Quotes and Readings of the Day

Philippians 2:1-11

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.


Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.


Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.




Note: Today's Gospel reading is Matthew 2:1-12. Find a Bible translation.

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

TAGS: Bible, Bible Reading, Christian, Philippians

Genesis 31:17-31:42

Thereupon Jacob put his children and wives on camels; and he drove off all his livestock and all the wealth that he had amassed, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Meanwhile Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household idols. Jacob kept Laban the Aramean in the dark, not telling him that he was fleeing, and fled with all that he had. Soon he was across the Euphrates and heading toward the hill country of Gilead.

On the third day, Laban was told that Jacob had fled. So he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days, catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead. But God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Beware of attempting anything with Jacob, good or bad."

Laban overtook Jacob. Jacob had pitched his tent on the Height, and Laban with his kinsmen encamped in the hill country of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, "What did you mean by keeping me in the dark and carrying off my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee in secrecy and mislead me and not tell me? I would have sent you off with festive music, with timbrel and lyre. You did not even let me kiss my sons and daughters good-by! It was a foolish thing for you to do. I have it in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father said to me last night, 'Beware of attempting anything with Jacob, good or bad.' Very well, you had to leave because you were longing for your father's house; but why did you steal my gods?

Jacob answered Laban, saying, "I was afraid because I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have of yours and take it."
Jacob, of course, did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

So Laban went into Jacob's tent and Leah's tent and the tents of the two maidservants; but he did not find them. Leaving Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent. Rachel, meanwhile, had taken the idols and placed them in the camel cushion and sat on them; and Laban rummaged through the tent without finding them. For she said to her father, "Let not my lord take it amiss that I cannot rise before you, for the period of women is upon me." Thus he searched, but could not find the household idols.

Now Jacob became incensed and took up his grievance with Laban. Jacob spoke up and said to Laban, "What is my crime, what is my guilt that you should pursue me? You rummaged through all my things; what have you found of all your household objects? Set it here, before my kinsmen and yours, and let them decide between us two.

"These twenty years I have spent in your service, your ewes and she-goats never miscarried, nor did I feast on rams from your flock. That which was torn by beasts I never brought to you; I myself made good the loss; you exacted it of me, whether snatched by day or snatched by night. Often, scorching heat ravaged me by day and frost by night; and sleep fled from my eyes. Of the twenty years that I spent in your household, I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks; and you changed my wages time and again. Had not the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God took notice of my plight and the toil of my hands, and He gave judgment last night."

From Parshat VaYetze. 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

Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.

-Benjamin Franklin

TAGS: Angel Quote, Angels, Flowers, Alphabet, Benjamin Franklin

Whose minds are well-developed in the factors of self-awakening, who delight in non-clinging, relinquishing grasping-- resplendent, their effluents ended: they, in the world, are Unbound.

-Dhammapada, 6, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

TAGS: Dhammapada, Dhammapada Quotes, Buddhist Quote, Buddhism, Factors, Minds, Grasping, Self Awakening

I love [surfing]. It's definitely a spiritual experience, the closest you can get to Mother Nature, which is God to me.

-Cameron Diaz

TAGS: Expe, Surfing, Entertainment Quote, Celebrities, Experience, Spiritual, Spiritual, God, Spiritual Experience, Celebrity Spirituality, Entertainment

The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.

-M. Scott Peck

TAGS: Bible, Christian Quote, Christianity

Did you know that your old printer cartridges can be used up to fifty times? Make sure to recycle them so that you can help save on resources.

TAGS: Eco Tips

A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever.

-Mary Lou Retton

TAGS: Sports Quote, Motivational Quote, Inspirational Quote, Inspiration Quote, Trophy, Trophy Carries Dust, Memories, Olympics, Gymnastics, Motivation

Do not be angry that you cannot make others as you would wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.

-Thomas a Kempis

TAGS: Evangelical, Evangelical Quote, Christianity

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it.

-G. Elliston

TAGS: Emotional Health Quote, Health Quote

Liberation cannot be achieved except through perceiving the identity of the individual spirit with the Universal Spirit. Atman and Brahman are identical. Their essence is pure Consciousness.

Sankara

Reprinted with permission from "The Wisdom of the Hindu Gurus," edited by Timothy Freke, published by Godsfield Press. The book can be purchased online through Amazon.

TAGS: Hinduism, Hindu Quote

Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open a window and look out to see who's there.

-Rumi

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

A pleasure is not full grown until it is remembered.

-C.S. Lewis (submitted by cjcoxcpal)

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Memory, Happiness, Appreciation, Pleasure

There is for all mankind but one source of felicity--a gracious God.

-Josephus, "Antiquities"

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

TAGS: Judaism, Jewish Quote

His burdens have made him double over, his moans before you are loud and clear. "Show me a prayer, a benediction," he cries, "that I may be delivered from these hidden chains."

-Rumi

Rumi, "Mathnawi"

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

TAGS: Rumi, Islam Quote, Islam, Spirituality

Love is everything that enhances, widens, and enriches our life.

-Franz Kafka

TAGS: Relationships Quotes, Relationships, Changes