1 John 1:1-10

[1]We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -- [2]this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us -- [3]we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. [4]We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

[5]This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. [6]If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; [7]but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8]If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9]If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10]If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Psalm 23

[1] The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.   

[2] He makes me lie down in green pastures;   

    he leads me beside still waters;   

[3] he restores my soul.   

    He leads me in right paths   

         for his name's sake.   

[4] Even though I walk through the darkest valley,   

         I fear no evil;   

    for you are with me;   

         your rod and your staff --   

         they comfort me.

[5] You prepare a table before me   

         in the presence of my enemies;   

    you anoint my head with oil;   

         my cup overflows.   

[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me   

         all the days of my life,   

    and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD   

         my whole life long.

Psalm 96

[1] O sing to the LORD a new song;   

         sing to the LORD, all the earth.   

[2] Sing to the LORD, bless his name;   

         tell of his salvation from day to day.   

[3] Declare his glory among the nations,   

         his marvelous works among all the peoples.   

[4] For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;   

         he is to be revered above all gods.   

[5] For all the gods of the peoples are idols,   

         but the LORD made the heavens.   

[6] Honor and majesty are before him;   

         strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.   

[7] Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,   

         ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.   

[8] Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;   

         bring an offering, and come into his courts.   

[9] Worship the LORD in holy splendor;   

         tremble before him, all the earth.

[10] Say among the nations, "The LORD is king!   

         The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.   

         He will judge the peoples with equity."   

[11] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;   

         let the sea roar, and all that fills it;   

[12] let the field exult, and everything in it.   

    Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy   

[13] before the LORD; for he is coming,   

         for he is coming to judge the earth.   

    He will judge the world with righteousness,   

         and the peoples with his truth.

  

Ezekiel 37:1-14

[1]The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
[2]He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. [3]He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." [4]Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. [5]Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. [6]I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."

[7]So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
[8]I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. [9]Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." [10]I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

[11]Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel.
They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' [12]Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD:
I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. [13]And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. [14]I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act, says the LORD."

John 15:1-11

[1]"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. [2]He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. [3]You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. [4]Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. [5]I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. [6]Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7]If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8]My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. [9]As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. [10]If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

[11]I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete."

Isaiah 30:18-26

[18]  Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you;  
          therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.  
     For the LORD is a God of justice;  
          blessed are all those who wait for him.

[19]Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more.
He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. [20]Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. [21]And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." [22]Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like filthy rags; you will say to them, "Away with you!"

[23]He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures; [24]and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.
[25]On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water -- on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
[26]Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, on the day when the LORD binds up the injuries of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

John 14:1-14

[1]"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
[2]In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3]And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. [4]And you know the way to the place where I am going." [5]Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" [6]Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7]If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

[8]Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
[9]Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10]Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11]Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. [12]Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. [13]I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14]If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it."