Tuesday, 29 Nissan 5784 / May 7, 2024
Day 493 Readings
Torah: Parshat Kedoshim, 3rd Portion Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:23-32
Leviticus 19:23-32
English Standard Version
23 “When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden.[a] Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. 24 And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the Lord your God.
26 “You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes. 27 You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
29 “Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity. 30 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
31 “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.
32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
BIBLE Study Together
Hosea 14
English Standard Version
A Plea to Return to the Lord
1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2 Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows[a] of our lips. 3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”
4 I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; 6 his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. 7 They shall return and dwell beneath my[b] shadow; they shall flourish like the grain;they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you.[c]I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit.
9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them;for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
2 Kings 17:3-23
English Standard Version
3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.
The Fall of Israel
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Exile Because of Idolatry
7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 9 And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, 12 and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings[a] and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them commit great sin. 22 The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, 23 until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.
Mark 14:66-72
English Standard Version
Peter Denies Jesus
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway[a] and the rooster crowed.[b] 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
ESV Readings
Scripture
Psalm 126
English Standard Version
Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Numbers 7
Isaiah 43
English Standard Version
Israel's Only Savior
1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! 9 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. 10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. 13 Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. 15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
22 “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! 23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. 24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.27 Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. 28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
Dear AVI,
Baruk Ata Adonai Melek HaOlam! HOLY ONE of Israel YOU are GOD Alone! Forgive me LORD that I am disappointed with everything that's happened with Stephen in spite of the WORD YOU gave me yesterday "Behold My servant whom I have chosen!" And here he was yesterday in our home, working on GIS when we normally never meet on Mondays. But we talked about my concerns freely but even though I promised not to be with him, I was there after the first hour that he was with Mom. And I was also able to extract that he thought his student was pretty like a celebrity but she was smart enough to be a lawyer. I thought he was really proud of her and with that I rest my case, I'm sorry GOD, what am I supposed to feel??? Tell me how I should feel??? Because YOU are my GOD, and I am YOUR Beloved, tell me how I should feel? No, not challenged but I feel that I cannot fight for this promise anymore. He doesn't like anything emotional and so he doesn't know how to be a friend, I have already decided that he is not the one for me, he is calloused in his heart and I need a man who can love me for who I am, please GOD send me YOUR chosen who can love me because he loves YOU. If I have to wait help me to wait but I already want to move on, because this pain is killing me. YOU love me GOD YOU love me, somebody else will love me like YOU love me. I pray help me to continue to wait on YOU, in spite of all that I am going through help me to wait and bring me more friends to love me. Thank YOU for Dave and his willingness to take care of the dogs that I love, please give him a heart for the dogs. Please give a smooth delivery for Sunshine and Cobea, how YOU hurt me when YOU give me more dogs because my family don't know how to let go. I ask YOU for new helpers that will stay with us longer that will love me and my family. I pray for clarity and for the release of everything that I hope in my heart that is not of YOU. Release of hoping for Stephen who doesn't even love YOU. I pray that today I will release him finally and that YOU will give me a new friend who I can fall in love with and be my husband. I pray maybe Prince will connect me to the right people. I pray O GOD for every worker to be obedient to us and respect us I really want to fire Enen today but I will wait for 5 months, July 25 should be long enough. No LORD I will not be dismayed, I will not fear because YOU My GOD have rescued me from every single trouble I have been in the past and YOU will redeem me, my broken and wrecked heart and all the hopes YOU have made me hope that has come to nothing, YOU will redeem me O GOD, YOU will redeem. I believe in YOU and I will always cling to YOU no matter how much YOU hurt me because I have No ONE else who loves me like YOU. Let me move on, I pray. Not with other men in my mind. Last night, I dreamt of Earl who wanted to be with me, all are lies, we kissed on the lips, all are lies. And I renounce that dream I had with Earl, he is not meant for me and I am not meant for him. Thank YOU LORD for YOU are about to do a NEW THING, and I will always look to ANOTHER NEW, ANOTHER NEW until this YOU will fulfill this NEW in my life. Fulfill YOUR Plans O GOD and send me the man who can be my friend, who is so amazing and smart and hardworking. Send me O GOD this NEW, I am not seeing anything spring forth but I still believe in YOUR WORD O GOD. I will keep waiting for YOU
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!
Isaiah 44
English Standard Version
Israel the Lord's Chosen
1 “But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!2 Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you:Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.4 They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’ another will call on the name of Jacob,and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.”
Philippians 3
English Standard Version
Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
1 Finally, my brothers,[a] rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[b] and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,[c] blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 4
English Standard Version
4 Therefore, my brothers,[a] whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
23:25
After Zumba, Orang Brutus and Cuarto Halo2x with Randy
Dear AVI,
Blessed are YOU O LORD My GOD to whom all praise and power belong! HOLY HOLY HOLY One of Israel, I envoke thee and thank thee for all the glorious blessings YOU have poured on me today. I pray O LORD that YOU will continue to fill my heart with Joy as I wait for YOUR most anticipated manifestation and fulfillment of YOUR promise. Keep me in perfect peace regardless of situation. I pray that YOU help Anacel be diligent in closing open cases and submitting all requirements to BIR Cebu so that we can transfer to Mandaue in the shortest time possible. I pray O GOD, have YOUR way in her, in me, and I pray that YOU will teach me to be a good and precise accountant as YOU allow me to enroll in UP Open University this coming semester. I pray O GOD that I will not only enjoy but really apply everything I study. I pray O GOD, have YOUR way in me and continue to prepare me to be wife of a good man YOU have chosen for me to marry, who will make me happy because of the GOD given love YOU have put in his heart for me. Thank YOU that being with Randy tonight gave me a new perspective and renewed hope that YOU O LORD have only the best for me and the best is yet to come. I still pray for the salvation of Stephen and that YOU will deal with him and move in his life in such a way that he cannot deny YOU but will accept YOUR invitation to follow YOU and walk in YOUR ways. I pray for the salvation of his family. I pray O GOD for my inlaws (whover they are) that they will not only accept me but embrace me as their own and I will forever feel the love of a new family who I can be happy to serve. I thank YOU AVI for YOUR grace upon me and the new helpers that YOU gave us tonight in exchange for the ones who left already. Toda Raba O GOD, let YOUR kingdom come, let YOUR will be done for YOURS is the glory, and the honor and the power forever and ever.
Ba HaShem YESHUA, HaMashiach Amen!