Explanation:  The last Sunday of the month, we have Scripture reading testimonies in our church — no comments, just reading Scripture that people have read in the last week or two. It is profitable, interesting, and encouraging to see where people have been reading. It encourages any who haven’t been reading to read. And it encourages people to think, as they read, of what would be encouraging or challenging for others.

We believe we should be praying for each other, and that we should be reading the Scriptures.  The person doing both of those things regularly will encounter Scriptures they would like to give to those for whom they are praying.  This gives an opportunity to do that.

This week’s verses:

Ephesians 2:1-10

1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

II John 4-6

4  I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Psalm 9:1-2

1  I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
2  I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Matthew 5:43-48

43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Isaiah 53:4-6 and 40:1-2

53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

Lamentations 3:22-23, 25-26, 40-41, 55-59

22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

40  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41  Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

55  I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
56  Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57  Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58  O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59  O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

Psalm 36:5-12

5  Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6  Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10  O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11  Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12  There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

I Thessalonians 4:1-7

1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6  That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Proverbs 8:17

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Colossians 4:2-5, 12-13

2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13  For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.