Bible Readings for January 10, 2018

Today, our passages are Genesis 23:1–24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and Proverbs 3:1-6. 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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Genesis 23-24:51 (The Message)

Genesis 23

 ^1-2 Sarah lived 127 years. Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept. ^3-4 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites: "I know I'm only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently."
 ^5-6 The Hittites responded, "Why, you're no mere outsider here with us, you're a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial."
 ^7-9 Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites, and said, "If you're serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar. Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses."
 ^10-11 Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening: "Oh no, my master! I couldn't do that. The field is yours—a gift. I'll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife."
 ^12-13 Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled council and answered Ephron: "Please allow me—I want to pay the price of the land; take my money so that I can go ahead and bury my wife."
 ^14-15 Then Ephron answered Abraham, "If you insist, master. What's four hundred silver shekels between us? Now go ahead and bury your wife."
 ¹⁶ Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid out the sum that Ephron had named before the town council of Hittites—four hundred silver shekels at the current exchange rate.
 ^17-20 That's how Ephron's field next to Mamre—the field, its cave, and all the trees within its borders—became Abraham's property. The town council of Hittites witnessed the transaction. Abraham then proceeded to bury his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah that is next to Mamre, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. The field and its cave went from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burial plot.

Genesis 24

Isaac and Rebekah

 ¹ Abraham was now an old man. God had blessed Abraham in every way. ^2-4 Abraham spoke to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of everything he had, "Put your hand under my thigh and swear by God—God of Heaven, God of Earth—that you will not get a wife for my son from among the young women of the Canaanites here, but will go to the land of my birth and get a wife for my son Isaac."
 ⁵ The servant answered, "But what if the woman refuses to leave home and come with me? Do I then take your son back to your home country?"
 ^6-8 Abraham said, "Oh no. Never. By no means are you to take my son back there. God, the God of Heaven, took me from the home of my father and from the country of my birth and spoke to me in solemn promise, 'I'm giving this land to your descendants.' This God will send his angel ahead of you to get a wife for my son. And if the woman won't come, you are free from this oath you've sworn to me. But under no circumstances are you to take my son back there."
 ⁹ So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn oath.
 ^10-14 The servant took ten of his master's camels and, loaded with gifts from his master, traveled to Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. Outside the city, he made the camels kneel at a well. It was evening, the time when the women came to draw water. He prayed, "O God, God of my master Abraham, make things go smoothly this day; treat my master Abraham well! As I stand here by the spring while the young women of the town come out to get water, let the girl to whom I say, 'Lower your jug and give me a drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and let me also water your camels'—let her be the woman you have picked out for your servant Isaac. Then I'll know that you're working graciously behind the scenes for my master."
 ^15-17 It so happened that the words were barely out of his mouth when Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel whose mother was Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with a water jug on her shoulder. The girl was stunningly beautiful, a pure virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. The servant ran to meet her and said, "Please, can I have a sip of water from your jug?"
 ^18-21 She said, "Certainly, drink!" And she held the jug so that he could drink. When he had satisfied his thirst she said, "I'll get water for your camels, too, until they've drunk their fill." She promptly emptied her jug into the trough and ran back to the well to fill it, and she kept at it until she had watered all the camels.
   The man watched, silent. Was this God's answer? Had God made his trip a success or not?
 ^22-23 When the camels had finished drinking, the man brought out gifts, a gold nose ring weighing a little over a quarter of an ounce and two arm bracelets weighing about four ounces, and gave them to her. He asked her, "Tell me about your family? Whose daughter are you? Is there room in your father's house for us to stay the night?"
 ^24-25 She said, "I'm the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor. And there's plenty of room in our house for you to stay—and lots of straw and feed besides."
 ^26-27 At this the man bowed in worship before God and prayed, "Blessed be God, God of my master Abraham: How generous and true you've been to my master; you've held nothing back. You led me right to the door of my master's brother!"
 ²⁸ And the girl was off and running, telling everyone in her mother's house what had happened.
 ^29-31 Rebekah had a brother named Laban. Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. He had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister and had heard her say, "The man said this and this and this to me." So he went to the man and there he was, still standing with his camels at the spring. Laban welcomed him: "Come on in, blessed of God! Why are you standing out here? I've got the house ready for you; and there's also a place for your camels."
 ^32-33 So the man went into the house. The camels were unloaded and given straw and feed. Water was brought to bathe the feet of the man and the men with him. Then Laban brought out food. But the man said, "I won't eat until I tell my story."
   Laban said, "Go ahead; tell us."
 ^34-41 The servant said, "I'm the servant of Abraham. God has blessed my master—he's a great man; God has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, servants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. And then to top it off, Sarah, my master's wife, gave him a son in her old age and he has passed everything on to his son. My master made me promise, 'Don't get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live. No, go to my father's home, back to my family, and get a wife for my son there.' I said to my master, 'But what if the woman won't come with me?' He said, 'God before whom I've walked faithfully will send his angel with you and he'll make things work out so that you'll bring back a wife for my son from my family, from the house of my father. Then you'll be free from the oath. If you go to my family and they won't give her to you, you will also be free from the oath.'
 ^42-44 "Well, when I came this very day to the spring, I prayed, 'God, God of my master Abraham, make things turn out well in this task I've been given. I'm standing at this well. When a young woman comes here to draw water and I say to her, Please, give me a sip of water from your jug, and she says, Not only will I give you a drink, I'll also water your camels—let that woman be the wife God has picked out for my master's son.'
 ^45-48 "I had barely finished offering this prayer, when Rebekah arrived, her jug on her shoulder. She went to the spring and drew water and I said, 'Please, can I have a drink?' She didn't hesitate. She held out her jug and said, 'Drink; and when you're finished I'll also water your camels.' I drank, and she watered the camels. I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel whose parents were Nahor and Milcah.' I gave her a ring for her nose, bracelets for her arms, and bowed in worship to God. I praised God, the God of my master Abraham who had led me straight to the door of my master's family to get a wife for his son.
 ⁴⁹ "Now, tell me what you are going to do. If you plan to respond with a generous yes, tell me. But if not, tell me plainly so I can figure out what to do next."
 ^50-51 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is totally from God. We have no say in the matter, either yes or no. Rebekah is yours: Take her and go; let her be the wife of your master's son, as God has made plain."

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Matthew 8:1-17 (The Message)

Matthew 8

He Carried Our Diseases

 ^1-2 Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Then a leper appeared and went to his knees before Jesus, praying, "Master, if you want to, you can heal my body."

 ^3-4Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done."

 ^5-6As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, "Master, my servant is sick. He can't walk. He's in terrible pain."

 ⁷Jesus said, "I'll come and heal him."

 ^8-9"Oh, no," said the captain. "I don't want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I'm a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

 ^10-12Taken aback, Jesus said, "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions—streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God's kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up 'in the faith' but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened."

 ¹³Then Jesus turned to the captain and said, "Go. What you believed could happen has happened." At that moment his servant became well.

 ^14-15By this time they were in front of Peter's house. On entering, Jesus found Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed, burning up with fever. He touched her hand and the fever was gone. No sooner was she up on her feet than she was fixing dinner for him.

 ^16-17That evening a lot of demon-afflicted people were brought to him. He relieved the inwardly tormented. He cured the bodily ill. He fulfilled Isaiah's well-known sermon:

   He took our illnesses,
   He carried our diseases.

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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.

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Proverbs 3:1-6 (The Message)

Proverbs 3

Don't Assume You Know It All

 ^1-2 Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands.
They'll help you live a long, long time,
   a long life lived full and well.

 ^3-4 Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.
   Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well
   in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

 ^5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
   Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
   your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
   give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
   your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
   don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
   a father's delight is behind all this.

 

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Verse of the Day

 

“Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.” - 1 Peter 1:15-16

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

 

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Thought for the Day

American botanist and inventor, George Washington Carver wrote, “Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”

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A Joke for Today

A woman found herself standing at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter greeted her and said, "These are the Gates to Heaven, my dear. But you must do one more thing before you can enter."

The woman was very excited, and asked of St. Peter what she must do.

"Spell a word," St. Peter replied.

"What word?" she asked.

"Any word," answered St. Peter. "It's your choice."

The woman promptly replied, "Then the word I will spell is love. L-O-V-E."

St. Peter welcomed her in, and asked her if she would mind taking his place at the gates for a few minutes while he took a break. So the woman is left sitting in St. Peter's chair when a man approaches the gates, and she realizes it is her husband.

"What happened?" she cried, "Why are you here?"

Her husband stared at her for a moment, then said, "I was so upset when I left your funeral, I got in an accident. Did I really make it to Heaven?"

"Not yet," she replied, "You must spell a word first."

"What word?" he asked.

The woman responded, "Czechoslovakia."

Bible Readings for May 27, 2014

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 12:1-31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; and Proverbs 16:4-5. 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.

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2 Samuel 12:1-31 (The Message)

^27-3 But God was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, "There were two men in the same city—one rich, the other poor. The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him.
 ⁴ "One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest."
 ^5-6 David exploded in anger. "As surely as God lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this ought to be lynched! He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!"
 ^7-12 "You're the man!" said Nathan. "And here's what God, the God of Israel, has to say to you: I made you king over Israel. I freed you from the fist of Saul. I gave you your master's daughter and other wives to have and to hold. I gave you both Israel and Judah. And if that hadn't been enough, I'd have gladly thrown in much more. So why have you treated the word of God with brazen contempt, doing this great evil? You murdered Uriah the Hittite, then took his wife as your wife. Worse, you killed him with an Ammonite sword! And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite's wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family. This is God speaking, remember! I'll make trouble for you out of your own family. I'll take your wives from right out in front of you. I'll give them to some neighbor, and he'll go to bed with them openly. You did your deed in secret; I'm doing mine with the whole country watching!"
 ^13-14 Then David confessed to Nathan, "I've sinned against God."
    Nathan pronounced, "Yes, but that's not the last word. God forgives your sin. You won't die for it. But because of your blasphemous behavior, the son born to you will die."
 ^15-18 After Nathan went home, God afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he came down sick. David prayed desperately to God for the little boy. He fasted, wouldn't go out, and slept on the floor. The elders in his family came in and tried to get him off the floor, but he wouldn't budge. Nor could they get him to eat anything. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him. They said, "What do we do now? While the child was living he wouldn't listen to a word we said. Now, with the child dead, if we speak to him there's no telling what he'll do."
 ¹⁹ David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died.
    He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?"
    "Yes," they answered. "He's dead."
 ²⁰ David got up from the floor, washed his face and combed his hair, put on a fresh change of clothes, then went into the sanctuary and worshiped. Then he came home and asked for something to eat. They set it before him and he ate.
 ²¹ His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."
 ^22-23 "While the child was alive," he said, "I fasted and wept, thinking God might have mercy on me and the child would live. But now that he's dead, why fast? Can I bring him back now? I can go to him, but he can't come to me."
 ^24-25 David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. God had a special love for him and sent word by Nathan the prophet that God wanted him named Jedidiah (God's Beloved).

^26-30 Joab, at war in Rabbah against the Ammonites, captured the royal city. He sent messengers to David saying, "I'm fighting at Rabbah, and I've just captured the city's water supply. Hurry and get the rest of the troops together and set up camp here at the city and complete the capture yourself. Otherwise, I'll capture it and get all the credit instead of you." So David marshaled all the troops, went to Rabbah, and fought and captured it. He took the crown from their king's head—very heavy with gold, and with a precious stone in it. It ended up on David's head. And they plundered the city, carrying off a great quantity of loot.
 ³¹ David emptied the city of its people and put them to slave labor using saws, picks, and axes, and making bricks. He did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and the whole army returned to Jerusalem.

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John 16:1-33 (The Message)

John 16

 ^1-4 "I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well-warned and ready for them.

The Friend Will Come

 ^4-7"I didn't tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, 'Where are you going?' Instead, the longer I've talked, the sadder you've become. So let me say it again, this truth: It's better for you that I leave. If I don't leave, the Friend won't come. But if I go, I'll send him to you.  ^8-11"When he comes, he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.
 ^12-15"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I've said, 'He takes from me and delivers to you.'
 ¹⁶"In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me."

Joy Like a River Overflowing

 ^17-18That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, 'Because I'm on my way to the Father'? What is this 'day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about."  ^19-20Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.
 ^21-23"When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions.
 ^23-24"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
 ^25-28"I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."
 ^29-30His disciples said, "Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk—no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything—it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God."
 ^31-33Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."

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Psalm 119:65-80 (The Message)

 ^65-72 Be good to your servant, God;
      be as good as your Word.
   Train me in good common sense;
      I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
   Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
      but now I'm in step with your Word.
   You are good, and the source of good;
      train me in your goodness.
   The godless spread lies about me,
      but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
   They're bland as a bucket of lard,
      while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
   My troubles turned out all for the best—
      they forced me to learn from your textbook.
   Truth from your mouth means more to me
      than striking it rich in a gold mine.
 ^73-80 With your very own hands you formed me;
      now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.
   When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,
      those who fear you will take heart and be glad.
   I can see now, God, that your decisions are right;
      your testing has taught me what's true and right.
   Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!
      just the way you promised.
   Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
      your revelation is the tune I dance to.
   Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
      they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
      but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
   Let those who fear you turn to me
      for evidence of your wise guidance.
   And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
      so I can always walk with my head held high.

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Proverbs 16:4-5 (The Message)

 ⁴ God made everything with a place and purpose;
   even the wicked are included—but for judgment.

 ⁵ God can't stomach arrogance or pretense;
   believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.

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Verse of the Day

“But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.” - Acts 20:24

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor, George Washington Carver wrote, “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.”

Bible Readings for October 23, 2013

Today our passages are Jeremiah 42:1–44:23; 2 Timothy 2:1-21; Psalm 92:1–93:5; and Proverbs 26:3-5. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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Jeremiah 42-44:23 (Contemporary English Version)

Jeremiah 42

The People Ask Jeremiah To Pray for Them

 ¹Johanan, Jezaniah, ^[a] the other army officers, and everyone else in the group, came to me ²and said, "Please pray to the LORD your God for us. Judah used to have many people, but as you can see, only a few of us are left. ³Ask the LORD to tell us where he wants us to go and what he wants us to do." ⁴"All right," I answered, "I will pray to the LORD your God, and I will tell you everything he says."     ⁵They answered, "The LORD himself will be our witness that we promise to do whatever he says, ⁶even if it isn't what we want to do. We will obey the LORD so that all will go well for us."
    ⁷Ten days later, the LORD gave me an answer for ⁸Johanan, the officers, and the other people. So I called them together ⁹and told them that the LORD God of Israel had said:
   You asked Jeremiah to pray and find out what you should do. ¹⁰I am sorry that I had to punish you, and so I now tell you to stay here in Judah, where I will plant you and build you up, instead of tearing you down and uprooting you. ¹¹Don't be afraid of the King of Babylonia. I will protect you from him, ¹²and I will even force him to have mercy on you and give back your farms.
    ¹³But you might keep on saying, "We won't stay here in Judah, and we won't obey the LORD our God. ¹⁴We are going to Egypt, where there is plenty of food and no danger of war."
    ¹⁵People of Judah, you survived when the Babylonian army attacked. Now you are planning to move to Egypt, and if you do go, this is what will happen. ^16-17You are afraid of war, starvation, and disease here in Judah, but they will follow you to Egypt and kill you there. None of you will survive the disasters I will send.
    ¹⁸I, the LORD, was angry with the people of Jerusalem and punished them. And if you go to Egypt, I will be angry and punish you the same way. You will never again see your homeland. People will be horrified at what I do to you, and they will use the name of your city as a curse word.
   

Jeremiah Gives a Warning

 ¹⁹I told the people:    You escaped the disaster that struck Judah, but now the LORD warns you to stay away from Egypt. ²⁰You asked me to pray and find out what the LORD our God wants you to do, and you promised to obey him. But that was a terrible mistake, ²¹because now that I have given you the LORD's answer, you refuse to obey him. ²²And so, you will die in Egypt from war, hunger, and disease.
   

Jeremiah 43

The People Go to Egypt

 ¹I told the people everything the LORD had told me. ²But Azariah, Johanan ^[b] and some other arrogant men said to me, "You're lying! The LORD didn't tell you to say that we shouldn't go to Egypt. ³Baruch son of Neriah must have told you to say that. He wants the Babylonians to capture us, so they can take us away to Babylonia or even kill us." ⁴Johanan, the other army officers, and everyone else refused to stay in Judah in spite of the LORD's command. ⁵So Johanan and the officers led us away toward Egypt. The group that left Judah included those who had been scattered in other countries and who had then come back to live in Judah. ⁶Baruch and I and others in the group had been staying with Gedaliah, because Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guard, had ordered him to take care of the king's daughters and quite a few men, women, and children.     ⁷The people disobeyed the LORD and went to Egypt. The group had settled in Tahpanhes, ⁸when the LORD told me:
    ⁹Jeremiah, carry some large stones to the entrance of the government building in Tahpanhes. Bury the stones underneath the brick pavement ^[c] and be sure the Jews are watching. ¹⁰Then tell them that I, the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, have sent for my servant, Nebuchadnezzar ^[d] of Babylonia. I will bring him here and have him set up his throne and his royal tent over these stones that I told you to bury. ¹¹He will attack Egypt and kill many of its people; others will die of disease or be dragged away as prisoners. ^12-13I will have him set Egypt's temples on fire, and he will either burn or carry off their idols. He will destroy the sacred monuments at the temple of the sun-god. ^[e] Then Nebuchadnezzar will pick the land clean, just like a shepherd picking the lice off his clothes. And he will return safely home.

Jeremiah 44

The LORD Will Destroy the People of Judah

 ¹The LORD told me to speak with the Jews who were living in the towns of Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis in northern Egypt, and also to those living in southern Egypt. He told me to tell them:     ²I am the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel. You saw how I destroyed Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. They lie empty and in ruins today, ³because the people of Judah made me angry by worshiping gods that had never helped them or their ancestors.
    ⁴Time after time I sent my servants the prophets to tell the people of Judah how much I hated their disgusting sins. The prophets warned them to stop sinning, ⁵but they refused to listen and would not stop worshiping other gods. ⁶Finally, my anger struck like a raging flood, and today Jerusalem and the towns of Judah are nothing but empty ruins.
    ⁷Why do you now insist on heading for another disaster? A disaster that will destroy not only you, but also your children and babies. ⁸You have made me angry by worshiping idols and burning incense to other gods after you came here to Egypt. You will die such a disgusting death, that other nations will use the name of Judah as a curse word. ⁹When you were living in Jerusalem and Judah, you followed the example of your ancestors in doing evil things, just like your kings and queens. ¹⁰Even now, your pride keeps you from respecting me and obeying the laws and teachings I gave you and your ancestors.
    ¹¹I, the LORD All-Powerful, have decided to wipe you out with disasters. ¹²There were only a few of you left in Judah, and you decided to go to Egypt. But you will die such horrible deaths in war or from starvation, that people of other countries will use the name of Judah as a curse word. ¹³I punished Jerusalem with war, hunger, and disease, and that's how I will punish you. ¹⁴None of you will survive. You may hope to return to Judah someday, but only a very few of you will escape death and be able to go back.
   

The People Refuse To Worship the LORD

 ¹⁵A large number of Jews from both northern and southern Egypt listened to me as I told them what the LORD had said. Most of the men in the crowd knew that their wives often burned incense to other gods. So they and their wives shouted:     ¹⁶Jeremiah, what do we care if you speak in the LORD's name? We refuse to listen! ¹⁷We have promised to worship the goddess Astarte, the Queen of Heaven, ^[f] and that is exactly what we are going to do. We will burn incense and offer sacrifices of wine to her, just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders did when we lived in Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah. We had plenty of food back then. We were well off, and nothing bad ever happened to us. ¹⁸But since the time we stopped burning incense and offering wine sacrifices to her, we have been dying from war and hunger. ¹⁹Then the women said, "When we lived in Judah, we worshiped the Queen of Heaven and offered sacrifices of wine and special loaves of bread shaped like her. Our husbands knew what we were doing, and they approved of it."
    ²⁰Then I told the crowd:
    ²¹Don't you think the LORD knew that you and your ancestors, your leaders and kings, and the rest of the people were burning incense to other gods in Jerusalem and everywhere else in Judah? ²²And when he could no longer put up with your disgusting sins, he placed a curse on your land and turned it into a desert, as it is today. ²³This disaster happened because you worshiped other gods and rebelled against the LORD by refusing to obey him or follow his laws and teachings.
   

Footnotes:

1. Jeremiah 42:1 Jezaniah: Hebrew "Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah"; one ancient translation "Azariah son of Hoshaiah" (see also 43.2 and the note there).
2. Jeremiah 43:2 Azariah, Johanan: Hebrew "Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah."
3. Jeremiah 43:9 underneath the brick pavement: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Jeremiah 43:10 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
5. Jeremiah 43:12 at the temple of the sun-god: Or "in the city of Heliopolis."
6. Jeremiah 44:17 the goddess Astarte, the Queen of Heaven: The Hebrew text has "the queen of heaven," which probably refers to the goddess Astarte.

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2 Timothy 2:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Timothy 2

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

 ¹Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong. ²You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.     ³As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering. ⁴Soldiers on duty don't work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer. ⁵No one wins an athletic contest without obeying the rules. ⁶And farmers who work hard are the first to eat what grows in their field. ⁷If you keep in mind what I have told you, the Lord will help you understand completely.
    ⁸Keep your mind on Jesus Christ! He was from the family of David and was raised from death, just as my good news says. ⁹And because of this message, I am locked up in jail and treated like a criminal. But God's good news isn't locked in jail, ¹⁰and so I am willing to put up with anything. Then God's special people will be saved. They will be given eternal glory because they belong to Christ Jesus. ¹¹Here is a true message:
   "If we died with Christ,
   we will live with him.
    ¹²If we don't give up,
   we will rule with him.
   If we deny
   that we know him,
   he will deny
   that he knows us.
    ¹³If we are not faithful,
   he will still be faithful.
   Christ cannot deny
   who he is."
   

An Approved Worker

 ¹⁴Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God ^[a] as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. ¹⁵Do your best to win God's approval as a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message. ¹⁶Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God. ¹⁷That sort of talk is like a sore that won't heal. And Hymenaeus and Philetus have been talking this way ¹⁸by teaching that the dead have already been raised to life. This is far from the truth, and it is destroying the faith of some people.     ¹⁹But the foundation that God has laid is solid. On it is written, "The Lord knows who his people are. So everyone who worships the Lord must turn away from evil."
    ²⁰In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay. Some of these are special, and others are not. ²¹That's also how it is with people. The ones who stop doing evil and make themselves pure will become special. Their lives will be holy and pleasing to their Master, and they will be able to do all kinds of good deeds.
   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Timothy 2:14 God: Some manuscripts have "the Lord," and others have "Christ."

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Psalm 92-93:5 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 92

(A psalm and a song for the Sabbath.)

Sing Praises to the LORD

 ¹It is wonderful to be grateful    and to sing your praises,
   LORD Most High!
    ²It is wonderful each morning
   to tell about your love
   and at night to announce
   how faithful you are.
    ³I enjoy praising your name
   to the music of harps,
    ⁴because everything you do
   makes me happy,
   and I sing joyful songs.
    ⁵You do great things, LORD.
   Your thoughts are too deep
    ⁶for an ignorant fool
   to know or understand.
    ⁷Though the wicked sprout
   and spread like grass,
   they will be pulled up
   by their roots.
    ⁸But you will rule
   over all of us forever,
    ⁹and your hateful enemies
   will be scattered
   and then destroyed.
    ¹⁰You have given me
   the strength of a wild ox,
   and you have chosen me
   to be your very own.
    ¹¹My eyes have seen,
   and my ears have heard
   the doom and destruction
   of my terrible enemies.
    ¹²Good people will prosper
   like palm trees,
   and they will grow strong
   like the cedars of Lebanon.
    ¹³They will take root
   in your house, LORD God,
   and they will do well.
    ¹⁴They will be like trees
   that stay healthy and fruitful,
   even when they are old.
    ¹⁵And they will say about you,
   "The LORD always does right!
   God is our mighty rock." ^[a]

Psalm 93

The LORD Is King

 ¹Our LORD, you are King!    Majesty and power
   are your royal robes.
   You put the world in place,
   and it will never be moved.
    ²You have always ruled,
   and you are eternal.
    ³The ocean is roaring, LORD!
   The sea is pounding hard.
    ⁴Its mighty waves are majestic,
   but you are more majestic,
   and you rule over all.
    ⁵Your decisions are firm,
   and your temple will always
   be beautiful and holy.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 92:15 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

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Proverbs 26:3-5 (Contemporary English Version)

³Horses and donkeys
   must be beaten and bridled--
   and so must fools.
    ⁴Don't make a fool of yourself
   by answering a fool.
    ⁵But if you answer any fools,
   show how foolish they are,
   so they won't feel smart.

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Verse of the Day

“You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” - Galatians 6:2

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor, George Washington Carver wrote, “Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”

Bible Readings for October 10, 2013

Today our passages are Jeremiah 14:11–16:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:10–3:13; Psalm 80:1-19; and Proverbs 25:1-5. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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Jeremiah 14:11-16:15 (Contemporary English Version)

Lying Prophets

 ¹¹The LORD said, "Jeremiah, don't ask me to help these people. ¹²They may even go without eating ^[a] and offer sacrifices to please me ^[b] and to give thanks. ^[c] But when they cry out for my help, I won't listen, and I won't accept their sacrifices. Instead, I'll send war, starvation, and disease to wipe them out." ¹³I replied, "The other prophets keep telling everyone that you won't send starvation or war, and that you're going to give us peace."     ¹⁴The LORD answered:
   They claim to speak for me, but they're lying! I didn't even speak to them, much less choose them to be my prophets. Their messages come from worthless dreams, useless fortunetelling, and their own imaginations.
    ¹⁵Those lying prophets say there will be peace and plenty of food. But I say that those same prophets will die from war and hunger. ¹⁶And everyone who listens to them will be killed, just as they deserve. Their dead bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, because their families will also be dead, and no one will be left to bury them. ^{[d] 17}Jeremiah, go and tell the people how you feel about all this.
   So I told them:
   "Tears will flood my eyes
   both day and night,
   because my nation suffers
   from a deadly wound.
    ¹⁸In the fields I see the bodies
   of those killed in battle.
   And in the towns I see crowds
   dying of hunger.
   But the prophets and priests
   go about their business,
   without understanding
   what has happened." ^[e]

Jeremiah Prays to the LORD

 ¹⁹Have you rejected Judah, LORD?    Do you hate Jerusalem?
   Why did you strike down Judah
   with a fatal wound?
   We had hoped for peace
   and a time of healing,
   but all we got was terror.
    ²⁰We and our ancestors are guilty
   of rebelling against you.
    ²¹If you save us, it will show
   how great you are.
   Don't let our enemies
   disgrace your temple,
   your beautiful throne.
   Don't forget that you promised
   to rescue us.
    ²²Idols can't send rain,
   and showers don't fall
   by themselves.
   Only you control the rain,
   so we put our trust in you,
   the LORD our God.
   

Jeremiah 15

The People of Judah Will Die

 ¹The LORD said to me:    Even if Moses and Samuel were here, praying with you, I wouldn't change my mind. So send the people of Judah away. ²And when they ask where they are going, tell them that I, the LORD, have said:
   Some of you are going to die
   of horrible diseases.
   Others are going to die in war
   or from starvation.
   The rest will be led away
   to a foreign country.
    ³I will punish you
   in four different ways:
   You will be killed in war
   and your bodies dragged off
   by dogs,
   your flesh will be eaten by birds,
   and your bones will be chewed on
   by wild animals.
    ⁴This punishment will happen
   because of the horrible things ^[f] your King Manasseh ^[g] did. And you will be disgusting
   to all nations on earth.
    ⁵People of Jerusalem,
   who will feel sorry for you?
   Will anyone bother
   to ask if you are well?
    ⁶My people, you abandoned me
   and walked away.
   I am tired of showing mercy;
   that's why I'll destroy you
    ⁷by scattering you like straw
   blown by the wind.
   I will punish you with sorrow
   and death,
   because you refuse
   to change your ways.
    ⁸There will be more widows
   in Judah
   than grains of sand on a beach.
   A surprise attack at noon!
   And the mothers in Jerusalem
   mourn for their children.
    ⁹A mother is in deep despair
   and struggles for breath.
   Her daylight has turned
   to darkness--
   she has suffered the loss
   of her seven sons.
   I will kill anyone who survives.
   I, the LORD, have spoken.
   

Jeremiah Complains

 ¹⁰I wish I had never been born!    I'm always in trouble
   with everyone in Judah.
   I never lend or borrow money,
   but everyone curses me
   just the same.
    ¹¹Then the LORD replied,
   "I promise to protect you,
   and when disaster comes,
   even your enemies
   will beg you for help." ^[h]
   

The Enemy Cannot Be Defeated

The LORD told me to say:

 ¹²People of Judah,    just as you can't break iron
   mixed with bronze,
   you can't defeat the enemies
   that will attack
   from the north.
    ¹³I will give them
   everything you own,
   because you have sinned
   everywhere in your country.
    ¹⁴My anger is a fire
   that cannot be put out, ^[i] so I will make you slaves
   of your enemies
   in a foreign land. ^[j]

Jeremiah Complains Again

 ¹⁵You can see how I suffer    insult after insult,
   all because of you, LORD.
   Don't be so patient
   with my enemies;
   take revenge on them
   before they kill me.
    ¹⁶When you spoke to me,
   I was glad to obey,
   because I belong to you,
   the LORD All-Powerful.
    ¹⁷I don't go to parties
   and have a good time.
   Instead, I keep to myself,
   because you have filled me
   with your anger.
    ¹⁸I am badly injured
   and in constant pain.
   Are you going to disappoint me,
   like a stream that goes dry
   in the heat of summer?
   

The LORD Replies

 ¹⁹Then the LORD told me:    Stop talking like a fool!
   If you turn back to me
   and speak my message,
   I will let you be my prophet
   once again.
   I hope the people of Judah
   will accept what you say.
   But you can ignore their threats,
    ²⁰because I am making you strong,
   like a bronze wall.
   They are evil and violent,
   but when they attack,
    ²¹I will be there to rescue you.
   I, the LORD, have spoken.
   

Jeremiah 16

Jeremiah Must Live His Message

 ¹The LORD said to me:     ²Jeremiah, don't get married and have children--Judah is no place to raise a family. ³I'll tell you what's going to happen to children and their parents here. ⁴They will die of horrible diseases and of war and starvation. No one will give them a funeral or bury them, and their bodies will be food for the birds and wild animals. And what's left will lie on the ground like manure.
    ⁵When someone dies, don't visit the family or show any sorrow. I will no longer love or bless or have any pity on the people of Judah. ⁶Rich and poor alike will die and be left unburied. No one will mourn and show their sorrow by cutting themselves or shaving their heads. ^{[k] 7}No one will bring food and wine to help comfort those who are mourning the death of their father or mother. ⁸Don't even set foot in a house where there is eating and drinking and celebrating. ⁹Warn the people of Judah that I, the LORD All-Powerful, will put an end to all their parties and wedding celebrations. ¹⁰They will ask, "Why has the LORD our God threatened us with so many disasters? Have we done something wrong or sinned against him?"
    ¹¹Then tell them I have said:
   People of Judah, your ancestors turned away from me; they rejected my laws and teachings and started worshiping other gods. ¹²And you have done even worse! You are stubborn, and instead of obeying me, you do whatever evil comes to your mind. ¹³So I will throw you into a land that you and your ancestors know nothing about, a place where you will have to worship other gods both day and night. And I won't feel the least bit sorry for you.
    ¹⁴A time will come when you will again worship me. But you will no longer call me the Living God who rescued Israel from Egypt. ¹⁵Instead, you will call me the Living God who rescued you from that country in the north and from the other countries where I had forced you to go.
   Someday I will bring you back to this land that I gave your ancestors.

Footnotes:

1. Jeremiah 14:12 go without eating: The people of Israel sometimes went without eating to show sorrow for their sins.
2. Jeremiah 14:12 sacrifices 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 sometimes called "sacrifices to please the LORD."
3. Jeremiah 14:12 sacrifices. . . to give thanks: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "grain offerings." A main purpose of such sacrifices was to thank the LORD with a gift of grain, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called "sacrifices to give thanks to the LORD."
4. Jeremiah 14:16 dead bodies. . . bury them: A proper burial was considered very important.
5. Jeremiah 14:18 go about. . . has happened: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Jeremiah 15:4 the horrible things: See 2 Kings 21.1-16.
7. Jeremiah 15:4 Manasseh: Hebrew "Manasseh son of Hezekiah"; he ruled 687-642 B.C.
8. Jeremiah 15:11 help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 11.
9. Jeremiah 15:14 that cannot be put out: Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts "against you."
10. Jeremiah 15:14 I will make. . . land: Many Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts "I will make your enemies go through to a land you don't know about."
11. Jeremiah 16:6 mourn and show their sorrow by cutting themselves or shaving their heads: A custom in some Canaanite religions.

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1 Thessalonians 2:10-3:13 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁰Both you and God are witnesses that we were pure and honest and innocent in our dealings with you followers of the Lord. ¹¹You also know we did everything for you that parents would do for their own children. ¹²We begged, encouraged, and urged each of you to live in a way that would honor God. He is the one who chose you to share in his own kingdom and glory.
    ¹³We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn't something made up by humans. You accepted it as God's message, and now he is working in you. ¹⁴My friends, you did just like God's churches in Judea and like the other followers of Christ Jesus there. And so, you were mistreated by your own people, in the same way they were mistreated by their people.
    ¹⁵Those Jews killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and they even chased us away. God doesn't like what they do and neither does anyone else. ¹⁶They keep us from speaking his message to the Gentiles and from leading them to be saved. The Jews have always gone too far with their sins. Now God has finally become angry and will punish them.
   

Paul Wants To Visit the Church Again

 ¹⁷My friends, we were kept from coming to you for a while, but we never stopped thinking about you. We were eager to see you and tried our best to visit you in person. ¹⁸We really wanted to come. I myself tried several times, but Satan always stopped us. ¹⁹After all, when the Lord Jesus appears, who else but you will give us hope and joy and be like a glorious crown for us? ²⁰You alone are our glory and joy!    

1 Thessalonians 3

 ¹Finally, we couldn't stand it any longer. We decided to stay in Athens by ourselves ²and send our friend Timothy to you. He works with us as God's servant and preaches the good news about Christ. We wanted him to make you strong in your faith and to encourage you. ³We didn't want any of you to be discouraged by all these troubles. You knew we would have to suffer, ⁴because when we were with you, we told you this would happen. And we did suffer, as you well know. ⁵At last, when I could not wait any longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I hoped that Satan had not tempted you and made all our work useless.     ⁶Timothy has come back from his visit with you and has told us about your faith and love. He also said that you always have happy memories of us and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.
    ⁷My friends, even though we have a lot of trouble and suffering, your faith makes us feel better about you. ⁸Your strong faith in the Lord is like a breath of new life. ⁹How can we possibly thank God enough for all the happiness you have brought us? ¹⁰Day and night we sincerely pray that we will see you again and help you to have an even stronger faith.
    ¹¹We pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus will let us visit you. ¹²May the Lord make your love for each other and for everyone else grow by leaps and bounds. That's how our love for you has grown. ¹³And when our Lord comes with all of his people, I pray that he will make your hearts pure and innocent in the sight of God the Father.

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Psalm 80:1-19 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 80

(A psalm by Asaph for the music leader. To the tune "Lilies of the Agreement.")

Help Our Nation

 ¹Shepherd of Israel, you lead    the descendants of Joseph,
   and you sit on your throne
   above the winged creatures. ^[a] Listen to our prayer
   and let your light shine
    ²for the tribes of Ephraim,
   Benjamin, and Manasseh.
   Save us by your power.
    ³Our God, make us strong again!
   Smile on us and save us.
    ⁴LORD God All-Powerful,
   how much longer
   will the prayers of your people
   make you angry?
    ⁵You gave us tears for food,
   and you made us drink them
   by the bowlful.
    ⁶Because of you,
   our enemies who live nearby
   laugh and joke about us.
    ⁷But if you smile on us,
   we will be saved.
    ⁸We were like a grapevine
   you brought out of Egypt.
   You chased other nations away
   and planted us here.
    ⁹Then you cleared the ground,
   and we put our roots deep,
   spreading over the land.
    ¹⁰Shade from this vine covered
   the mountains.
   Its branches
   climbed
   the mighty cedars
    ¹¹and stretched to the sea;
   its new growth reached
   to the river. ^{[b] 12}Our Lord, why have you
   torn down the wall
   from around the vineyard?
   You let everyone who walks by
   pick the grapes.
    ¹³Now the vine is gobbled down
   by pigs from the forest
   and other wild animals.
    ¹⁴God All-Powerful,
   please do something!
   Look down from heaven
   and see what's happening
   to this vine.
    ¹⁵With your own hands
   you planted its roots,
   and you raised it
   as your very own.
    ¹⁶Enemies chopped the vine down
   and set it on fire.
   Now show your anger
   and destroy them.
    ¹⁷But help the one who sits
   at your right side, ^[c] the one you raised
   to be your own.
    ¹⁸Then we will never turn away.
   Put new life into us,
   and we will worship you.
    ¹⁹LORD God All-Powerful,
   make us strong again!
   Smile on us and save us.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 80:1 winged creatures: Two winged creatures made of gold were on the top of the sacred chest and were symbols of the LORD's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18).
2. Psalm 80:11 the sea. . . the river: The Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River were part of the ideal boundaries for Israel.
3. Psalm 80:17 right side: See the note at 16.11.

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Proverbs 25:1-5 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 25

More of Solomon's Wise Sayings

 ¹Here are more    of Solomon's proverbs.
   They were copied by the officials
   of King Hezekiah of Judah.
    ²God is praised
   for being mysterious;
   rulers are praised
   for explaining mysteries.
    ³Who can fully understand
   the thoughts of a ruler?
   They reach beyond the sky
   and go deep in the earth.
    ⁴Silver must be purified
   before it can be used
   to make something of value.
    ⁵Evil people must be removed
   before anyone can rule
   with justice.

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Verse of the Day

“Pay attention to advice and accept correction, so you can live sensibly. We may make a lot of plans, but the LORD will do what he has decided.” - Proverbs 19:20-21

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

George Washington Carver, American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor, wrote, “When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”