Quotes and Readings of the Day

Hebrews 3:12-19

Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Note: Today's Gospel reading is John 2:1-12.

From the New Revised Standard Version. Reprinted with permission from HarperBibles.

TAGS: Bible, Bible Reading, Christian, Hebrews

Exodus 8:19-9:16

"'And I will make a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall come to pass.'" And the Lord did so. Heavy swarms of insects invaded Pharaoh's palace and the houses of his courtiers; throughout the country of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of insects.

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go and sacrifice to your God within the land." But Moses replied, "It would not be right to do this, for what we sacrifice to the Lord our God is untouchable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is untouchable to the Egyptians before their very eyes, will they not stone us! So we must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He may command us." Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; but do not go very far. Plead, then, for me." And Moses said, "When I leave your presence, I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of insects depart tomorrow from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people; but let not Pharaoh again act deceitfully, not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord."

So Moses left Pharaoh's presence and pleaded with the Lord. And the Lord did as Moses asked: He removed the swarms of insects from Pharaoh, from his courtiers, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go.

The Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me. For if you refuse to let them go, and continue to hold them, then the hand of the Lord will strike your livestock in the fields--the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep--with a very severe pestilence. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites. The Lord has fixed the time: tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.'" And the Lord did so the next day: all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not a beast died. When Pharaoh inquired, he found that not a head of the livestock of Israel had died; yet Pharaoh remained stubborn, and he would not let the people go.

Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Each of you take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt." So they took soot of the kiln and appeared before Pharaoh; Moses threw it toward the sky, and it caused an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast. The magicians were unable to confront Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation afflicted the magicians as well as all the other Egyptians. But the Lord stiffened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not heed them, just as the Lord had told Moses.

The Lord said to Moses, "Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me. For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world. I could have stretched forth My hand and stricken you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been effaced from the earth. Nevertheless I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My fame may resound throughout the world.'"

From Parshat Va'era. From THE TANAKH: The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text. Copyright 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. Used by permission.

TAGS: Torah, Torah Reading, Judaism, Exodus

When the stars are twinkling, an angel awaits your prayers.

-Kathryn Schein

From "Angels Around Us." Compiled by Karen Maguire. Reprinted by arrangement with Andrews McMeel Publishing.

TAGS: Angel Quote, Angels, Angel, Stars, Kathryn Schein

Every reality is eternal, every essence is as is: just don't seek outwardly. If you have a great root of faith, the buddhas are just states of your own experience; whether you are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, never is it not this.

-Hsuan-sha

From Teachings of Zen, edited by Thomas Clearly, © 1998. By arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston, www.shambhala.com.

TAGS: Buddhism, Buddhist Quote, Reality, Dont Seek, Essence, Eternal, Lying, Experience, Standing, Sitting

To me, once we get saved, we are all ambassadors for Christ; we are just disguised as other things.

-Jenny Boucek

TAGS: Entertainment Quote, Celebrities, Christian, Coach, Ambassadors, Celebrity Spirituality, Ambassadors F, Entertainment, Basketball, Saved, Christ

The Christian message is what sets Christian music apart. We've got hope, and we’ve got to be upfront about that hope.

-Rebecca St. James

TAGS: Bible, Christian Quote, Christianity

Instead of using products that pollute water sources, make your own eco-friendly window washing fluid with water and a few spoonfuls of vinegar.

TAGS: Eco Tips

Once a woman has forgiven a man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast.

-Marlene Dietrich

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Memory, Marlene Dietrich

The strength of a man’s virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts.

-Blaise Pascal

TAGS: Evangelical, Evangelical Quote, Christianity

...Our true worth, value, and identity come not from what the world says, but from complete acceptance by God. In and of ourselves, we'll never be enough; we'll wear ourselves out trying.

-Nancy Stafford

TAGS: Emotional Health Quote, Emotional Health

One who meditates upon and realizes the self discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self.

Chandogya Upanishad

From The Upanishads, translated by Eknath Easwaran, copyright 1987. Reprinted with permission from Nilgiri Press, www.nilgiri.org. To order the book, please call 1-800-475-2369.

TAGS: Hinduism, Hindu Quote

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.

-Peter Ustinov

TAGS: Glow, Holistic Living Quote, Spirituality, Holistic Living

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.

-Abraham Lincoln

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Abraham Lincoln, Appreciation, Opportunity

Man never acts in a manner more resembling God than when he bestows benefits.

-Philo, Special Laws

Reprinted with permission from 'A Treasury of Jewish Quotations,' edited by Joseph L. Baron, Jason Aronson Inc.

TAGS: Judaism, Jewish Quote

Eat what you want and dress up as you desire, as long as extravagance and pride do not mislead you.

-Hadith The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as reported by Abd’Allah ibn Abbas

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as reported by Abd’Allah ibn Abbas

From "The Bounty of Allah." Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed. Copyright 1999. All rights reserved. Used with permission of The Crossroad Publishing Company, New York.

TAGS: Hadith, Islam Hadith, Muslim Quote, Muslim

To be loved for what one is, is the greatest exception. The great majority love in others only what they lend him, their own selves, their version of him.

-Goethe

TAGS: Relationships, Relationships Quotes, Soul