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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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Bible Readings for September 28, 2013


Today our passages are Isaiah 54:1–57:13; Ephesians 6:1-24; Psalm 70:1-5; and Proverbs 24:8. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

Isaiah 54-57:13 (Contemporary English Version)


Isaiah 54

A Promise of the LORD's Protection
 1Sing and shout,    even though you have never
   had children!
   The LORD has promised that you
   will have more children
   than someone married
   for a long time.
    2Make your tents larger!
   Spread out the tent pegs;
   fasten them firmly.
    3You and your descendants
   will take over the land
   of other nations.
   You will settle in towns
   that are now in ruins.
    4Don't be afraid or ashamed
   and don't be discouraged.
   You won't be disappointed.
   Forget how sinful you were
   when you were young;
   stop feeling ashamed
   for being left a widow.
    5The LORD All-Powerful,
   the Holy God of Israel,
   rules all the earth.
   He is your Creator and husband,
   and he will rescue you.
    6You were like a young wife,
   brokenhearted and crying
   because her husband
   had divorced her.
   But the LORD your God says,
   "I am taking you back!
    7I rejected you for a while,
   but with love and tenderness
   I will embrace you again.
    8For a while, I turned away
   in furious anger.
   Now I will have mercy
   and love you forever!
   I, your protector and LORD,
   make this promise."
   
The LORD Promises Lasting Peace
 9I once promised Noah that I    would never again
   destroy
   the earth by a flood.
   Now I have promised that I
   will never again
   get angry
   and punish you.
    10Every mountain and hill
   may disappear.
   But I will always be kind
   and merciful to you;
   I won't break my agreement
   to give your nation peace.
   
The New Jerusalem
 11Jerusalem, you are sad    and discouraged,
   tossed around in a storm.
   But I, the LORD,
   will rebuild your city
   with precious stones; [a] for your foundation
   I will use blue sapphires.
    12Your fortresses [b] will be built of rubies,
   your gates of jewels,
   and your walls of gems.
    13I will teach your children
   and make them successful.
    14You will be built on fairness
   with no fears of injustice;
   every one of your worries
   will be taken far from you.
    15I will never send anyone
   to attack your city,
   and you will make prisoners
   of those who do attack.
    16Don't forget that I created
   metalworkers
   who make weapons
   over burning coals.
   I also created armies
   that can bring destruction.
    17Weapons made to attack you
   won't be successful;
   words spoken against you
   won't hurt at all.
   My servants, Jerusalem is yours!
   I, the LORD, promise
   to bless you with victory.
   

Isaiah 55

The LORD's Invitation
 1If you are thirsty,    come and drink water!
   If you don't have any money,
   come, eat what you want!
   Drink wine and milk
   without paying a cent.
    2Why waste your money
   on what really isn't food?
   Why work hard for something
   that doesn't satisfy?
   Listen carefully to me,
   and you will enjoy
   the very best foods.
    3Pay close attention!
   Come to me and live.
   I will promise you
   the eternal love and loyalty
   that I promised David.
    4I made him the leader and ruler
   of the nations;
   he was my witness to them.
    5You will call out to nations
   you have never known.
   And they have never known you,
   but they will come running
   because I am the LORD,
   the holy God of Israel,
   and I have honored you.
   
God's Words Are Powerful
 6Turn to the LORD!    He can still be found.
   Call out to God! He is near.
    7Give up your crooked ways
   and your evil thoughts.
   Return to the LORD our God.
   He will be merciful
   and forgive your sins.
    8The LORD says:
   "My thoughts and my ways
   are not like yours.
    9Just as the heavens
   are higher than the earth,
   my thoughts and my ways
   are higher than yours.
    10"Rain and snow fall from the sky.
   But they don't return
   without watering the earth
   that produces seeds to plant
   and grain to eat.
    11That's how it is with my words.
   They don't return to me
   without doing everything
   I send them to do."
   
God's People Will Celebrate
 12When you are set free,    you will celebrate
   and travel home in peace.
   Mountains and hills will sing
   as you pass by,
   and trees will clap.
    13Cypress and myrtle trees
   will grow in fields
   once covered by thorns.
   And then those trees will stand
   as a lasting witness
   to the glory of the LORD.
   

Isaiah 56

All Nations Will Be Part of God's People
 1The LORD said:    Be honest and fair!
   Soon I will come to save you;
   my saving power will be seen
   everywhere on earth.
    2I will bless everyone
   who respects the Sabbath
   and refuses to do wrong.
    3Foreigners who worship me
   must not say,
   "The LORD won't let us
   be part of his people."
   Men who are unable
   to become fathers
   must no longer say,
   "We are dried-up trees."
    4To them, I, the LORD, say:
   Respect the Sabbath,
   obey me completely,
   and keep our agreement.
    5Then I will set up monuments
   in my temple
   with your names
   written on them.
   This will be much better
   than having children,
   because these monuments
   will stand there forever.
    6Foreigners will follow me.
   They will love me
   and worship
   in my name;
   they will respect the Sabbath
   and keep our agreement.
    7I will bring them
   to my holy mountain,
   where they will celebrate
   in my house of worship.
   Their sacrifices and offerings
   will always be welcome
   on my altar.
   Then my house will be known
   as a house of worship
   for all nations.
    8I, the LORD, promise
   to bring together my people
   who were taken away,
   and let them join the others.
   
God Promises To Punish Israel's Leaders
 9Come from the forest,    you wild animals!
   Attack and gobble down
   your victims.
    10You leaders of Israel
   should be watchdogs,
   protecting my people.
   But you can't see a thing,
   and you never warn them.
   Dozing and daydreaming
   are all you ever do.
    11You stupid leaders are a pack
   of hungry and greedy dogs
   that never get enough.
   You are shepherds
   who mistreat your own sheep
   for selfish gain.
    12You say to each other,
   "Let's drink till we're drunk!
   Tomorrow we'll do it again.
   We'll really enjoy ourselves."
   

Isaiah 57

God's Faithful People Suffer
 1God's faithful people    are dragged off and killed,
   and no one even cares.
   Evil sweeps them away,
    2but in death they find peace
   for obeying God. [c]
The LORD Condemns Idolatry
 3You people are unfaithful!    You go to fortunetellers,
   and you worship idols.
   Now pay close attention!
    4Who are you making fun of?
   Who are you sneering at?
   Look how your sins
   have made fools of you.
    5All you think about is sex
   under those green trees
   where idols are worshiped.
   You sacrifice your children
   on altars built in valleys
   under rocky slopes.
    6You have chosen to worship
   idols made of stone; [d] you have given them offerings
   of wine and grain.
   Should I be pleased?
    7You have spread out your beds
   on the tops of high mountains,
   where you sacrifice to idols.
    8Even in your homes
   you have placed pagan symbols
   all around your huge beds.
   Yes, you have rejected me,
   sold yourselves to your lovers,
   and gone to bed with them. [e] 9You smear on olive oil
   and all kinds of perfume
   to worship the god Molech. [f] You even seek advice
   from spirits of the dead.
    10Though you tired yourself out
   by running after idols,
   you refused to stop.
   Your desires were so strong
   that they kept you going.
    11Did you forget about me
   and become unfaithful
   because you were more afraid
   of someone else?
   Have I been silent so long [g] that you no longer fear me?
    12You think you're so good,
   but I'll point out the truth.
    13Ask your idols to save you
   when you are in trouble.
   Be careful though--
   it takes only a faint breath
   to blow them over.
   But if you come to me
   for protection,
   this land and my holy mountain
   will always belong to you.
   
Footnotes:
  1. Isaiah 54:11 with precious stones: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. Isaiah 54:12 fortresses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  3. Isaiah 57:2 Evil. . . God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  4. Isaiah 57:6 You have. . . stone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. Isaiah 57:8 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 8.
  6. Isaiah 57:9 the god Molech: Or "the king." In Hebrew "Molech" and "king" sound alike.
  7. Isaiah 57:11 so long: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Ephesians 6:1-24 (Contemporary English Version)

Ephesians 6

Children and Parents
 1Children, you belong to the Lord, and you do the right thing when you obey your parents. The first commandment with a promise says, 2"Obey your father and your mother, 3and you will have a long and happy life."     4Parents, don't be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.
   
Slaves and Masters
 5Slaves, you must obey your earthly masters. Show them great respect and be as loyal to them as you are to Christ. 6Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. You are slaves of Christ, so with your whole heart you must do what God wants you to do. 7Gladly serve your masters, as though they were the Lord himself, and not simply people. 8You know that you will be rewarded for any good things you do, whether you are slaves or free.     9Slave owners, you must treat your slaves with this same respect. Don't threaten them. They have the same Master in heaven that you do, and he doesn't have any favorites.
   
The Fight against Evil
 10Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. 12We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day [a] comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. 14Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. 15Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. 16Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit.     18Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. 19Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. 20I was sent to do this work, and that's the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
   
Final Greetings
 21-22I want you to know how I am getting along and what I am doing. That's why I am sending Tychicus to you. He is a dear friend, as well as a faithful servant of the Lord. He will tell you how I am doing, and he will cheer you up.     23I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower! 24May God be kind to everyone who keeps on loving our Lord Jesus Christ.
   
Footnotes:
  1. Ephesians 6:13 that evil day: Either the present (see 5.16) or the day of death or the day of judgment.

Psalm 70:1-5 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 70

(By David for the music leader. To be used when an offering is made.)
God Is Wonderful
 1Save me, LORD God!    Hurry and help.
    2Disappoint and confuse
   all who want to kill me.
   Turn away and disgrace
   all who want to hurt me.
    3Embarrass and shame those
   who say, "We told you so!"
    4Let your worshipers celebrate
   and be glad because of you.
   They love your saving power,
   so let them always say,
   "God is wonderful!"
    5I am poor and needy,
   but you, the LORD God,
   care about me.
   You are the one who saves me.
   Please hurry and help!

Proverbs 24:8 (Contemporary English Version)

-23-
 8 No one but troublemakers    think up trouble.



Verse of the Day

 “That's why only someone who has God's Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn't have God's Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.” - 1 Corinthians 2:14
Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.



Babe Ruth2.jpg
Thought for the Day

Babe Ruth,  American professional baseball player, said, “Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.”
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