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10 March 2012
Leadership- Extracted from Matthew, Chapter 20:
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with her sons to make a request of him (Jesus), and bowed low;
21 and he (Jesus) said to her, 'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.'
22 Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.'
23 He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.'
24 When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt.
26 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave,
28 just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.' |
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Fatherly Advice - extracted from The Proverbs, Chapter 4:
1 Listen, my children, to a father's instruction; pay attention, and learn what understanding is.
2 What I am offering you is sound doctrine: do not forsake my teaching.
3 I too was once a child with a father, in my mother's eyes a tender child, unique.
4 This was what he used to teach me, 'Let your heart treasure what I have to say, keep my principles and you will live;
5 acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, never forget her, never deviate from my words.
6 Do not desert her, she will keep you safe; love her, she will watch over you.
7 The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding!
8 Hold her close, and she will make you great; embrace her, and she will be your pride;
9 she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honour on you.'
10 Listen, my child, take my words to heart, and the years of your life will be multiplied.
11 I have educated you in the ways of wisdom, I have guided you along the path of honesty.
12 When you walk, your going will be unhindered, if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.
14 Do not follow the path of the wicked, do not walk the way that the evil go.
15 Avoid it, do not take it, turn your back on it, pass it by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have first done wrong, they miss their sleep if they have not made someone stumble;
17 for the bread of wickedness is what they eat, and the wine of violence is what they drink.
18 The path of the upright is like the light of dawn, its brightness growing to the fullness of day;
19 the way of the wicked is as dark as night, they cannot tell the obstacles they stumble over.
20 My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen carefully to my words;
21 do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all humanity.
23 More than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life.
24 Turn your back on the mouth that misleads, keep your distance from lips that deceive.
25 Let your eyes be fixed ahead, your gaze be straight before you.
26 Let the path you tread be level and all your ways be firm.
27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot clear of evil. |
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Promised Blessings -Extracted from Leviticus, Chapter 26:
3 "If you live according to my laws, if you keep my commandments and put them into practice,
4 I shall give you the rain you need at the right time; the soil will yield its produce and the trees of the countryside their fruit;
5 you will thresh until vintage time and gather grapes until sowing time. You will eat your fill of bread and live secure in your land.
6 "I shall give peace in the land, and you will go to sleep with no one to frighten you. I shall rid the land of beasts of prey. The sword will not pass through your land.
7 You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before your sword;
8 Five (5) of you pursuing a hundred (100) of them, one hundred (100) pursuing ten thousand (10,000); and your enemies will fall before your sword.
9 "I shall turn towards you, I shall make you fertile and make your numbers grow, and I shall uphold my covenant with you.
10 "Having eaten all you need of last year's harvest, you will throw out the old to make room for the new.
11 "I shall fix my home among you and never reject you.
12 I shall live among you; I shall be your God and you will be my people,
13 I, Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you should be their slaves no longer, and who broke the bonds of your yoke and made you walk with head held high.
Hymn of praise to Yahweh the King - Extracted from Psalm 145
1 [Hymn of Praise Of David] I shall praise you to the heights, God my King, I shall bless your name for ever and ever.
2 Day after day I shall bless you, I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise, his greatness beyond all reckoning.
4 Each age will praise your deeds to the next, proclaiming your mighty works.
5 Your renown is the splendor of your glory, I will ponder the story of your wonders.
6 They will speak of your awesome power, and I shall recount your greatness.
7 They will bring out the memory of your great generosity, and joyfully acclaim your saving justice.
8 Yahweh is tenderness and pity, slow to anger, full of faithful love.
9 Yahweh is generous to all, his tenderness embraces all his creatures.
10 All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might,
12 making known your mighty deeds to the children of Adam, the glory and majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age. Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds.
14 Yahweh supports all who stumble, lifts up those who are bowed down.
15 All look to you in hope and you feed them with the food of the season.
16 And, with generous hand, you satisfy the desires of every living creature.
17 Upright in all that he does, Yahweh acts only in faithful love.
18 He is close to all who call upon him, all who call on him from the heart.
19 He fulfills the desires of all who fear him, he hears their cry and he saves them.
20 Yahweh guards all who love him, but all the wicked he destroys.
21 My mouth shall always praise Yahweh, let every creature bless his holy name for ever and ever.
10 March 2012
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