I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.

False Prophets, False Teachers--Dec. 17, 2014


Mighty God, you speak and summon the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting,
but those who lead your people
lead them into confusion.

Preserve us from false
prophets and false teachers;
save us from destructive opinions.
Even if from the wilderness, send us one
who proclaims repentance and forgiveness of sin.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 50; 147:1-11; 53; 17
Isa. 9:8-17
2 Pet. 2:1-10a
Mark 1:1-8

Selected Verses
Ps. 50:1
The mighty one, God the LORD,
            speaks and summons the earth
            from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Isa. 9:16
…for those who led this people led them astray,
     and those who were led by them were left in confusion. 

2 Pet. 2:1a
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. 

Mark 1:4
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

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