Quotes and Readings of the Day

Psalm 89:1-18

God's Covenant with David
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
O LORD God of hosts,
who is as mighty as you, O LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.
The north and the south—you created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance;
they exult in your name all day long,
and extol your righteousness.
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.




Note: Today's Gospel reading is Luke 21:29-36

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

TAGS: Bible, Bible Reading, Christian, Psalm

Genesis 32:14-32:30

After spending the night there, he selected from what was at hand these presents for his brother Esau: 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams; 30 milch camels with their colts; 40 cows and 10 bulls; 20 she-asses and 10 he-asses. These he put in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and he told his servants, "Go on ahead, and keep a distance between droves." He instructed the one in front as follows, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, 'Whose man are you? Where are you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?' you shall answer, 'Your servant Jacob's; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau; and [Jacob] himself is right behind us.'" He gave similar instructions to the second one, and the third, and all the others who followed the droves, namely, "Thus and so shall you say to Esau when you reach him. And you shall add, 'And your servant Jacob himself is right behind us.'" For he reasoned, "If I propitiate him with presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me favor." And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp that night.

That same night he arose, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children, he crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After taking them across the stream, he sent across all his possessions. Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for dawn is breaking." But he answered, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." Said the other, "What is your name?" He replied, "Jacob." Said he, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed." Jacob asked, "Pray tell me your name." But he said, "You must not ask my name!" And he took leave of him there.

From Parshat VaYishlakh. 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, Genesis

Earth has one angel less and heaven one more since yesterday.

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

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

TAGS: Angel Quote, Angels, Heaven, Angel, Earth, Nathaniel Hawthorne

How boundless and free is the sky of Awareness! How bright the full moon of wisdom! Truly, is anything missing now? Nirvana is right here, before our eyes; this very place is the Lotus Land; this very body, the Buddha.

-Hakuin Zenji, "Song of Zazen"

From "Teachings of the Buddha," edited by Jack Kornfield, 1993. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

TAGS: Buddhism, Buddhist Quote, Awareness, Boundless, Sky, Place

Pray for your mate. Ask God to soften your heart and show you ways to be a better spouse.

-Willie Aames

TAGS: Entertainment Quote, Celebrities, Spiritual, God, Heart, Celebrity Spirituality, Entertainment, Motivational Quote, Motivation, Mate

Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.

-Mark Twain

TAGS: Evangelical, Evangelical Quote, Christianity

Buy real holly or mistletoe as decorations, which are biodegradable products.

TAGS: Eco Tips

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.

-St. Francis of Assisi (submitted by teds314)

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Sunbeam, Single Sunbeam, Single, St. Francis Of Assisi Feast Day 2009

Today Christians spend more money on dog food then missions.

-Leonard Ravenhill

TAGS: Evangelical, Evangelical Quote, Christianity

The aging process has you firmly in its grip if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.

-Doug Larson

TAGS: Health Quote

You are one. You are pure awareness. The world is not real. It is cold and lifeless. Nor is ignorance real. So what can you wish to know?

Ashtavakra Gita 10:5

From "The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita," by Thomas Byrom, 1990. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston. www.shambhala.com.

TAGS: Ashtavakra Gita, Hindu Quote, Hinduism

You are not here to fix anything, because nothing is broken, but everything is continually changing and expanding. Release your struggle, and seek joy and fun, and in doing so, you will align with the fantastic expanding rhythm of this Universe.

-Abraham-Hicks

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

Leap, and the net will appear.

-Julie Cameron

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Motivational Quote, Leap, Net, Opportunity, Faith, Julie Cameron

Shame is an iron fence against sin.

-Orchot Tzaddikim

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

TAGS: Judaism, Jewish Quote

O Beloved of hearts, I beseech only You. Have pity this day on those who turn to You. My Hope, my Rest, my Delight, this heart can love none other but You.

-Rabi'a, "Rabi'a the Mystic"

Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed. Copyright 1999. All rights reserved. Used with permission of The Crossroad Publishing Company, New York.

TAGS: Islam, Muslim Quote, Muslim

Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that.

-Michael Leunig

TAGS: Relationships, Relationship Quotes, Happiness, Value