Bible Readings for February 1, 2019

Today our passages are Exodus 13:17–15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; and Proverbs 6:16-19. The readings are 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.

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Exodus 13:17-15:18 (Contemporary English Version)

The LORD Leads His People

 ¹⁷After the king ^[a] had finally let the people go, the LORD did not lead them through Philistine territory, ^[b] though that was the shortest way. God had said, " If they are attacked, they may decide to return to Egypt." ¹⁸So he led them around through the desert and toward the Red Sea. ^[c] The Israelites left Egypt, prepared for battle.     ¹⁹Moses had them take along the bones of Joseph, whose dying words had been, " God will come to your rescue, and when he does, be sure to take along my bones."
    ²⁰The people of Israel left Succoth and camped at Etham at the border of Egypt near the desert. ^21-22During the day the LORD went ahead of his people in a thick cloud, and during the night he went ahead of them in a flaming fire. That way the LORD could lead them at all times, whether day or night.
    

Exodus 14

The Israelites Cross the Red Sea

 ¹At Etham the LORD said to Moses:     ²Tell the people of Israel to turn back and camp across from Pi-Hahiroth near Baal-Zephon, between Migdol and the Red Sea. ^[d] ³The king ^[e] will think they were afraid to cross the desert and that they are wandering around, trying to find another way to leave the country. ⁴I will make the king stubborn again, and he will try to catch you. Then I will destroy him and his army. People everywhere will praise me for my victory, and the Egyptians will know that I really am the LORD. The Israelites obeyed the LORD and camped where he told them.
    ⁵When the king of Egypt heard that the Israelites had finally left, he and his officials changed their minds and said, " Look what we have done! We let them get away, and they will no longer be our slaves."
    ⁶The king got his war chariot and army ready. ⁷He commanded his officers in charge of his six hundred best chariots and all his other chariots to start after the Israelites. ⁸The LORD made the king so stubborn that he went after them, even though the Israelites proudly ^[f] went on their way. ⁹But the king's horses and chariots and soldiers caught up with them while they were camping by the Red Sea near Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon. ¹⁰When the Israelites saw the king coming with his army, they were frightened and begged the LORD for help. ¹¹They also complained to Moses, " Wasn't there enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt anyway? ¹²While we were there, didn't we tell you to leave us alone? We had rather be slaves in Egypt than die in this desert!"
    ¹³But Moses answered, " Don't be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the LORD save you today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. ¹⁴The LORD will fight for you, and you won't have to do a thing."
    ¹⁵The LORD said to Moses, " Why do you keep calling out to me for help? Tell the Israelites to move forward. ¹⁶Then hold your walking stick over the sea. The water will open up and make a road where they can walk through on dry ground. ¹⁷I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go after you. Then I will be praised because of what happens to the king and his chariots and cavalry. ¹⁸The Egyptians will know for sure that I am the LORD."
    ¹⁹All this time God's angel had gone ahead of Israel's army, but now he moved behind them. A large cloud had also gone ahead of them, ²⁰but now it moved between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud gave light to the Israelites, but made it dark for the Egyptians, and during the night they could not come any closer.
    ²¹Moses stretched his arm over the sea, and the LORD sent a strong east wind that blew all night until there was dry land where the water had been. The sea opened up, ²²and the Israelites walked through on dry land with a wall of water on each side.
    ²³The Egyptian chariots and cavalry went after them. ²⁴But before daylight the LORD looked down at the Egyptian army from the fiery cloud and made them panic. ²⁵Their chariot wheels got stuck, ^[g] and it was hard for them to move. So the Egyptians said to one another, " Let's leave these people alone! The LORD is on their side and is fighting against us." ²⁶The LORD told Moses, " Stretch your arm toward the sea--the water will cover the Egyptians and their cavalry and chariots." ²⁷Moses stretched out his arm, and at daybreak the water rushed toward the Egyptians. They tried to run away, but the LORD drowned them in the sea. ²⁸The water came and covered the chariots, the cavalry, and the whole Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them was left alive. ²⁹But the sea had made a wall of water on each side of the Israelites; so they walked through on dry land.
    ³⁰On that day, when the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the shore, they knew that the LORD had saved them. ³¹Because of the mighty power he had used against the Egyptians, the Israelites worshiped him and trusted him and his servant Moses.
    

Exodus 15

The Song of Moses

 ¹Moses and the Israelites sang this song in praise of the LORD:    I sing praises to the LORD
   for his great victory!
   He has thrown the horses
   and their riders
   into the sea.
    ²The LORD is my strength,
   the reason for my song,
   because he has saved me.
   I praise and honor the LORD--
   he is my God
   and the God
   of my ancestors.
    ³The LORD is his name,
   and he is a warrior!
    ⁴He threw the chariots and army
   of Egypt's king ^[h] into the Red Sea, ^[i] and he drowned the best
   of the king's officers.
    ⁵They sank to the bottom
   just like stones.
    ⁶With the tremendous force
   of your right arm, our LORD,
   you crushed your enemies.
    ⁷What a great victory was yours,
   as you defeated everyone
   who opposed you.
   Your fiery anger wiped them out,
   as though they were straw.
    ⁸You were so furious
   that the sea piled up
   like a wall,
   and the ocean depths
   curdled like cheese.
    ⁹Your enemies boasted
   that they would
   pursue and capture us,
   divide up our possessions,
   treat us as they wished,
   then take out their swords
   and kill us right there.
    ¹⁰But when you got furious,
   they sank like lead,
   swallowed by ocean waves.
    ¹¹Our LORD, no other gods
   compare with you--
   Majestic and holy!
   Fearsome and glorious!
   Miracle worker!
    ¹²When you signaled
   with your right hand,
   your enemies were swallowed
   deep into the earth.
    ¹³The people you rescued
   were led by your powerful love
   to your holy place.
    ¹⁴Nations learned of this
   and trembled--
   Philistines shook with horror.
    ¹⁵The leaders of Edom and of Moab
   were terrified.
   Everyone in Canaan fainted,
    ¹⁶struck down by fear.
   Our LORD, your powerful arm
   kept them still as a rock
   until the people you rescued
   for your very own
   had marched by.
    ¹⁷You will let your people settle
   on your chosen mountain,
   where you built your home
   and your temple.
    ¹⁸Our LORD, you will rule forever!
    

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 13:17 Philistine territory: The shortest land route from the Nile Delta to Canaan; it was the southern section of the
2. Exodus 13:17 mmajor road that led to Megiddo and then on to Mesopotamia by way of Asia Minor.
3. Exodus 13:18 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph " Sea of Reeds," one of the marshes or fresh water lakes, near the eastern part of the Nile Delta. This identification is based on Exodus 13.17--14.9, which lists the towns on the route of the Israelites before crossing the sea. In the Greek translation of the Scriptures made about 200 B.C., the " Sea of Reeds" was named " Red Sea."
4. Exodus 14:2 Red Sea: Hebrew hayyam " the Sea," understood as yam suph, " Sea of Reeds" (see also the note at 13.18).
5. Exodus 14:3 The king: See the note at 1.11.
6. Exodus 14:8 proudly: Or " victoriously."
7. Exodus 14:25 stuck: The Samaritan Hebrew text and two ancient translations; Hebrew " came off."
8. Exodus 15:4 Egypt's king: See the note at 1.11.
9. Exodus 15:4 Red Sea: See the note at 13.18.

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Matthew 21:23-46 (Contemporary English Version)

A Question about Jesus' Authority

(Mark 11.27-33; Luke 20.1-8)

 ²³Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, "What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"     ²⁴Jesus answered, "I have just one question to ask you. If you answer it, I will tell you where I got the right to do these things. ²⁵Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?"
   They thought it over and said to each other, "We can't say that God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. ²⁶On the other hand, these people think that John was a prophet, and we are afraid of what they might do to us. That's why we can't say that it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize." ²⁷So they told Jesus, "We don't know."
   Jesus said, "Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do."
    

A Story about Two Sons

 ²⁸Jesus said:    I will tell you a story about a man who had two sons. Then you can tell me what you think. The father went to the older son and said, "Go work in the vineyard today!" ²⁹His son told him that he would not do it, but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰The man then told his younger son to go work in the vineyard. The boy said he would, but he didn't go. ³¹Which one of the sons obeyed his father?
   "The older one," the chief priests and leaders answered.
   Then Jesus told them:
   You can be sure that tax collectors ^[a] and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will! ³²When John the Baptist showed you how to do right, you would not believe him. But these evil people did believe. And even when you saw what they did, you still would not change your minds and believe. 

Renters of a Vineyard

(Mark 12.1-12; Luke 20.9-19)

 ³³Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story:    A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country.
    ³⁴When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. ³⁵But the renters grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death. ³⁶He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the renters treated them in the same way.
    ³⁷Finally, the owner sent his own son to the renters, because he thought they would respect him. ³⁸But when they saw the man's son, they said, "Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves."³⁹So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
    ⁴⁰Jesus asked, "When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those renters?"
    ⁴¹The chief priests and leaders answered, "He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will rent out his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time."
    ⁴²Jesus replied, "You surely know that the Scriptures say,
   `The stone that the builders
   tossed aside
   is now the most important
   stone of all.
   This is something
   the Lord has done,
   and it is amazing to us.'
    ⁴³I tell you that God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. ⁴⁴Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces." ^[b] ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that Jesus was talking about them. ⁴⁶So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.
    

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 21:31 tax collectors: See the note at 5.46.
2. Matthew 21:44 pieces: Verse 44 is not in some manuscripts.

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Psalm 26:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 26

(By David.)

The Prayer of an Innocent Person

 ¹Show that I am right, LORD!    I stay true to myself,
   and I have trusted you
   without doubting.
    ²Test my thoughts and find out
   what I am like.
    ³I never forget your kindness,
   and I am always faithful
   to you. ^[a] ⁴I don't spend my time
   with worthless liars
    ⁵or go with evil crowds.
    ⁶I wash my hands, LORD,
   to show my innocence,
   and I worship at your altar,
    ⁷while gratefully singing
   about your wonders.
    ⁸I love the temple
   where you live,
   and where
   your glory shines.
    ⁹Don't sweep me away,
   as you do sinners.
   Don't punish me with death
   as you do those people
   who are brutal
    ¹⁰or full of meanness
   or who bribe others.
    ¹¹I stay true to myself.
   Be kind and rescue me.
    ¹²Now I stand on solid ground!
   And when your people meet,
   I will praise you, LORD.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 26:3 I am. . . to you: Or " I trust your faithfulness."

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Proverbs 6:16-19 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁶There are six or seven
   kinds of people
   the LORD doesn't like:
    ¹⁷Those who are too proud
   or tell lies or murder,
    ¹⁸those who make evil plans
   or are quick to do wrong,
    ¹⁹those who tell lies in court
   or stir up trouble
   in a family.

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Verse of the Day

Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.” - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Pioneering American psychologist and educator, G. Stanley Hall wrote, “The man of the future may, and even must, do things impossible in the past and acquire new motor variations not given by heredity.”

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A Joke for Today

You might be a redneck if...

You think you are an entrepreneur because of the "Dirt for Sale" sign in the front yard.

You're still scalping tickets after the concert is over.

You don't think Jeff's jokes are funny.

Your house has a kickstand.

You drive around a parking lot for fun.

Your girlfriend has ever called YOUR parents "Ma and Pa".

You have to duct tape your gloves on.

You've ever pruned your trees with a shotgun.

Someone says they spotted Bigfoot and you go buy tickets to the tractor pull.

You think that Marlboro is a cologne.

Bible Readings for February 1, 2018

Today, our passages are Exodus 13:17–15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; and Proverbs 6:16-19. 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 by using the link below.

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Exodus 13:17-15:18 (The Message)

 ¹⁷ It so happened that after Pharaoh released the people, God didn't lead them by the road through the land of the Philistines, which was the shortest route, for God thought, "If the people encounter war, they'll change their minds and go back to Egypt."
 ¹⁸ So God led the people on the wilderness road, looping around to the Red Sea. The Israelites left Egypt in military formation.
 ¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear to do it, saying, "God will surely hold you accountable, so make sure you bring my bones from here with you."
 ^20-22 They moved on from Succoth and then camped at Etham at the edge of the wilderness. God went ahead of them in a Pillar of Cloud during the day to guide them on the way, and at night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light; thus they could travel both day and night. The Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night never left the people. 

Exodus 14

The Story and Song of Salvation

 ^1-2 God spoke to Moses: "Tell the Israelites to turn around and make camp at Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. Camp on the shore of the sea opposite Baal Zephon.  ^3-4 "Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are lost; they're confused. The wilderness has closed in on them.' Then I'll make Pharaoh's heart stubborn again and he'll chase after them. And I'll use Pharaoh and his army to put my Glory on display. Then the Egyptians will realize that I am God."
   And that's what happened.
 ^5-7 When the king of Egypt was told that the people were gone, he and his servants changed their minds. They said, "What have we done, letting Israel, our slave labor, go free?" So he had his chariots harnessed up and got his army together. He took six hundred of his best chariots, with the rest of the Egyptian chariots and their drivers coming along.
 ^8-9 God made Pharaoh king of Egypt stubborn, determined to chase the Israelites as they walked out on him without even looking back. The Egyptians gave chase and caught up with them where they had made camp by the sea—all Pharaoh's horse-drawn chariots and their riders, all his foot soldiers there at Pi Hahiroth opposite Baal Zephon.
 ^10-12 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw them— Egyptians! Coming at them!
   They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to God. They told Moses, "Weren't the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Back in Egypt didn't we tell you this would happen? Didn't we tell you, 'Leave us alone here in Egypt—we're better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.'"
 ¹³ Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.

 ¹⁴ God will fight the battle for you.
      And you? You keep your mouths shut!"

^15-16 God said to Moses: "Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground.
 ^17-18 "Meanwhile I'll make sure the Egyptians keep up their stubborn chase—I'll use Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots and horsemen, to put my Glory on display so that the Egyptians will realize that I am God."
 ^19-20 The angel of God that had been leading the camp of Israel now shifted and got behind them. And the Pillar of Cloud that had been in front also shifted to the rear. The Cloud was now between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. The Cloud enshrouded one camp in darkness and flooded the other with light. The two camps didn't come near each other all night.
 ²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and God, with a terrific east wind all night long, made the sea go back. He made the sea dry ground. The seawaters split.
 ^22-25 The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with the waters a wall to the right and to the left. The Egyptians came after them in full pursuit, every horse and chariot and driver of Pharaoh racing into the middle of the sea. It was now the morning watch. God looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud.
   The Egyptians said, "Run from Israel! God is fighting on their side and against Egypt!"
 ²⁶ God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and the waters will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, over their horsemen."
 ^27-28 Moses stretched his hand out over the sea: As the day broke and the Egyptians were running, the sea returned to its place as before. God dumped the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. The waters returned, drowning the chariots and riders of Pharaoh's army that had chased after Israel into the sea. Not one of them survived.
 ^29-31 But the Israelites walked right through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall to the right and to the left. God delivered Israel that day from the oppression of the Egyptians. And Israel looked at the Egyptian dead, washed up on the shore of the sea, and realized the tremendous power that God brought against the Egyptians. The people were in reverent awe before God and trusted in God and his servant Moses. 

Exodus 15

 ^1-8 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together,

   I'm singing my heart out to God—what a victory!
      He pitched horse and rider into the sea.
   God is my strength, God is my song,
      and, yes! God is my salvation.
   This is the kind of God I have
      and I'm telling the world!
   This is the God of my father—
      I'm spreading the news far and wide!
   God is a fighter,
      pure God, through and through.
   Pharaoh's chariots and army
      he dumped in the sea,
   The elite of his officers
      he drowned in the Red Sea.
   Wild ocean waters poured over them;
      they sank like a rock in the deep blue sea.
   Your strong right hand, God, shimmers with power;
      your strong right hand shatters the enemy.
   In your mighty majesty
      you smash your upstart enemies,
   You let loose your hot anger
      and burn them to a crisp.
   At a blast from your nostrils
      the waters piled up;
   Tumbling streams dammed up,
      wild oceans curdled into a swamp.

 ⁹ The enemy spoke,
      "I'll pursue, I'll hunt them down,
   I'll divide up the plunder,
      I'll glut myself on them;
   I'll pull out my sword,
      my fist will send them reeling."

 ^10-11 You blew with all your might
      and the sea covered them.
   They sank like a lead weight
      in the majestic waters.
   Who compares with you
      among gods, O God?
   Who compares with you in power,
      in holy majesty,
   In awesome praises,
      wonder-working God?

 ^12-13 You stretched out your right hand
      and the Earth swallowed them up.
   But the people you redeemed,
      you led in merciful love;
   You guided them under your protection
      to your holy pasture.

 ^14-18 When people heard, they were scared;
      Philistines writhed and trembled;
   Yes, even the head men in Edom were shaken,
      and the big bosses in Moab.
   Everybody in Canaan
      panicked and fell faint.
   Dread and terror
      sent them reeling.
   Before your brandished right arm
      they were struck dumb like a stone,
   Until your people crossed over and entered, O God,
      until the people you made crossed over and entered.
   You brought them and planted them
      on the mountain of your heritage,
   The place where you live,
      the place you made,
   Your sanctuary, Master,
      that you established with your own hands.
   Let God rule
      forever, for eternity!

 

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Matthew 21:23-46 (The Message)

True Authority

 ²³Then he was back in the Temple, teaching. The high priests and leaders of the people came up and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to teach here?"

 ^24-25Jesus responded, "First let me ask you a question. You answer my question and I'll answer yours. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans?"

 ^25-27They were on the spot and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him; if we say 'humans,' we're up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet." They decided to concede that round to Jesus. "We don't know," they answered.

   Jesus said, "Then neither will I answer your question.

The Story of Two Sons

 ²⁸"Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to the first and said, 'Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.'

 ²⁹"The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it and went.

 ³⁰"The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, glad to.' But he never went.

 ^31-32"Which of the two sons did what the father asked?"

   They said, "The first."

   Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are going to precede you into God's kingdom. John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

The Story of the Greedy Farmhands

 ^33-34"Here's another story. Listen closely. There was once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned it over to the farmhands and went off on a trip. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servants back to collect his profits.

 ^35-37"The farmhands grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next one they murdered. They threw stones at the third but he got away. The owner tried again, sending more servants. They got the same treatment. The owner was at the end of his rope. He decided to send his son. 'Surely,' he thought, 'they will respect my son.'

 ^38-39"But when the farmhands saw the son arrive, they rubbed their hands in greed. 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' They grabbed him, threw him out, and killed him.

 ⁴⁰"Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the farmhands?"

 ⁴¹"He'll kill them—a rotten bunch, and good riddance," they answered. "Then he'll assign the vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time."

 ^42-44Jesus said, "Right—and you can read it for yourselves in your Bibles:

   The stone the masons threw out
      is now the cornerstone.
   This is God's work;
      we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it!
"This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom will be taken back from you and handed over to a people who will live out a kingdom life. Whoever stumbles on this Stone gets shattered; whoever the Stone falls on gets smashed."

 ^45-46When the religious leaders heard this story, they knew it was aimed at them. They wanted to arrest Jesus and put him in jail, but, intimidated by public opinion, they held back. Most people held him to be a prophet of God.

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Psalm 26:1-12 (The Message)

Psalm 26

A David Psalm

 ¹ Clear my name, God; I've kept an honest shop.
   I've thrown in my lot with you, God, and
      I'm not budging.

 ² Examine me, God, from head to foot,
      order your battery of tests.
   Make sure I'm fit
      inside and out

 ³ So I never lose
      sight of your love,
   But keep in step with you,
      never missing a beat.

 ^4-5 I don't hang out with tricksters,
      I don't pal around with thugs;
   I hate that pack of gangsters,
      I don't deal with double-dealers.

 ^6-7 I scrub my hands with purest soap,
      then join hands with the others in the great circle,
      dancing around your altar, God,
   Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
      telling God-stories.

 ^8-10 God, I love living with you;
      your house glows with your glory.
   When it's time for spring cleaning,
      don't sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
   Men with bags of dirty tricks,
      women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

 ^11-12 You know I've been aboveboard with you;
      now be aboveboard with me.
   I'm on the level with you, God;
      I bless you every chance I get.

 

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Proverbs 6:16-19 (The Message)

Seven Things God Hates

 ^16-19 Here are six things God hates,
    and one more that he loathes with a passion:
      eyes that are arrogant,
      a tongue that lies,
      hands that murder the innocent,
      a heart that hatches evil plots,
      feet that race down a wicked track,
      a mouth that lies under oath,
      a troublemaker in the family.

 

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Verse of the Day

 

“Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.” - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Pioneering American psychologist and educator, G. Stanley Hall wrote, “Every theory of love, from Plato down, teaches that each individual loves in the other sex what he lacks in himself.”

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A Joke for Today

They had been up in the attic together doing some cleaning. The kids uncovered an old manual typewriter and asked, 'Hey Mom, what's this?'

'Oh, that's an old typewriter,' she answered, thinking that would satisfy their curiosity.

'Well what does it do?' they asked.

'I'll show you,' she said and returned with a blank piece of paper. She rolled the paper into the typewriter and began striking the keys, leaving black letters of print on the page.

'WOW!' they exclaimed, 'That's really cool! But how does it work like that? Where do you plug it in?'

'There is no plug,' she answered. 'It doesn't need a plug.'

'Then where do you put the batteries?' they persisted.

'It doesn't need batteries either.' she continued.

'Wow! This is so cool!' they exclaimed. 'Someone should have invented this a long time ago!'