Read the Bible in a Year

Each day, we'll post passages so that you can read the Bible in one year. This is part of The Colossians 13:16 Project, sponsored by Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia. You're invited to worship with us Sundays, at 11:00 a.m. or Saturdays, at 6:30 p.m. You may also want to consider joining one our adult Bible Studies: Thursdays at 12:00 noon and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. We also have a full range of programs for children. If you want more information about the church, check out the other blogs. And please feel free to leave any comments.

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Monday, September 2, 2019

Bible Readings for September 1, 2019

Today our passages are Job 40:1–42:17; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Psalm 45:1-17; and Proverbs 22:14. The readings are from the Contemporary English VersionIf you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.
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Job 40-42:17 (Contemporary English Version)


Job 40

The LORD Continues
I Am the LORD All-Powerful
 1I am the LORD All-Powerful,     2but you have argued
   that I am wrong.
   Now you must answer me.
    3Job said to the LORD:
    4Who am I to answer you?
    5I did speak once or twice,
   but never again.
    6Then out of the storm
   the LORD said to Job:
    7Face me and answer
   the questions I ask!
    8Are you trying to prove
   that you are innocent
   by accusing me of injustice?
    9Do you have a powerful arm
   and a thundering voice
   that compare with mine?
    10If so, then surround yourself
   with glory and majesty.
    11Show your furious anger!
   Throw down and crush
    12all who are proud and evil.
    13Wrap them in grave clothes
   and bury them together
   in the dusty soil.
    14Do this, and I will agree
   that you have won
   this argument.     
I Created You
 15I created both you    and the hippopotamus. [a] It eats only grass like an ox,
    16but look at the mighty muscles
   in its body 17and legs.
   Its tail is like a cedar tree,
   and its thighs are thick.
    18The bones in its legs
   are like bronze or iron.
    19I made it more powerful
   than any other creature,
   yet I am stronger still.
    20Undisturbed, it eats grass
   while the other animals
   play nearby. [b] 21It rests in the shade of trees
   along the riverbank
    22or hides among reeds
   in the swamp.
    23It remains calm and unafraid
   with the Jordan River rushing
   and splashing in its face.
    24There is no way to capture
   a hippopotamus--
   not even by hooking its nose
   or blinding its eyes.
    

Job 41

The LORD Continues
Can You Catch a Sea Monster?
 1Can you catch a sea monster [c] by using a fishhook?    Can you tie its mouth shut
   with a rope?
    2Can it be led around
   by a ring in its nose
   or a hook in its jaw?
    3Will it beg for mercy?
    4Will it surrender
   as a slave for life?
    5Can it be tied by the leg
   like a pet bird
   for little girls?
    6Is it ever chopped up
   and its pieces bargained for
   in the fish-market?
    7Can it be killed
   with harpoons or spears?
    8Wrestle it just once--
   that will be the end.
    9Merely a glimpse of this monster
   makes all courage melt.
    10And if it is too fierce
   for anyone to attack,
   who would dare oppose me?
    11I am in command of the world
   and in debt to no one.
    12What powerful legs,
   what a stout body
   this monster possesses!
    13Who could strip off its armor
   or bring it under control
   with a harness?
    14Who would try to open its jaws,
   full of fearsome teeth?
    15Its back [d] is covered with shield after shield,
    16firmly bound and closer together
    17than breath to breath.     
When This Monster Sneezes
 18When this monster sneezes,    lightning flashes,
   and its eyes
   glow like the dawn.
    19Sparks and fiery flames
   explode from its mouth.
    20And smoke spews from its nose
   like steam
   from a boiling pot,
    21while its blazing breath
   scorches everything in sight.
    22Its neck is so tremendous
   that everyone trembles,
    23the weakest parts of its body
   are harder than iron,
    24and its heart is stone.
    25When this noisy monster appears,
   even the most powerful [e] turn and run in fear.
    26No sword or spear can harm it,
    27and weapons of bronze or iron
   are as useless
   as straw
   or rotten wood.
    28Rocks thrown from a sling
   cause it no more harm
   than husks of grain.
   This monster fears no arrows,
    29it simply smiles at spears,
   and striking it with a stick
   is like slapping it with straw.
    30As it crawls through the mud,
   its sharp and spiny hide
   tears the ground apart.
    31And when it swims down deep,
   the sea starts churning
   like boiling oil,
    32and it leaves behind a trail
   of shining white foam.
    33No other creature on earth
   is so fearless.
    34It is king of all proud creatures,
   and it looks upon the others
   as nothing.
    

Job 42

Job's Reply to the LORD
No One Can Oppose You
 1Job said:     2No one can oppose you,
   because you have the power
   to do what you want.
    3You asked why I talk so much
   when I know so little.
   I have talked about things
   that are far beyond
   my understanding.
    4You told me to listen
   and answer your questions. [f] 5I heard about you from others;
   now I have seen you
   with my own eyes.
    6That's why I hate myself
   and sit here in dust and ashes
   to show my sorrow.     
The LORD Corrects Job's Friends
 7The LORD said to Eliphaz:    What my servant Job has said about me is true, but I am angry at you and your two friends for not telling the truth. 8So I want you to go over to Job and offer seven bulls and seven goats on an altar as a sacrifice to please me. [g] After this, Job will pray, and I will agree not to punish you for your foolishness. 9Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar obeyed the LORD, and he answered Job's prayer.     
A Happy Ending
 10After Job had prayed for his three friends, the LORD made Job twice as rich as he had been before. 11Then Job gave a feast for his brothers and sisters and for his old friends. They expressed their sorrow for the suffering the LORD had brought on him, and they each gave Job some silver and a gold ring.     12The LORD now blessed Job more than ever; he gave him fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand pair of oxen, and a thousand donkeys.
    13In addition to seven sons, Job had three daughters, 14whose names were Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren Happuch. 15They were the most beautiful women in that part of the world, and Job gave them shares of his property, along with their brothers.
    16Job lived for another one hundred forty years--long enough to see his great-grandchildren have children of their own-- 17and when he finally died, he was very old.
    
Footnotes:
  1. Job 40:15 the hippopotamus: The Hebrew text has "Behemoth," which was sometimes understood to be a sea monster like Rahab (9.13; 26.12), Leviathan (3.8; 41.1), and Tannin (7.12).
  2. Job 40:20 nearby: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 20.
  3. Job 41:1 sea monster: The Hebrew text has "Leviathan," which may refer to a sea monster or possibly to a crocodile in this verse (see the note at 3.8).
  4. Job 41:15 back: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "pride."
  5. Job 41:25 most powerful: Or "gods."
  6. Job 42:4 questions: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4.
  7. Job 42:8 sacrifice to please me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "whole burnt offerings" because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the LORD with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called "sacrifices to please the LORD."

2 Corinthians 5:11-21 (Contemporary English Version)

Bringing People to God
 11We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. 12We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.     13If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. 14We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. 15And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.
    16We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. 17Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
    19What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God. 


Psalm 45:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)


Psalm 45

(A special psalm for the people of Korah and for the music leader. To the tune "Lilies." A love song.)
For a Royal Wedding
 1My thoughts are filled    with beautiful words
   for the king,
   and I will use my voice
   as a writer would use
   pen and ink.
    2No one is as handsome as you!
   Your words are always kind.
   That is why God
   will always bless you.
    3Mighty king, glorious ruler,
   strap on your sword
    4and ride out in splendor!
   Win victories for truth
   and mercy and justice.
   Do fearsome things
   with your powerful arm.
    5Send your sharp arrows
   through enemy hearts
   and make all nations fall
   at your feet.
    6You are God, and you will rule
   forever as king. [a] Your royal power
   brings about justice.
    7You love justice and hate evil.
   And so, your God chose you
   and made you happier
   than any of your friends.
    8The sweet aroma of the spices
   myrrh, aloes, and cassia,
   covers your royal robes.
   You enjoy the music of harps
   in palaces decorated
   with ivory.
    9Daughters of kings are here,
   and your bride stands
   at your right side,
   wearing a wedding gown
   trimmed with pure gold. [b] 10Bride of the king,
   listen carefully to me.
   Forget your own people
   and your father's family.
    11The king is your husband,
   so do what he desires.
    12All of the richest people
   from the city of Tyre
   will try to influence you
    13with precious treasures.
   Your bride, my king,
   has inward beauty, [c] and her wedding gown is woven
   with threads of gold.
    14Wearing the finest garments,
   she is brought to you,
   followed by her young friends,
   the bridesmaids.
    15Everyone is excited,
   as they follow you
   to the royal palace.
    16Your sons and your grandsons
   will also be kings
   as your ancestors were.
   You will make them the rulers
   everywhere on earth.
    17I will make your name famous
   from now on,
   and you will be praised
   forever and ever.
    
Footnotes:
  1. Psalm 45:6 You. . . king: Or " God has made you king, and you will rule forever."
  2. Psalm 45:9 trimmed with pure gold: Hebrew has " with gold from Ophir," which may have been in Africa or India. Gold from there was considered the very best.
  3. Psalm 45:13 has inward beauty: Or " is dressed in her room."

Proverbs 22:14 (Contemporary English Version)


14The words of a bad woman
   are like a deep pit;
   if you make the LORD angry,
   you will fall right in. 


Verse of the Day
“Teach your children right from wrong, and when they are grown they will still do right.” - Proverbs 22:6 
Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

Image result for J. Reuben ClarkThought for the Day

American attorney, civil servant, and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), J. Reuben Clark wrote, “I say to you that the price of liberty is and always has been blood, human blood, and if our liberties are lost, we shall never regain them except at the price of blood. They must not be lost.”


A Joke for Today

A butcher is leaning on the counter toward the close of day when a dog with a basket in its jaws comes pushing through the door.

"An' wot's this then?" he asked. The dog knocks the basket sharply into the butcher's shins.
"You dumb dog." As he reaches down to smack the dog, he notices a note and a ten dollar bill in the basket.

The scribble on the note asks for three pounds of his best mince [ground beef]. The butcher figures this is too easy. He goes to the window and reaches for the dried up stuff that's been sitting out all day.

The dog growls at him. The butcher turns around and, glaring at the pup, gets the best mince from the fridge. Weighing out about 2 1/2 pounds, he drops in on the scale with his thumb.

"Hmmmmm, a bit shy. Who'll know?"

Again, the dog growls menacingly. "Alright, alright," as he throws on a generous half pound. He wraps it out, drops it in the basket, and drops in change from a five. The dog threatens to chew him off at the ankles. Another five goes in the basket.

The butcher is quite impressed and decides to follow the piddy pup home. The dog quickly enters a high-rise buildings, pushes the lift button, enters the lift, and then pushes the button for the 12th floor. The dog walks down the corridor and smartly bangs the basket on the door. The door opens, and the dog's owner screams at the dog.

"Hey, what are you doing? That's a really smart dog you've got there," comments the butcher.

"He's a stupid dog – that's the third time this week he's forgotten his key.

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