Feb. 05

Matthew 18:15-35

15 "If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
21 Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
23 That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
25 Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.
26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'
27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.
28 When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.'
29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.
31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
32 His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?'
34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."

Psalms 55:1-24

1 For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
2 Listen, God, to my prayer; do not hide from my pleading;
3 hear me and give answer. I rock with grief; I groan
4 at the uproar of the enemy, the clamor of the wicked. They heap trouble upon me, savagely accuse me.
5 My heart pounds within me; death's terrors fall upon me.
6 Fear and trembling overwhelm me; shuddering sweeps over me.
7 I say, "If only I had wings like a dove that I might fly away and find rest.
8 Far away I would flee; I would stay in the desert. Selah
9 I would soon find a shelter from the raging wind and storm."
10 Lord, check and confuse their scheming. I see violence and strife in the city
11 making rounds on its walls day and night. Within are mischief and evil;
12 treachery is there as well; oppression and fraud never leave its streets.
13 If an enemy had reviled me, that I could bear; If my foe had viewed me with contempt, from that I could hide.
14 But it was you, my other self, my comrade and friend,
15 You, whose company I enjoyed, at whose side I walked in procession in the house of God.
16 Let death take them by surprise; let them go down alive to Sheol, for evil is in their homes and hearts.
17 But I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me.
18 At dusk, dawn, and noon I will grieve and complain, and my prayer will be heard.
19 God will give me freedom and peace from those who war against me, though there are many who oppose me.
20 God, who sits enthroned forever, will hear me and humble them. For they will not mend their ways; they have no fear of God.
21 They strike out at friends and go back on their promises.
22 Softer than butter is their speech, but war is in their hearts. Smoother than oil are their words, but they are unsheathed swords.
23 Cast your care upon the LORD, who will give you support. God will never allow the righteous to stumble.
24 But you, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction. These bloodthirsty liars will not live half their days, but I put my trust in you.