A LAMP TO MY FEET. A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Give, and it will be given to you:

a good measure,

pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap.

For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

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– Luke 6:38 (NET)

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REFLECTION…

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What an emphasis Jesus makes on giving!

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Giving

…is loving.

When we give generously and from the heart

and expect nothing in return,

it is giving like Jesus gave.

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Forgiving

…is giving from self.

It is forgiving like Jesus forgave.

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Loving

…is giving of self.

It is caring and being merciful and kind.

It is loving like Jesus loved.

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Jesus encourages us to give with all our hearts,

and He promises that however much we gladly give in this life,

God will use the same measure with us in life eternal,

only giving us more, much much more

…because God cannot be outdone in generosity.

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QUOTE…

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“For it is in giving that we receive.”

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– St, Francis of Assisi

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“Do good to those who aren’t able to repay us,

just like the Father did with us, giving us Jesus,"

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– Pope Francis

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“You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

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– Khalil Gibran

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, teach me to unselfish and kind;

grant that I give generously of myself.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love –

and the greatest of these is love.

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– 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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It is God Himself who infuses these three virtues into our soul

together with the grace of salvation

– that permanent disposition that perfects the soul itself

to enable it to live with God and to act by His love.

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Love is founded on faith and hope,

and it is through faith and hope

that we derive the knowledge of truth

and the consequent goodness and patience which bring us close to God.

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Love is interested in God for God’s sake

– to be with God,

and not for anything that God may give.

In other words, love desires God for God’s

sake and not for its own.

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QUOTE…

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“Love never gives up;

and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.”

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– St. Paul (1 Cor 13:7)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, I believe in You.
Jesus, I hope in You.
Jesus, I love You.

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Read the “Lamp” on-line– click on >> www.alamptomyfeet.org.Share the link with your family and friends.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Teach me to do Your will,

for You are my God.

May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward

on a firm footing.

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– Psalm 143:10 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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This is, increasingly, a weary world of confusion and deceptions,

but all who place their trust in Christ and do His will

have found the Truth

and can look forward to the day when they shall be with Him.

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The Spirit helps us in our weakness,

He leads us to break with our sinful habits,

strengthens our resolve,

and encourages us to follow the ways of righteousness.

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The Spirit helps us prevail

and guides us by His counsel along the right paths of love, joy and peace,

to the destination we humbly seek,

to Him who is ever ready to receive us in His glory.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Let no debt remain outstanding,

except the continuing debt to love one another,

for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

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The commandments,

‘You shall not commit adultery,’

‘You shall not murder,’

‘You shall not steal,’

‘You shall not covet,’

and whatever other command there may be,

are summed up in this one command:

‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

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Love does no harm to a neighbour.

Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.

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– Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)

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QUOTE…

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“Our motive in everything we do should be the Love of God,

which makes it easier for us to love our neighbour

and which purifies and raises all earthly loves on to a higher level […].

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…in order to love, great refinement is required,

and much thoughtfulness, and respect, and kindliness."

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– St. Josemaria Escriva

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, help me love like You love me.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

My Father will love them,

and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

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– John 14:23 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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”Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.”

Claiming to love Jesus is one thing,

but do we truly obey Him

– in everything;

in all circumstances?

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Do I admit my weaknesses?

Do I sincerely ask Jesus for His forgiveness

and to help me overcome them,

or do I often seek to justify them?

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“My Father will love them,

and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

The Father and the Son will come together in the power of the Spirit,

and they will dwell within the loving and obedient soul.

It is the Holy Trinity who lives within us

when we enter into spiritual relation with Christ…through love and obedience.

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What an incomparable incentive Christ provides

for us to love and obey Him!

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Come, Holy Spirit, change me, renew me,

and make my heart Your home..

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The commandments of the Lord are right,

bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,

giving insight for living.

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Reverence for the Lord is pure,

lasting forever.

The laws of the Lord are true;

each one is fair.

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– Psalm 19:8-9 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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God’s Commandments

lead us into the right and straight paths of truth and holiness

and, as we stand in awe

of the Lord who cleanses our soul from all that blemishes it,

their effect is greatjoy in our heart.

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They are not felt as stern commands,

but as gracious intimations of what God desires us to do for our own good.

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God’s laws have been written for our instruction

and for our salvation.

By following His commandments,

we are revering Him.

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The opposite is also true

and so are the consequences which we will bring upon ourselves

if we choose to move along our own selfish paths.

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God’s laws direct us along the right way

and lead us to eternal glory and happiness.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Your commandments bring joy, O Lord – they are life.

Preserve my soul, Lord, in accordance with Your love!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in His holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.

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– Psalm 24:3-5 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in His holy place?

For us to enter into communion with the Lord in worship,

we should first look inside ourselves,

examine our conscience,

acknowledge our iniquities – our weaknesses –

and ask God for His mercy and forgiveness.

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Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in His holy place?

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For us to enter into communion with the Lord in worship,

we must, firstly, have “clean hands and pure hearts”.

“Hands” and “hearts” refer to both action and intention.

The whole of the human being

should basically turn toward God and His law.

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The second requisite is that we “do not lift up [our] souls to what is false.”

In other words,

we must not embrace or give attention to any possible form of idolatry.

An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God.

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Our modern idols are many and varied.

Even for those who do not bow physically before a statue,

idolatry is what reigns in our heart

— pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony,

a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against God.

Is it any wonder that God hates it?

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The third and last requisite deals with relations with others:

“do not swear deceitfully”.

Our personal, social and commercial relationships

must be based on sincerity, justice and uprightness

and there should be no place for deceit

– only truth and love.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord God, have mercy on me,

absolve me from my sins, and bless me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.

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– Psalm 33:20-21 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Where would I be without the Lord?

How sad a creature I would be;

how empty;

how lost;

how useless;

how weak and defenceless!

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My soul is eager for Jesus’ presence,

because, when I call out His holy name

and invite Him gladly into my heart,

I am filled with hope and abundant joy.

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The Lord, is my help and my strength,

my shield and my defender.

Jesus is my Saviour!

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My Lord, my God, my Shield, my Saviour…my Jesus!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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It is the living, the living, who praise You,
As I praise You now.
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– Isaiah 38:19a (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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Do I praise God at all,

or do I find no urge or need to do so?

If I do not give praise

to Him who provides me with every breath that I take,

then my soul must be lifeless.

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But God is great in His love for each and every one of us.

and He seeks our praises

because He wants us to enjoy Him.

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If we are prepared to change our ways

and approach Him with humility and contrite hearts,

He will revive and renew us.

Our souls will come to life

and will delight in Him who is most worthy of our praise.

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“I long for Your salvation, Lord,

and Your law gives me delight.

Let me live that I may praise You,

and may Your laws sustain me.” (Ps 119:174-175)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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I long for your salvation, Lord

– let me live that I may praise You.

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