Morning Reads: Acts 3:1-8; John 2:12-22; Psalm 103(104)- “Bless the Lord, O My Soul…”

Good morning. Great is His faithfulness.

Greek Word of the day- ἱεράτευμα hieráteuma, hee-er-at'-yoo-mah; from G2407; the priestly fraternity, i.e. sacerdotal order (figuratively):—priesthood.

1Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Psalm 103(104):24,1

O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 3:1-8

A Lame Man Healed

3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to [a]ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER, THE NINTH HOUR: Here the apostles are obviously observing Jewish hours of prayer, believers have been doing this for centuries-(Psalm 54(55):18/"Evening and morning and midday, I shall tell; I shall proclaim, and He will hear my voice."- see also Daniel 6:11). These observances of hours of prayer (6:00am, 9:00am, 12pm, and 3pm, are still practiced in the Orthodox Church to this day. They are still practiced by parishioners for both private, and in monasteries and also in some parishes- (see also Acts 10:3, 9, 30). We also see how the apostles participated in not only preaching and teaching but in healings as well. Healings manifest God's presence and helps confirm the message of the Gospel.

John 2:12-22- Cleansing the Temple

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers [a]doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house [b]has eaten Me up.”

18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this [c]to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

1 Corinthians 3:16: 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1Corinthians 6:19:Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Jesus is teaching that both our holy places of worship as well as our bodies should remain cleansed and pure. Both our churches and bodies should houses of prayer and pure, pure of heart. Wickedness is not for the holy children of God.

Psalm 103(104)- Alleluia!!!
PSALM 103(104)- it opens and closes with, BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL - (vv. 1, 35- out of my Orthodox Study Bible).

"The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction." C.H. Spurgeon

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.” ’

In Christ love Jared W Campbell

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