. 17 And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 20 And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Bible Study Together
Judges 19
The Levites Concubine
This story made me say "Evil, there's so much evil" and Israel is suffering from this same evil from the Arabs but the Benjamites used to be as evil as the arabs were. I did not know whether it was better to die in such a way or live my life. Then GOD reminds me of my 2 grandmothers who suffered because they were unloved by their husbands and this made me cry because their husbands made them suffer but they fought for their children so that they could live better lives. The sacrifice of a mother is what makes women so powerful. It was better indeed to live a life of suffering than to die a death of suffering and torment. But I cried because the story made me feel that I am blessed to live my life, not suffering a gruelsome death like the Levite's concubine and not being unloved by an insensitive husband. Everybody wants to be loved but only few truly are loved when they are sought for and receive the love of JESUS, HE is a human's greatest love. I asked GOD this early morning at 3am:
ABBA, please love on me so hard as I go through this difficult time of my life, please send me a husband who would love me the way YOU would love me - sacrificing their lives, being the hero of their wives. Please help me not to expect too much from him but I pray that YOU would make me a wife that would exceed his expectations from what it's like to be loved by a wife. I know what I want for myself, I want to be loved, GOD because YOU love me, YOU sent JESUS to die for me, toda raba for what HE has done and now send me a man who would love me like JESUS would. Toda Raba O GOD for hearing even my simpliest cries. Any man GOD, any man with a great love on his heart for me this is the man YOU have chosen for me.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Stay Calm And Think On Him
We are given notice that this Psalm is a prayer by a person who has grown weak and pours his heart out unto the Lord. Notice the author does not wallow in pity and bemoans his circumstances. We do read that the distraught writer soon reflects on God's eternal purpose and being. This in turn generates a renewed sense of strength and hope springing up from a living hope for the future. Can we do the same when we have these moments of despair? When we do, let us reflect on His Being.
Prayer: Father, may we lift Your Name higher for You are worthy of song and worship. I acknowledge You as LORD over all. Please help me to keep my eyes and thoughts off my present troubles and focus on Your holiness and glory. You are greater than all my struggles and weary soul. In Your name, Amen.
Scripture
Lamentations 3
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for one to bear the yoke in youth, 28 to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it, 29 to put one’s mouth to the dust (there may yet be hope), 30 to give one’s cheek to the smiter, and be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not reject for ever. 32 Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.
34 When all the prisoners of the land are crushed under foot, 35 when human rights are perverted in the presence of the Most High, 36 when one’s case is subverted —does the Lord not see it?
37 Who can command and have it done, if the Lord has not ordained it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? 39 Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins?
40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord. 41 Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven. 42 We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven.
NKJV
55 I called on Your name, O Lord,From the lowest pit.56 You have heard my voice:“Do not hide Your earFrom my sighing, from my cry for help.”57 You drew near on the day I called on You,And said, “Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;You have redeemed my life.59 O Lord, You have seen [m]how I am wronged;Judge my case.60 You have seen all their vengeance,All their schemes against me.
61 You have heard their reproach, O Lord,All their schemes against me,62 The lips of my enemiesAnd their whispering against me all the day.63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up;I am their taunting song.
64 Repay them, O Lord,According to the work of their hands.65 Give them [n]a veiled heart;Your curse be upon them!66 In Your anger,Pursue and destroy themFrom under the heavens of the Lord.
Hebrews 1
God’s Final Word in His Son
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 [a]in these last days has spoken to us [b]in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the [c]world. 3 [d]And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and [e]upholds all things by [f]the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say,
“You are My Son,Today I have fathered You”?
And again,
“I will be a Father to Him And He will be a Son to Me”?
6 And [g]when He again brings the firstborn into [h]the world, He says,
“And let all the angels of God worship Him.”
7 And regarding the angels He says,
“He makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But regarding the Son He says,
“Your throne, God, is forever and ever, And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of [i]His kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;Therefore God, Your God, has anointed YouWith the oil of joy above Your companions.”
10 And,
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,And the heavens are the works of Your hands;11 They will perish, but You remain;And they all will [j]wear out like a garment,12 And like a robe You will roll them up;Like a garment they will also be changed.But You are the same,And Your years will not come to an end.”
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said,
“Sit at My right hand,Until I make Your enemiesA footstool for Your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Psalm 102
New King James Version
The Lord’s Eternal Love
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord,And let my cry come to You. 2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;Incline Your ear to me;In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3 For my days [a]are consumed like smoke,And my bones are burned like a hearth.4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass,So that I forget to eat my bread.5 Because of the sound of my groaningMy bones cling to my [b]skin.6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness;I am like an owl of the desert.7 I lie awake,And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
8 My enemies reproach me all day long;Those who deride me swear an oath against me. 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread,And mingled my drink with weeping, 10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;For You have lifted me up and cast me away. 11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens,And I wither away like grass.
12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;For the time to favor her,Yes, the set time, has come. 14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,And show favor to her dust. 15 So the [c]nations shall fear the name of the Lord,And all the kings of the earth Your glory. 16 For the Lord shall build up Zion;He shall appear in His glory. 17 He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,And shall not despise their prayer.
18 This will be written for the generation to come,That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.19 For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary;From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner,To release those appointed to death,21 To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,And His praise in Jerusalem,22 When the peoples are gathered together,And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
23 He weakened my strength in the way;He shortened my days.24 I said, “O my God,Do not take me away in the midst of my days;Your years are throughout all generations.25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,And the heavens are the work of Your hands.26 They will perish, but You will [d]endure;Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;Like a cloak You will change them,And they will be changed.27 But You are the same,And Your years will have no end. 28 The children of Your servants will continue,And their descendants will be established before You.”
Proverbs 26:21-22
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious person to kindle strife.
22 The words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the [a]innermost parts of the body.