Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
15 After these things, the Word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram. I am your Buckler, your exceedingly great Reward.”
2 And Abram said, “O LORD God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Also, Abram said, “Behold, You have given me no seed. Therefore, lo, a servant of my house shall be my heir.”
4 Then behold, the Word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man shall not be your heir. But one who shall come from your own loins, he shall be your heir.”
5 Moreover, He brought him forth and said, “Look up to Heaven now and tell the stars if you are able to number them.” And he said to him, “So shall your seed be.”
6 And Abram believed the LORD; and He counted that to him for righteousness.
12 Blessed is that nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen for His inheritance.
13 The LORD looks down from Heaven, beholding all the children of men.
14 From the habitation of His dwelling he beholds all those who dwell on the Earth.
15 He fashions their hearts, every one, understanding all their works.
16 The king is not saved by the multitude of an army; nor is the mighty man delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain help and shall not deliver by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear Him, upon those who trust in His mercy
19 to deliver their souls from death and to preserve them in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD. He is our Help and our Shield.
21 Surely, our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we trusted in His Holy Name.
22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us. As we trusted in You. A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away and he departed.
11 Now faith is the confidence of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it our elders were given a good report.
3 Through faith, we understand that the world was ordained by the Word of God, so that the things which we see are not made of things which are visible.
8 By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would receive for inheritance afterward. And he went out, not knowing where he went.
9 By faith, he dwelt in the Land of Promise - as in a strange country - living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he awaited a city having a foundation whose Builder and Maker is God.
11 Through faith, Sarah also received strength to conceive seed and delivered a child when she was past age, because she judged Him Who had promised faithful.
12 And therefore, even from one who was as good as dead, there sprang so many; as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, which is innumerable.
13 All these died in faith and did not receive the promises. But they saw them at a distance and believed, and received thankfully, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth.
14 For those who say such things, plainly declare that they seek a country.
15 And if they had been mindful of from where they had come, they had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better (that is, a heavenly). Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For He has prepared a city for them.
32 “Do not fear, little flock. For it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
33 “Sell what you have and give alms. Make purses which do not grow old - a treasure that can never fail in Heaven - where no thief comes or moth destroys.
34 “For where your treasure is, there your hearts will be also.
35 “Let your waist be girded, your lights burning,
36 “and you yourselves like men who wait for their master to return from the wedding feast. So that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.
37 “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord shall find awake when He comes. Truly I say to you, He will gird himself, make them sit down at table, and come forth and serve them.
38 “And if He comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and shall find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 “Now understand this: that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would have come, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
40 “Therefore, you also be prepared. For the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not suspect.”
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