Song for Today:
O Come All Ye Faithful

Celebrate the Child Who is the Light

He Shall Reign Forevermore

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.
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An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.
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The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
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A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
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He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
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A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.
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Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
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The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
from Proverbs 12

the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, “Thus has the LORD of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts; “but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.”
from Zechariah 7

Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’
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Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”
from Zechariah 8
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