Tuesday in Lent

7Verse 7. When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you. 8Verse 8. One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9Verse 9. But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’ 10Verse 10. Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ 11Verse 11. But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’ 12Verse 12. Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ 13Verse 13. But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’ 14Verse 14. Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’ 15Verse 15. But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

18Verse 18. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19Verse 19. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. 20Verse 20. You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21Verse 21. I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22Verse 22. Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. 23Verse 23. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. 24Verse 24. As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25Verse 25. And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26Verse 26. I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27Verse 27. And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. 28Verse 28. And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.