Sunday
\nJohn 4:5-42 \u00a0(meeting of Christ with the woman at the well<\/p>\n
Acts 8: \u00a0Now Saul was consenting to his death.<\/span><\/p>\n At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>And devout men carried Stephen to his burial,<\/i> and made great lamentation over him.<\/span><\/p>\n 3\u00a0<\/sup>As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them<\/i> to prison.<\/span><\/p>\n 4\u00a0<\/sup>Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>Then Philip went down to the[a<\/a>]<\/sup> city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. <\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>And there was great joy in that city.<\/span><\/p>\n 9\u00a0<\/sup>But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, \u201cThis man is the great power of God.\u201d <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.<\/span><\/p>\n 14\u00a0<\/sup>Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. <\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. <\/span> 17\u00a0<\/sup>Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n 18\u00a0<\/sup>And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles\u2019 hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, <\/span> 19\u00a0<\/sup>saying, \u201cGive me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 20\u00a0<\/sup>But Peter said to him, \u201cYour money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! <\/span> 21\u00a0<\/sup>You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. <\/span> 22\u00a0<\/sup>Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. <\/span> 23\u00a0<\/sup>For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 24\u00a0<\/sup>Then Simon answered and said, \u201cPray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 25\u00a0<\/sup>So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.<\/span><\/p>\n Tuesday<\/p>\n 26\u00a0<\/sup>Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, \u201cArise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.\u201d This is desert. <\/span> 27\u00a0<\/sup>So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, <\/span> 28\u00a0<\/sup>was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. <\/span> 29\u00a0<\/sup>Then the Spirit said to Philip, \u201cGo near and overtake this chariot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 30\u00a0<\/sup>So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, \u201cDo you understand what you are reading?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 31\u00a0<\/sup>And he said, \u201cHow can I, unless someone guides me?\u201d And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. <\/span> 32\u00a0<\/sup>The place in the Scripture which he read was this:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe was led as a sheep to the slaughter;<\/span><\/span> 34\u00a0<\/sup>So the eunuch answered Philip and said, \u201cI ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?\u201d <\/span> 35\u00a0<\/sup>Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. <\/span> 36\u00a0<\/sup>Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, \u201cSee, here is<\/i> water. What hinders me from being baptized?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 37\u00a0<\/sup>Then Philip said, \u201cIf you believe with all your heart, you may.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And he answered and said, \u201cI believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.\u201d[c<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n 38\u00a0<\/sup>So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. <\/span> 39\u00a0<\/sup>Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. <\/span> 40\u00a0<\/sup>But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.<\/span><\/p>\n QUOTE Wednesday<\/p>\n Acts 9:<\/p>\n Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.<\/span><\/p>\n 3\u00a0<\/sup>As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, \u201cSaul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 5\u00a0<\/sup>And he said, \u201cWho are You, Lord?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Then the Lord said, \u201cI am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.<\/span>[a<\/a>]<\/sup> It is<\/i> hard for you to kick against the goads.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 6\u00a0<\/sup>So he, trembling and astonished, said, \u201cLord, what do You want me to do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Then the Lord said<\/i> to him, \u201cArise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 7\u00a0<\/sup>And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him<\/i> into Damascus. <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.<\/span><\/p>\n 10\u00a0<\/sup>Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, \u201cAnanias.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n And he said, \u201cHere I am, Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 11\u00a0<\/sup>So the Lord said<\/i> to him, \u201cArise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one<\/i> called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.<\/span> <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his<\/i> hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 13\u00a0<\/sup>Then Ananias answered, \u201cLord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 15\u00a0<\/sup>But the Lord said to him, \u201cGo, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.<\/span> <\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 17\u00a0<\/sup>And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, \u201cBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus,[b<\/a>]<\/sup> who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.\u201d <\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>Immediately there fell from his eyes something<\/i> like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday<\/p>\n
\nAnd as a lamb before its shearer<\/span> is<\/i> silent,<\/span><\/span>
\nSo He opened not His mouth.<\/span><\/span>
\n33\u00a0<\/sup>In His humiliation His justice was taken away,<\/span><\/span>
\nAnd who will declare His generation?<\/span><\/span>
\nFor His life is taken from the earth.\u201d<\/span>[b<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n“He who endures to the end, he shall be saved, said the Lord. Many and various are the trials which the Lord allows to come upon people but the purpose of them all is the same, namely: to heal the people’s souls from sin through this bitterness and thus prepare them for eternal salvation. As hard as it may be for you at times remember two things, first venture Heavenly Father decides on the measure of suffering, and secondly, that He knows your strength. If you ever have a thought about suicide dismiss it as the whispering of the devil.” \u00a0 St.Nikolai Velimirovich<\/p>\n