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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Today our passages are 1 Chronicles 12:19–14:17; Romans 1:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and Proverbs 19:4-5. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If 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.
1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17 (Contemporary English
Version)
Warriors from the Manasseh tribe
19 Some of the warriors who joined David were from the
tribe of Manasseh. They had earlier gone with David when he agreed to fight on
the side of the Philistines against King Saul. But as soon as the Philistine
rulers realized that David might turn against them and rejoin Saul, they sent
David away to the town of Ziklag. 20That's when the following men from Manasseh joined him:
Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. They had all
been commanders in Saul's army 21and
brave soldiers, and so David made them officers in his army. They fought on his
side when enemy troops attacked.
22Day after day, new men came to
join David, and soon he had a large, powerful army.
David's Men at Hebron
23-37The
kingdom of Israel had been taken away from Saul, and it now belonged to David.
He was ruling from Hebron, and thousands of well-trained soldiers from each
tribe went there to crown David king of all Israel, just as the LORD had
promised. These soldiers, who were always prepared for battle, included: 6,800
from Judah, who were armed with shields and spears; 7,100 from Simeon; 4,600
from Levi, including Jehoiada, who was a leader from Aaron's descendants, and
his 3,700 men, as well as Zadok, who was a brave soldier, and 22 of his
relatives, who were also officers; 3,000 from Benjamin, because this was Saul's
own tribe and most of the men had remained loyal to him; 20,800 from Ephraim,
who were not only brave, but also famous in their clans; 18,000 from West
Manasseh, who had been chosen to help make David king; 200 leaders from
Issachar, along with troops under their command--these leaders knew the right
time to do what needed to be done; 50,000 from Zebulun, who were not only loyal,
but also trained to use any weapon; 1,000 officers from Naphtali and 37,000
soldiers armed with shields and spears; 28,600 from Dan; 40,000 from Asher; and
120,000 from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh, who were armed with
all kinds of weapons.
38All of these soldiers
voluntarily came to Hebron because they wanted David to become king of Israel.
In fact, everyone in Israel wanted the same thing. 39The soldiers stayed in Hebron three days, eating and
drinking what their relatives had prepared for them. 40Other Israelites from as far away as the territories of
Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought cattle and sheep to slaughter for food.
They also brought donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen that were loaded down with
flour, dried figs, wine, and olive oil.
Everyone in Israel was very happy.
1 Chronicles 13
David Moves the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.1-12a)
1Some time
later, David talked with his army commanders, 2-3and then announced to the people of Israel:
While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to
bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here,
including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland.
But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the LORD our God wants us
to.
4The people agreed this was the
right thing to do.
5David gathered everyone from
the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo-Hamath in the north. 6Then he led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called
Kiriath-Jearim. They went there to get the sacred chest and bring it to
Jerusalem, because it belonged to the LORD God, whose throne is above the winged
creatures on
the lid of the chest. 7The sacred chest
was still at Abinadab's house, and
when David and the crowd arrived there, they brought the chest outside and
placed it on a new ox cart. Abinadab's sons
Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, 8while
David and the crowd danced and sang praises to the LORD with all their might.
They played music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on
tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9But when they came to Chidon's threshing place, the oxen
stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the chest to stop it from
falling. 10The LORD God was very angry
at Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.
11David then got angry at God
for killing Uzzah. So he named that place "Attack on Uzzah," and
it's been called that ever since. 12David was afraid what the LORD might do to him, and he
asked himself, "Should I really be the one to take care of the sacred chest?"
13So instead of taking it to Jerusalem,
David decided to take it to the home of Obed-Edom, who lived in the town of
Gath.
14The chest stayed there for
three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he
owned.
1 Chronicles 14
David's Palace in Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 5.11-16)
1King Hiram
of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone
workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace. 2David now knew that the LORD had made him a powerful king
of Israel for the good of his people.
3After David moved to Jerusalem,
he married more women and had more sons and daughters. 4-7His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,
Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada,
and
Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
(2 Samuel 5.17-25)
8When the
Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture
him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle.
9The Philistines had already camped in
Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.
10David asked God, "Should I
attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?"
The LORD told David, "Yes, attack them! I will give you victory."
11David and his army marched to
Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, "I
defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood." So he
named the place "The Lord Broke Through."
12Then David ordered his troops to burn
the idols that the Philistines had left behind. 13Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill
country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 14David asked God what he should do, and God answered,
"Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam
trees are. 15Wait there until you hear
the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have
marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack
quickly!" 16David obeyed God and he
defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the
entrance to Gezer.
17From then on, David became
even more famous, and the LORD made all the nations afraid of him.
Romans 1:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
Romans 1
1From Paul, a
servant of Christ Jesus.
God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me to preach the good news
2that he promised long ago by what his
prophets said in the holy Scriptures. 3-4This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit
proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God,
because he was raised from death. 5Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle, so
that people of all nations would obey and have faith. 6You are some of those people chosen by Jesus Christ. 7This letter is to all of you in Rome. God
loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people.
I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you
and will bless you with peace!
A Prayer of Thanks
8First, I
thank God in the name of Jesus Christ for all of you. I do this because people
everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9God has seen how I never stop praying for you, while I
serve him with all my heart and tell the good news about his Son.
10In all my prayers, I ask God
to make it possible for me to visit you. 11I want to see you and share with you the same blessings
that God's Spirit has given me. Then you will grow stronger in your faith. 12What I am saying is that we can encourage
each other by the faith that is ours.
13My friends, I want you to
know that I have often planned to come for a visit. But something has always
kept me from doing it. I want to win followers to Christ in Rome, as I have done
in many other places. 14-15It doesn't
matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and
uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. That's why I am eager to
visit all of you in Rome.
The Power of the Good News
16I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of
saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 17The good news tells how God accepts
everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It
is just as the Scriptures say, "The people God accepts because of their faith
will live."
Psalm 9:13-20 (Contemporary English Version)
13Please have mercy, LORD!
My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
that lead to death,
14and I will sing about you
at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
because you rescued me.
15Our LORD, the nations fell
into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
in their own traps.
16You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
by their own evil deeds.
17The wicked will go down
to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
that forgot about you.
18The poor and the homeless
won't always be forgotten
and without hope.
19Do something, LORD!
Don't let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
in your court of law.
20Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
just how weak they are.
Proverbs 19:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)
4The rich have many friends;
the poor have none.
5Dishonest witnesses and liars
won't escape punishment.
Verse of the Day
“Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: `No one can live only on food. People
need every word that God has spoken.” - Matthew
4:4
Thought for the Day
American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, and inventor, Buckminster Fuller wrote, “Politicians are always realistically maneuvering for the next election. They are obsolete as fundamental problem-solvers.”
A Joke for Today
A man is skydiving, enjoying his free-fall, when he realizes that he has reached the altitude where he must open his parachute. So he pulls on the rip cord, but nothing happens.
“No problem,” he says to himself, “I still have my emergency chute.” So he pulls the rip cord on his emergency parachute, and once again, nothing happens.
Now the man begins to panic. “What am I going to do?” he thinks, “I'm a goner!”
Just then he sees a man flying up from the earth toward him. He can't figure out where this man is coming from, or what he's doing, but he thinks to himself, “Maybe he can help me. If he can't, then I'm done for.”
When the man gets close enough to him, the skydiver cups his hands and shouts down, “Hey, do you know anything about parachutes?”
The other man replies, “No! Do you know anything about gas stoves?”
Today our passages are 1 Chronicles 12:19–14:17; Romans
1:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and Proverbs 19:4-5. The readings
are from The
Message by Eugene H.
Peterson. If you find these readings helpful, please
consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main
Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.
1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17 (The Message)
19 Some from the tribe of Manasseh
also defected to David when he started out with the Philistines to go to war
against Saul. In the end, they didn't actually fight because the Philistine
leaders, after talking it over, sent them home, saying, "We can't trust them
with our lives—they'll betray us to their master Saul."
20-22 The men from Manasseh who
defected to David at Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad,
Elihu, and Zillethai, all leaders among the families of Manasseh. They helped
David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters
and good leaders among his raiders. Hardly a day went by without men showing up
to help—it wasn't long before his band seemed as large as God's own army!
23-37 Here are the statistics on
the battle-seasoned warriors who came down from the north to David at Hebron to
hand over Saul's kingdom, in accord with God's word: from Judah, carrying shield
and spear, 6,800 battle-ready; from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters; from Levi,
4,600, which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men
and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family; from
Benjamin, Saul's family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until
now; from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns; from
the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king; from
Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel's duties, 200 leaders
with their families; from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors,
unswervingly loyal; from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily
armed; from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men; from Asher, 40,000 veterans,
battle-ready; and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe
of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.
38-40 All these soldiers came to
David at Hebron, ready to fight if necessary; they were both united and
determined to make David king over all Israel. And everyone else in Israel was
of the same mind—"Make David king!" They were with David for three days of
feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families. Neighbors
ranging from as far north as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali arrived with
donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded down with food for the party: flour, fig
cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep—joy in Israel!
1 Chronicles 13
David Goes to Get the Chest of God
1-14 David consulted with all of his leaders, the
commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David addressed the entire
assembly of Israel, "If it seems right to you, and it is God's will, let's invite all our
relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives,
including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures,
to join us. And let's bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of
sight, out of mind during the days of Saul." The entire assembly of Israel
agreed—everybody agreed that it was the right thing to do. So David gathered all
Israel together, from Egypt's Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of
Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim.
Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back
the Chest of God, the "Cherubim-Throne-of-God," where God's Name is invoked. They moved the
Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio
in charge. In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped
exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments.
When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah
grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off. God erupted in anger against Uzzah and
killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of
God. David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is
still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah). David was terrified of God that day;
he said, "How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?" So
David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored
it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Chest of God was in storage in the
house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and
everything around him.
1 Chronicles 14
David Builds
1-7 King Hiram of
Tyre sent an envoy to David, along with cedar lumber, masons, and carpenters to
build him a royal palace. Then David knew for sure that God had confirmed him as king over
Israel, because of the rising reputation that God was giving his kingdom for the
benefit of his people Israel. David married more wives and had more children in
Jerusalem. His children born in Jerusalem were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, and
Eliphelet.
8-9 The minute the Philistines
heard that David had been made king over a united Israel, they went out in force
to capture David. When David got the report, he marched out to confront them. On
their way, the Philistines stopped off to plunder the Valley of Rephaim.
10 David prayed to God: "Is this
the right time to attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?"
God answered, "Attack; I'll
give you the victory."
11-12 David attacked at Baal
Perazim and slaughtered them. David said, "God exploded my enemies, as water
explodes from a burst pipe." That's how the place got its name, Baal Perazim
(Baal-Explosion). The Philistines left their gods behind and David ordered that
they be burned up.
13-15 And then the Philistines were
back at it again, plundering in the valley. David again prayed to God. God
answered, "This time don't attack head-on; circle around and come at them out of
the balsam grove. When you hear a sound like shuffling feet in the tops of the
balsams, attack; God will be two steps ahead of you, slaughtering the
Philistines."
16 David did exactly as God
commanded, slaughtering Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 David was soon famous all over
the place, far and near; and God
put the fear of God into the godless nations.
Romans 1:1-17 (The Message)
Romans 1
1I, Paul, am a
devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to
proclaim God's words and acts. I write this letter to all the believers in Rome,
God's friends. 2-7The sacred writings
contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God's Son. His descent from David
roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit
when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our
Master. Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the
urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient
trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ!
And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master
Jesus, the Messiah.
8-12I thank God through Jesus for
every one of you. That's first. People everywhere keep telling me about your
lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him. And God, whom I so love
to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows
that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time,
I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting
goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God's gift in
person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don't think I'm not
expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do
to you.
13-15Please don't misinterpret my
failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I've made plans
for Rome. I've been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God's work
among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But
something has always come up and prevented it. Everyone I meet—it matters little
whether they're mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of
interdependence and obligation. And that's why I can't wait to get to you in
Rome, preaching this wonderful good news of God.
16-17It's news I'm most proud to
proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone
who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way
of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture
has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him
really lives."
Psalm 9:13-20 (The Message)
13-14 Be kind to me, God;
I've been kicked around
long enough.
Once you've pulled me back
from the gates of
death,
I'll write the book on Hallelujahs;
on the corner of
Main and First
I'll hold a street meeting;
I'll be the song
leader; we'll fill the air
with salvation songs.
15-16 They're trapped, those godless
countries,
in the very snares they set,
Their feet all tangled
in the net they spread.
They have no excuse;
the way
God works is well-known.
The cunning machinery made by the wicked
has maimed their own hands.
17-20 The wicked bought a one-way
ticket to hell.
No longer will the poor be nameless—
no more humiliation for
the humble.
Up, God! Aren't you fed up with their empty strutting?
Expose these grand pretensions!
Shake them up, God!
Show them how silly they look.
Proverbs 19:4-5 (The Message)
4 Wealth attracts friends
as honey draws flies,
but poor people are avoided like a plague.
5 Perjury won't go unpunished.
Would you let a liar go free?
Verse of the Day
“Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: `No one can live only on food. People
need every word that God has spoken.” - Matthew 4:4
Thought for the Day
American architect, systems theorist, author, designer and inventor, Buckminster Fuller
wrote, “If you take all the machinery in the world and dump it in the ocean,
within months more than half of all humanity will die and within another six
months they'd almost all be gone; if you took all the politicians in the world,
put them in a rocket, and sent them to the moon, everyone would get along
fine.”
Today our
passages are 1 Chronicles 12:19–14:17; Romans 1:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and
Proverbs 19:4-5. The readings are from The
Message by
Eugene H.
Peterson.
If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog,
The Bible in a Year.
1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17 (The Message)
19 Some from the tribe of Manasseh
also defected to David when he started out with the Philistines to go to war
against Saul. In the end, they didn't actually fight because the Philistine
leaders, after talking it over, sent them home, saying, "We can't trust them
with our lives—they'll betray us to their master Saul."
20-22 The men from Manasseh who
defected to David at Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad,
Elihu, and Zillethai, all leaders among the families of Manasseh. They helped
David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters
and good leaders among his raiders. Hardly a day went by without men showing up
to help—it wasn't long before his band seemed as large as God's own army!
23-37 Here are the statistics on
the battle-seasoned warriors who came down from the north to David at Hebron to
hand over Saul's kingdom, in accord with God's word: from Judah, carrying shield
and spear, 6,800 battle-ready; from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters; from Levi,
4,600, which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men
and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family; from
Benjamin, Saul's family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until
now; from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns; from
the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king; from
Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel's duties, 200 leaders
with their families; from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors,
unswervingly loyal; from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily
armed; from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men; from Asher, 40,000 veterans,
battle-ready; and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe
of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.
38-40 All these soldiers came to
David at Hebron, ready to fight if necessary; they were both united and
determined to make David king over all Israel. And everyone else in Israel was
of the same mind—"Make David king!" They were with David for three days of
feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families. Neighbors
ranging from as far north as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali arrived with
donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded down with food for the party: flour, fig
cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep—joy in Israel!
1 Chronicles 13
David Goes to Get the Chest of God
1-14 David consulted with all of his leaders, the
commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David addressed the entire
assembly of Israel, "If it seems right to you, and it is God's will, let's invite all our
relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives,
including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures,
to join us. And let's bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of
sight, out of mind during the days of Saul." The entire assembly of Israel
agreed—everybody agreed that it was the right thing to do. So David gathered all
Israel together, from Egypt's Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of
Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim.
Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back
the Chest of God, the "Cherubim-Throne-of-God," where God's Name is invoked. They moved the
Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio
in charge. In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped
exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments.
When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah
grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off. God erupted in anger against Uzzah and
killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of
God. David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is
still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah). David was terrified of God that day;
he said, "How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?" So
David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored
it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Chest of God was in storage in the
house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and
everything around him.
1 Chronicles 14
David Builds
1-7 King Hiram of
Tyre sent an envoy to David, along with cedar lumber, masons, and carpenters to
build him a royal palace. Then David knew for sure that God had confirmed him as king over
Israel, because of the rising reputation that God was giving his kingdom for the
benefit of his people Israel. David married more wives and had more children in
Jerusalem. His children born in Jerusalem were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, and
Eliphelet.
8-9 The minute the Philistines
heard that David had been made king over a united Israel, they went out in force
to capture David. When David got the report, he marched out to confront them. On
their way, the Philistines stopped off to plunder the Valley of Rephaim.
10 David prayed to God: "Is this
the right time to attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?"
God answered, "Attack; I'll
give you the victory."
11-12 David attacked at Baal
Perazim and slaughtered them. David said, "God exploded my enemies, as water
explodes from a burst pipe." That's how the place got its name, Baal Perazim
(Baal-Explosion). The Philistines left their gods behind and David ordered that
they be burned up.
13-15 And then the Philistines were
back at it again, plundering in the valley. David again prayed to God. God
answered, "This time don't attack head-on; circle around and come at them out of
the balsam grove. When you hear a sound like shuffling feet in the tops of the
balsams, attack; God will be two steps ahead of you, slaughtering the
Philistines."
16 David did exactly as God
commanded, slaughtering Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 David was soon famous all over
the place, far and near; and God
put the fear of God into the godless nations.
Romans 1:1-17 (The Message)
Romans 1
1I, Paul, am a
devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to
proclaim God's words and acts. I write this letter to all the believers in Rome,
God's friends. 2-7The sacred writings
contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God's Son. His descent from David
roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit
when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our
Master. Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the
urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient
trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ!
And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master
Jesus, the Messiah.
8-12I thank God through Jesus for
every one of you. That's first. People everywhere keep telling me about your
lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him. And God, whom I so love
to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows
that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time,
I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting
goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God's gift in
person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don't think I'm not
expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do
to you.
13-15Please don't misinterpret my
failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I've made plans
for Rome. I've been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God's work
among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But
something has always come up and prevented it. Everyone I meet—it matters little
whether they're mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of
interdependence and obligation. And that's why I can't wait to get to you in
Rome, preaching this wonderful good news of God.
16-17It's news I'm most proud to
proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone
who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way
of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture
has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him
really lives."
Psalm 9:13-20 (The Message)
13-14 Be kind to me, God;
I've been kicked around
long enough.
Once you've pulled me back
from the gates of
death,
I'll write the book on Hallelujahs;
on the corner of
Main and First
I'll hold a street meeting;
I'll be the song
leader; we'll fill the air
with salvation songs.
15-16 They're trapped, those godless
countries,
in the very snares they set,
Their feet all tangled
in the net they spread.
They have no excuse;
the way
God works is well-known.
The cunning machinery made by the wicked
has maimed their own hands.
17-20 The wicked bought a one-way
ticket to hell.
No longer will the poor be nameless—
no more humiliation for
the humble.
Up, God! Aren't you fed up with their empty strutting?
Expose these grand pretensions!
Shake them up, God!
Show them how silly they look.
Proverbs 19:4-5 (The Message)
4 Wealth attracts friends
as honey draws flies,
but poor people are avoided like a plague.
5 Perjury won't go unpunished.
Would you let a liar go free?
Verse of the Day
“Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: `No one can live only on food. People
need every word that God has spoken.” - Matthew 4:4
Thought
for the Day
American neo-futuristic architect, systems theorist, author, designer and
inventor, Buckminster Fuller
wrote, “Whether it is to be Utopia or Oblivion will be a touch-and-go relay race
right up to the final moment. … Humanity is in ‘final exam’ as to whether or not
it qualifies for continuance in Universe.”
Today our
passages are 1 Chronicles 12:19–14:17; Romans 1:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and
Proverbs 19:4-5. The readings are the
Contemporary English
Version.
1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17 (Contemporary English
Version)
Warriors from the Manasseh tribe
19 Some of the warriors who joined David were from the
tribe of Manasseh. They had earlier gone with David when he agreed to fight on
the side of the Philistines against King Saul. But as soon as the Philistine
rulers realized that David might turn against them and rejoin Saul, they sent
David away to the town of Ziklag. 20That's when the following men from Manasseh joined him:
Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. They had all
been commanders in Saul's army 21and
brave soldiers, and so David made them officers in his army. They fought on his
side when enemy troops attacked.
22Day after day, new men came to
join David, and soon he had a large, powerful army.
David's Men at Hebron
23-37The
kingdom of Israel had been taken away from Saul, and it now belonged to David.
He was ruling from Hebron, and thousands of well-trained soldiers from each
tribe went there to crown David king of all Israel, just as the LORD had
promised. These soldiers, who were always prepared for battle, included: 6,800
from Judah, who were armed with shields and spears; 7,100 from Simeon; 4,600
from Levi, including Jehoiada, who was a leader from Aaron's descendants, and
his 3,700 men, as well as Zadok, who was a brave soldier, and 22 of his
relatives, who were also officers; 3,000 from Benjamin, because this was Saul's
own tribe and most of the men had remained loyal to him; 20,800 from Ephraim,
who were not only brave, but also famous in their clans; 18,000 from West
Manasseh, who had been chosen to help make David king; 200 leaders from
Issachar, along with troops under their command--these leaders knew the right
time to do what needed to be done; 50,000 from Zebulun, who were not only loyal,
but also trained to use any weapon; 1,000 officers from Naphtali and 37,000
soldiers armed with shields and spears; 28,600 from Dan; 40,000 from Asher; and
120,000 from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh, who were armed with
all kinds of weapons.
38All of these soldiers
voluntarily came to Hebron because they wanted David to become king of Israel.
In fact, everyone in Israel wanted the same thing. 39The soldiers stayed in Hebron three days, eating and
drinking what their relatives had prepared for them. 40Other Israelites from as far away as the territories of
Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought cattle and sheep to slaughter for food.
They also brought donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen that were loaded down with
flour, dried figs, wine, and olive oil.
Everyone in Israel was very happy.
1 Chronicles 13
David Moves the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.1-12a)
1Some time
later, David talked with his army commanders, 2-3and then announced to the people of Israel:
While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to
bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here,
including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland.
But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the LORD our God wants us
to.
4The people agreed this was the
right thing to do.
5David gathered everyone from
the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo-Hamath in the north. 6Then he led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called
Kiriath-Jearim. They went there to get the sacred chest and bring it to
Jerusalem, because it belonged to the LORD God, whose throne is above the winged
creatures on
the lid of the chest. 7The sacred chest
was still at Abinadab's house, and
when David and the crowd arrived there, they brought the chest outside and
placed it on a new ox cart. Abinadab's sons
Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, 8while
David and the crowd danced and sang praises to the LORD with all their might.
They played music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on
tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9But when they came to Chidon's threshing place, the oxen
stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the chest to stop it from
falling. 10The LORD God was very angry
at Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.
11David then got angry at God
for killing Uzzah. So he named that place "Attack on Uzzah," and
it's been called that ever since. 12David was afraid what the LORD might do to him, and he
asked himself, "Should I really be the one to take care of the sacred chest?"
13So instead of taking it to Jerusalem,
David decided to take it to the home of Obed-Edom, who lived in the town of
Gath.
14The chest stayed there for
three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he
owned.
1 Chronicles 14
David's Palace in Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 5.11-16)
1King Hiram
of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone
workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace. 2David now knew that the LORD had made him a powerful king
of Israel for the good of his people.
3After David moved to Jerusalem,
he married more women and had more sons and daughters. 4-7His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,
Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada,
and
Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
(2 Samuel 5.17-25)
8When the
Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture
him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle.
9The Philistines had already camped in
Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.
10David asked God, "Should I
attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?"
The LORD told David, "Yes, attack them! I will give you victory."
11David and his army marched to
Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, "I
defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood." So he
named the place "The Lord Broke Through."
12Then David ordered his troops to burn
the idols that the Philistines had left behind. 13Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill
country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 14David asked God what he should do, and God answered,
"Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam
trees are. 15Wait there until you hear
the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have
marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack
quickly!" 16David obeyed God and he
defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the
entrance to Gezer.
17From then on, David became
even more famous, and the LORD made all the nations afraid of him.
Romans 1:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
Romans 1
1From Paul, a
servant of Christ Jesus.
God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me to preach the good news
2that he promised long ago by what his
prophets said in the holy Scriptures. 3-4This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit
proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God,
because he was raised from death. 5Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle, so
that people of all nations would obey and have faith. 6You are some of those people chosen by Jesus Christ. 7This letter is to all of you in Rome. God
loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people.
I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you
and will bless you with peace!
A Prayer of Thanks
8First, I
thank God in the name of Jesus Christ for all of you. I do this because people
everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9God has seen how I never stop praying for you, while I
serve him with all my heart and tell the good news about his Son.
10In all my prayers, I ask God
to make it possible for me to visit you. 11I want to see you and share with you the same blessings
that God's Spirit has given me. Then you will grow stronger in your faith. 12What I am saying is that we can encourage
each other by the faith that is ours.
13My friends, I want you to
know that I have often planned to come for a visit. But something has always
kept me from doing it. I want to win followers to Christ in Rome, as I have done
in many other places. 14-15It doesn't
matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and
uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. That's why I am eager to
visit all of you in Rome.
The Power of the Good News
16I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of
saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 17The good news tells how God accepts
everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It
is just as the Scriptures say, "The people God accepts because of their faith
will live."
Psalm 9:13-20 (Contemporary English Version)
13Please have mercy, LORD!
My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
that lead to death,
14and I will sing about you
at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
because you rescued me.
15Our LORD, the nations fell
into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
in their own traps.
16You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
by their own evil deeds.
17The wicked will go down
to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
that forgot about you.
18The poor and the homeless
won't always be forgotten
and without hope.
19Do something, LORD!
Don't let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
in your court of law.
20Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
just how weak they are.
Proverbs 19:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)
4The rich have many friends;
the poor have none.
5Dishonest witnesses and liars
won't escape punishment.
Verse of the Day
“Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: `No one can live only on food. People
need every word that God has spoken.” - Matthew
4:4
Thought
for the Day
American architect, systems theorist, author, designer,
inventor, and futurist Buckminster Fuller
wrote, “We must progress to the stage of doing all the right things for all the
right reasons instead of doing all the right things for all the wrong
reasons.”
