Bible Readings for October 2, 2019

Today our passages are  Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:4b-21; Psalm 74:1-23; and Proverbs 24:15-16. 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.

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Isaiah 66:1-24 (Contemporary English Version)

Isaiah 66

True Worship

 ¹The LORD said:   Heaven is my throne;
   the earth is my footstool.
   What kind of house
   could you build for me?
   In what place will I rest?
    ²I have made everything;
   that's how it all came to be. ^a] I, the LORD, have spoken.
   The people I treasure most
   are the humble--
   they depend only on me
   and tremble when I speak.
    ³You sacrifice oxen to me,
   and you commit murder;
   you sacrifice lambs to me
   and dogs to other gods;
   you offer grain to me
   and pigs' blood to idols;
   you burn incense to me
   and praise your idols. ^b] You have made your own choice
   to do these disgusting things
   that you enjoy so much.
    ⁴You refused to answer
   when I called out;
   you paid no attention
   to my instructions.
   Instead, you did what I hated,
   knowing it was wrong.
   Now I will punish ^c] you in a way you dread the most.   

The LORD Will Help Jerusalem

 ⁵If you tremble   when the LORD speaks,
   listen to what he says:
   "Some of your own people hate
   and reject you because of me.
   They make fun and say,
   `Let the LORD show his power!
   Let us see him
   make you truly happy.' ^d] But those who say these things
   will be terribly ashamed."
    ⁶Do you hear that noise
   in the city and those shouts
   coming from the temple?
   It is the LORD shouting
   as he punishes his enemies.
    ⁷Have you ever heard of a woman
   who gave birth to a child
   before having labor pains?
    ⁸Who ever heard of such a thing
   or imagined it could happen?
   Can a nation be born in a day
   or come to life in a second?
   Jerusalem is like a mother
   who gave birth to her children
   as soon as she was in labor.
    ⁹The LORD is the one
   who makes birth possible.
   And he will see that Zion
   has many more children.
   The LORD has spoken.
    ¹⁰If you love Jerusalem,
   celebrate and shout!
   If you were in sorrow
   because of the city,
   you can now be glad.
    ¹¹She will nurse and comfort you,
   just like your own mother,
   until you are satisfied.
   You will fully enjoy
   her wonderful glory.
    ¹²The LORD has promised:
   "I will flood Jerusalem
   with the wealth of nations
   and make the city prosper.
   Zion will nurse you at her breast,
   carry you in her arms,
   and hold you in her lap.
    ¹³I will comfort you there
   like a mother
   comforting her child."
    ¹⁴When you see this happen,
   you will celebrate;
   your strength will return
   faster than grass can sprout.
   Then everyone will know
   that the LORD is present
   with his servants,
   but he is angry
   with his enemies.
    ¹⁵The LORD will come down
   like a whirlwind
   with his flaming chariots.
   He will be terribly furious
   and punish his enemies
   with fire.
    ¹⁶The LORD's fiery sword
   will bring justice
   everywhere on this earth
   and execute many people.   

A Threat and a Promise

 ¹⁷Some of you get yourselves ready and go to a garden to worship a foreign goddess. ^e] You eat the meat of pigs, lizards, and mice. But I, the LORD, will destroy you for this. ¹⁸I know everything you do and think! The time has now come ^f] to bring together the people of every language and nation and to show them my glory ¹⁹by proving what I can do. ^g] I will send the survivors to Tarshish, Pul, ^h] Lud, Meshech, ^i] Tubal, Javan, ^j] and to the distant islands. I will send them to announce my wonderful glory to nations that have never heard about me. ²⁰They will bring your relatives from the nations as an offering to me, the LORD. They will come on horses, chariots, wagons, mules, and camels ^k] to Jerusalem, my holy mountain. It will be like the people of Israel bringing the right offering to my temple. ²¹I promise that some of them will be priests and others will be helpers in my temple. I, the LORD, have spoken. ²²I also promise that you will always have descendants and will never be forgotten, just as the new heavens and the new earth that I create will last forever. ²³On the first day of each month and on each Sabbath, everyone will worship me. I, the LORD, have spoken.    ²⁴My people will go out and look at the dead bodies of those who turned against me. The worms there never die, the fire never stops burning, and the sight of those bodies will be disgusting to everyone. 

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 66:2 that's. . . be: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Isaiah 66:3 You sacrifice oxen. . . idols: Or "Sacrificing oxen to me is the same as murder; sacrificing lambs to me is the same as sacrificing dogs to other gods; offering grain to me is the same as offering pigs' blood to idols; and burning incense to me is the same as praising idols."
3. Isaiah 66:4 punish: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Isaiah 66:5 Some. . . happy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5. Isaiah 66:17 Some. . . goddess: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Isaiah 66:18 I. . . come: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Isaiah 66:19 by. . . do: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Isaiah 66:19 Pul: Hebrew; one ancient translation "Put," a country in Africa, but neither the location of Pul or Put is known for certain.
9. Isaiah 66:19 Meshech: One ancient translation; Hebrew "those who use bows and arrows."
10. Isaiah 66:19 Tarshish. . . Javan: Tarshish may have been a Phoenician city in Spain; Put (see note on Pul) and Lud were African people; Meshech and Tubal were regions south or southeast of the Black Sea; the Javan were people of Asia Minor and the Greek islands.
11. Isaiah 66:20 camels: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Philippians 3:4-21 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else. ⁵I was circumcised when I was eight days old, ^a] and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses. ⁶And I was so eager that I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God. ⁷But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. ⁸Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ ⁹and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. ¹⁰All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, ¹¹so that somehow I also may be raised to life.   

Running toward the Goal

 ¹²I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. ¹³My friends, I don't feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. ¹⁴I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. ¹⁵All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you. ¹⁶But we must keep going in the direction that we are now headed.    ¹⁷My friends, I want you to follow my example and learn from others who closely follow the example we set for you. ¹⁸I often warned you that many people are living as enemies of the cross of Christ. And now with tears in my eyes, I warn you again ¹⁹that they are headed for hell! They worship their stomachs and brag about the disgusting things they do. All they can think about are the things of this world.
    ²⁰But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ ²¹has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body. 

Footnotes:

1. Philippians 3:5 when I was eight days old: Jewish boys are circumcised eight days after birth.

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Psalm 74:1-23 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 74

(A special psalm by Asaph.)

A Prayer for the Nation in Times of Trouble

 ¹Our God, why have you   completely rejected us?
   Why are you so angry
   with the ones you care for?
    ²Remember the people
   you rescued long ago,
   the tribe you chose
   to be your very own.
   Think of Mount Zion,
   your home;
    ³walk over to the temple
   left in ruins forever
   by those who hate us.
    ⁴Your enemies roared like lions
   in your holy temple,
   and they have placed
   their banners there.
    ⁵It looks like a forest
   chopped to pieces. ^a] 6They used axes and hatchets
   to smash the carvings.
    ⁷They burned down your temple
   and badly disgraced it.
    ⁸They said to themselves,
   "We'll crush them!"
   Then they burned every one
   of your meeting places
   all over the country.
    ⁹There are no more miracles
   and no more prophets.
   Who knows how long
   it will be like this?
    ¹⁰Our God, how much longer
   will our enemies sneer?
   Won't they ever stop
   insulting you?
    ¹¹Why don't you punish them?
   Why are you holding back?
    ¹²Our God and King,
   you have ruled
   since ancient times;
   you have won victories
   everywhere on this earth.
    ¹³By your power you made a path
   through the sea,
   and you smashed the heads
   of sea monsters.
    ¹⁴You crushed the heads
   of the monster Leviathan, ^b] then fed him to wild creatures
   in the desert.
    ¹⁵You opened the ground
   for streams and springs
   and dried up mighty rivers.
    ¹⁶You rule the day and the night,
   and you put the moon
   and the sun in place.
    ¹⁷You made summer and winter
   and gave them to the earth. ^c] 18Remember your enemies, LORD!
   They foolishly sneer
   and won't respect you.
    ¹⁹You treat us like pet doves,
   but they mistreat us.
   Don't keep forgetting us
   and letting us be fed
   to those wild animals.
    ²⁰Remember the agreement
   you made with us.
   Violent enemies are hiding
   in every dark corner
   of the earth.
    ²¹Don't disappoint those in need
   or make them turn from you,
   but help the poor and homeless
   to shout your praises.
    ²²Do something, God!
   Defend yourself.
   Remember how those fools
   sneer at you all day long.
    ²³Don't forget the loud shouts
   of your enemies. 

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 74:5 pieces: One meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.
2. Psalm 74:14 Leviathan: God's victory over this monster sometimes stands for his power over all creation and sometimes for his defeat of Egypt.
3. Psalm 74:17 gave. . . earth: Or " made boundaries for the earth."

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Proverbs 24:15-16 (Contemporary English Version)

-27-

 ¹⁵ Don't be a cruel person   who attacks good people
   and hurts their families.
    ¹⁶Even if good people
   fall seven times,
   they will get back up.
   But when trouble strikes
   the wicked,
   that's the end of them.

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Verse of the Day

“Don't fall into the trap of being a coward-- trust the LORD, and you will be safe.” - Proverbs 29:25

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English novelist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century, Graham Greene wrote, “God created a number of possibilities in case some of his prototypes failed - that is the meaning of evolution.”

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A Joke for Today

On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the car several miles back?" 

To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"

Bible Readings for October 1, 2019

Today our passages are  Isaiah 62:6–65:25; Philippians 2:19–3:4a; Psalm 73:1-28; and Proverbs 24:13-14. 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.

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Isaiah 62:6-65:25 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶Jerusalem, on your walls
   I have stationed guards,
   whose duty it is
   to speak out day and night,
   without resting.
   They must remind the LORD
    ⁷and not let him rest
   till he makes Jerusalem strong
   and famous everywhere.
    ⁸The LORD has given his word
   and made this promise:
   "Never again will I give
   to your enemies
   the grain and grapes
   for which you struggled.
    ⁹As surely as you harvest
   your grain and grapes,
   you will eat your bread
   with thankful hearts,
   and you will drink your wine
   in my temple."
    ¹⁰People of Jerusalem,
   open your gates!
   Repair the road to the city
   and clear it of stones;
   raise a banner to help
   the nations find their way.
    ¹¹Here is what the LORD has said
   for all the earth to hear:
   "Soon I will come to save
   the city of Zion,
   and to reward you.
    ¹²Then you will be called,
   `The LORD's Own People,
   The Ones He Rescued!'
   Your city will be known
   as a good place to live
   and a city full of people."
   

Isaiah 63

The LORD's Victory over the Nations

 ¹Who is this coming   from Bozrah ^a] in Edom with clothes stained red?
   Who is this hero marching
   in his glorious uniform?
   "It's me, the LORD!
   I have won the battle,
   and I can save you!"
    ²What are those red spots?
   Your clothes look stained
   from stomping on grapes. ^b] 3"I alone stomped the grapes!
   None of the nations helped.
   I stomped nations in my anger
   and stained my clothes
   with their blood.
    ⁴I did this because I wanted
   to take revenge--
   the time had come
   to rescue my people.
    ⁵No one was there to help me
   or to give support;
   my mighty arm won the battle,
   strengthened by my anger.
    ⁶In my fury I stomped on nations
   and made them drunk;
   their blood poured out
   everywhere on earth."   

The LORD's Goodness to His People

 ⁷I will tell about the kind deeds   the LORD has done.
   They deserve praise!
   The LORD has shown mercy
   to the people of Israel;
   he has been kind and good.
    ⁸The LORD rescued his people,
   and said,
   "They are mine.
   They won't betray me."
    ⁹It troubled the LORD
   to see them in trouble,
   and his angel saved them. ^c] The LORD was truly merciful,
   so he rescued his people.
   He took them in his arms
   and carried them all those years.
    ¹⁰Then the LORD's people
   turned against him
   and made
   his Holy Spirit sad.
   So he became their enemy
   and attacked them.
    ¹¹But his people remembered
   what had happened
   during the time of Moses. ^d] Didn't the LORD ^e] bring them and their leaders
   safely through the sea?
   Didn't he ^f] give them his Holy Spirit?
    ¹²The glorious power of the LORD
   marched beside Moses.
   The LORD will be praised forever
   for dividing the sea.
    ¹³He led his people across
   like horses running wild
   without stumbling.
    ¹⁴His Spirit gave them rest,
   just as cattle find rest
   when led into a valley. ^g] The name of the LORD was praised
   for doing these things.   

A Prayer for Mercy and Help

 ¹⁵Please, LORD, look down   from your holy and glorious
   home in the heavens
   and see what's going on.
   Have you lost interest?
   Where is your power?
   Show that you care about us ^h] and have mercy!
    ¹⁶Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob
   have both rejected us.
   But you are still our Father;
   you have been our protector
   since ancient times.
    ¹⁷Why did you make us turn away
   from you, our LORD?
   Why did you make us want
   to disobey you?
   Please change your mind!
   We are your servants,
   your very own people.
    ¹⁸For a little while,
   your temple belonged to us; ^i] and now our enemies
   have torn it down.
    ¹⁹We act as though you
   had never ruled us
   or called us your people.
   

Isaiah 64

 ¹Rip the heavens apart!   Come down, LORD;
   make the mountains tremble.
    ²Be a spark that starts a fire
   causing water to boil. ^j] Then your enemies will know
   who you are;
   all nations will tremble
   because you are nearby.
    ³Your fearsome deeds
   have completely amazed us;
   even the mountains shake
   when you come down.
    ⁴You are the only God
   ever seen or heard of
   who works miracles
   for his followers.
    ⁵You help all who gladly obey
   and do what you want,
   but sin makes you angry.
   Only by your help
   can we ever be saved. ^k] 6We are unfit to worship you;
   each of our good deeds
   is merely a filthy rag.
   We dry up like leaves;
   our sins are storm winds
   sweeping us away.
    ⁷No one worships in your name
   or remains faithful.
   You have turned your back on us
   and let our sins melt us away. ^l] 8You, LORD, are our Father.
   We are nothing but clay,
   but you are the potter
   who molded us.
    ⁹Don't be so furious
   or keep our sins
   in your thoughts forever!
   Remember that all of us
   are your people.
    ¹⁰Every one of your towns
   has turned into a desert,
   especially Jerusalem.
    ¹¹Zion's glorious and holy temple
   where our ancestors praised you
   has been destroyed by fire.
   Our beautiful buildings
   are now a pile of ruins.
    ¹²When you see these things,
   how can you just sit there
   and make us suffer more?
   

Isaiah 65

The LORD Will Punish the Guilty

 ¹I, the LORD, was ready   answer even those
   who were not asking
   and to be found by those
   who were not searching.
   To a nation that refused
   to worship me, ^m] I said, "Here I am!"
    ²All day long I have reached out
   to stubborn and sinful people
   going their own way.
    ³They keep making me angry
   by sneering at me,
   while offering sacrifices
   to idols in gardens
   and burning incense
   to them on bricks.
    ⁴They spend their nights
   hiding in burial caves;
   they eat the meat of pigs, ^n] cooked in sauces
   made of stuff unfit to eat.
    ⁵And then they say to others,
   "Don't come near us!
   We're dedicated to God."
   Such people are like smoke,
   irritating my nose all day.
    ⁶I have written this down;
   I won't keep silent.
   I'll pay them back
   just as their sins deserve.
    ⁷I, the LORD, will make them pay
   for their sins
   and for those
   of their ancestors--
   they have disgraced me
   by burning incense
   on mountains.
    ⁸Here is what the LORD says:
   A cluster of grapes
   that produces wine
   is worth keeping!
   So, because of my servants,
   I won't destroy everyone.
    ⁹I have chosen the people
   of Israel and Judah,
   and I will bless them
   with many descendants.
   They will settle here
   in this land of mountains,
   and it will be theirs.
    ¹⁰My people will worship me.
   Then the coastlands of Sharon
   and the land as far
   as Achor Valley ^o] will turn into pastureland
   where cattle and sheep
   will feed and rest.
    ¹¹What will I, the LORD, do
   if any of you reject me
   and my holy mountain?
   What will happen to you
   for offering food and wine
   to the gods you call
   "Good Luck" and "Fate"?
    ¹²Your luck will end!
   I will see to it
   that you
   are slaughtered with swords.
   You refused to answer
   when I called out;
   you paid no attention
   to my instructions.
   Instead, you did what I hated,
   knowing it was wrong.
    ¹³I, the LORD God, will give
   food and drink
   to my servants,
   and they will celebrate.
   But all of you sinners
   will go hungry and thirsty,
   overcome with disgrace.
    ¹⁴My servants will laugh and sing,
   but you will be sad
   and cry out in pain.
    ¹⁵I, the LORD God, promise
   to see that you are killed
   and that my chosen servants use
   your names
   as curse words.
   But I will give new names ^p] to my servants. ^q] 16I am God! I can be trusted.
   Your past troubles are gone;
   I no longer think of them.
   When you pray for someone
   to receive a blessing,
   or when you make a promise,
   you must do it in my name.
   I alone am the God
   who can be trusted.   

The LORD's New Creation

 ¹⁷I am creating new heavens   and a new earth;
   everything of the past
   will be forgotten.
    ¹⁸Celebrate and be glad forever!
   I am creating a Jerusalem,
   full of happy people.
    ¹⁹I will celebrate with Jerusalem
   and all of its people;
   there will be no more crying
   or sorrow in that city.
    ²⁰No child will die in infancy;
   everyone will live
   to a ripe old age.
   Anyone a hundred years old
   will be considered young,
   and to die younger than that
   will be considered a curse.
    ²¹My people will live
   in the houses they build;
   they will enjoy grapes
   from their own vineyards.
    ²²No one will take away
   their homes or vineyards.
   My chosen people will live
   to be as old as trees,
   and they will enjoy
   what they have earned.
    ²³Their work won't be wasted,
   and their children won't die
   of dreadful diseases. ^r] I will bless their children
   and their grandchildren.
    ²⁴I will answer their prayers
   before they finish praying.
    ²⁵Wolves and lambs
   will graze together;
   lions and oxen
   will feed on straw.
   Snakes will eat only dirt!
   They won't bite
   or harm anyone
   on my holy mountain.
   I, the LORD, have spoken! 

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 63:1 Bozrah: The main city of Edom.
2. Isaiah 63:2 stomping on grapes: This is one way that grapes were crushed to make them into juice.
3. Isaiah 63:9 It. . . them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Isaiah 63:11 But. . . Moses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5. Isaiah 63:11 the LORD: Or "Moses."
6. Isaiah 63:11 he: Or "Moses."
7. Isaiah 63:14 His. . . valley: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Isaiah 63:15 us: Hebrew "me."
9. Isaiah 63:18 For. . . us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
10. Isaiah 64:2 Be. . . boil: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
11. Isaiah 64:5 saved: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.
12. Isaiah 64:7 and let. . . away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
13. Isaiah 65:1 refused. . . me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14. Isaiah 65:4 burial. . . pigs: Coming in contact with the dead or eating the meat of pigs made a person unacceptable to God.
15. Isaiah 65:10 coastlands of Sharon. . . Achor Valley: Sharon is the coastal plain on the west, and Achor Valley is in the east near Jericho. These two places stand for the whole country.
16. Isaiah 65:15 new names: The giving of a new name suggests the beginning of a new life.
17. Isaiah 65:15 But I. . . servants: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
18. Isaiah 65:23 their children. . . diseases: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Philippians 2:19-3:4 (Contemporary English Version)

Timothy and Epaphroditus

 ¹⁹I want to be encouraged by news about you. So I hope the Lord Jesus will soon let me send Timothy to you. ²⁰I don't have anyone else who cares about you as much as he does. ²¹The others think only about what interests them and not about what concerns Christ Jesus. ²²But you know what kind of person Timothy is. He has worked with me like a son in spreading the good news. ²³I hope to send him to you, as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me. ²⁴And I feel sure that the Lord will also let me come soon.    ²⁵I think I ought to send my dear friend Epaphroditus back to you. He is a follower and a worker and a soldier of the Lord, just as I am. You sent him to look after me, ²⁶but now he is eager to see you. He is worried, because you heard he was sick. ²⁷In fact, he was very sick and almost died. But God was kind to him, and also to me, and he kept me from being burdened down with sorrow.
    ²⁸Now I am more eager than ever to send Epaphroditus back again. You will be glad to see him, and I won't have to worry any longer. ²⁹Be sure to give him a cheerful welcome, just as people who serve the Lord deserve. ³⁰He almost died working for Christ, and he risked his own life to do for me what you could not.
   

Philippians 3

Being Acceptable to God

 ¹Finally, my dear friends, be glad that you belong to the Lord. It doesn't bother me to write the same things to you that I have written before. In fact, it is for your own good.    ²Watch out for those people who behave like dogs! They are evil and want to do more than just circumcise you. ³But we are the ones who are truly circumcised, because we worship by the power of God's Spirit ^a] and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don't brag about what we have done, ⁴although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else.

Footnotes:

1. Philippians 3:3 by the power of God's Spirit: Some manuscripts have "sincerely."

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Psalm 73:1-28 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 73

BOOK III

(Psalms 73-89)

(A psalm by Asaph.)

God Is Good

 ¹God is truly good to Israel, ^a] especially to everyone   with a pure heart.
    ²But I almost stumbled and fell,
    ³because it made me jealous
   to see proud and evil people
   and to watch them prosper.
    ⁴They never have to suffer, ^b] they stay healthy,
    ⁵and they don't have troubles
   like everyone else.
    ⁶Their pride is like a necklace,
   and they commit sin
   more often
   than they dress themselves.
    ⁷Their eyes poke out with fat,
   and their minds are flooded
   with foolish thoughts.
    ⁸They sneer and say cruel things,
   and because of their pride,
   they make violent threats.
    ⁹They dare to speak against God
   and to order others around.
    ¹⁰God will bring his people back,
   and they will drink the water
   he so freely gives. ^c] 11Only evil people would say,
   "God Most High cannot
   know everything!"
    ¹²Yet all goes well for them,
   and they live in peace.
    ¹³What good did it do me
   to keep my thoughts pure
   and refuse to do wrong?
    ¹⁴I am sick all day,
   and I am punished
   each morning.
    ¹⁵If I had said evil things,
   I would not have been loyal
   to your people.
    ¹⁶It was hard for me
   to understand all this!
    ¹⁷Then I went to your temple,
   and there I understood
   what will happen
   to my enemies.
    ¹⁸You will make them stumble,
   never to get up again.
    ¹⁹They will be terrified,
   suddenly swept away
   and no longer there.
    ²⁰They will disappear, Lord,
   despised like a bad dream
   the morning after.
    ²¹Once I was bitter
   and brokenhearted.
    ²²I was stupid and ignorant,
   and I treated you
   as a wild animal would.
    ²³But I never really left you,
   and you hold my right hand.
    ²⁴Your advice has been my guide,
   and later you will welcome me
   in glory. ^d] 25In heaven I have only you,
   and on this earth
   you are all I want.
    ²⁶My body and mind may fail,
   but you are my strength
   and my choice forever.
    ²⁷Powerful LORD God,
   all who stay far from you
   will be lost,
   and you will destroy those
   who are unfaithful.
    ²⁸It is good for me
   to be near you.
   I choose you as my protector,
   and I will tell about
   your wonderful deeds.
  

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 73:1 to Israel: Or " to those who do right."
2. Psalm 73:4 They. . . suffer: Or " They die a painless death."
3. Psalm 73:10 gives: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
4. Psalm 73:24 in glory: Or " with honor."

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Proverbs 24:13-14 (Contemporary English Version)

-26-

 ¹³ Honey is good for you,   my children,
   and it tastes sweet.
    ¹⁴Wisdom is like honey
   for your life--
   if you find it,
   your future is bright.

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Verse of the Day

“God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.” - Matthew 5:11-12

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American author of romance and fiction, Faith Baldwin wrote, "Character builds slowly, but it can be torn down within incredible swiftness."

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A Joke for Today

 Collection 30

If the black box flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isn't the whole airplane made out of the same stuff? 

Why is there an expiration date on sour cream? 

If most car accidents occur within five miles of home, why doesn't everyone just move 10 miles away? 

If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes? 

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section? She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose. 

If all those psychics know the winning lottery numbers, why are they all still working? 

Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack? 

Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery? 

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled? 

Why do women wear evening gowns to nightclubs? Shouldn't they be wearing night gowns? 

Bible Readings for September 30, 2019

Today our passages are Isaiah 60:1–62:5; Philippians 1:27–2:18; Psalm 72:1-20; and Proverbs 24:11-12. 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.

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Isaiah 60-62:5 (Contemporary English Version)

Isaiah 60

A New Day for Jerusalem

 ¹Jerusalem, stand up! Shine!

   Your new day is dawning.

   The glory of the LORD

   shines brightly on you.

    ²The earth and its people

   are covered with darkness,

   but the glory of the LORD

   is shining upon you.

    ³Nations and kings

   will come to the light

   of your dawning day.   

Crowds Are Coming to Jerusalem

The LORD said:

 ⁴Open your eyes! Look around!

   Crowds are coming.

   Your sons are on their way

   from distant lands;

   your daughters are being carried

   like little children.

    ⁵When you see this,

   your faces will glow;

   your hearts will pound

   and swell with pride. ^a] Treasures from across the sea

   and the wealth of nations

   will be brought to you.

    ⁶Your country will be covered

   with caravans

   of young camels

   from Midian and Ephah. ^b] The people of Sheba ^c] will bring gold and spices

   in praise of me, the LORD.

    ⁷Every sheep of Kedar

   will come to you;

   rams from Nebaioth ^d] will be yours as well.

   I will accept them as offerings

   and bring honor to my temple.

    ⁸What is that sailing by

   like clouds

   or like doves flying home?

    ⁹On those distant islands

   your people are waiting

   for me, the LORD. ^e] Seagoing ships ^f] lead the way to bring them home

   with their silver and gold.

   I, the holy LORD God of Israel,

   do this

   to honor your people,

   so they will honor me.   

Jerusalem Will Be Rebuilt

The LORD said:

 ¹⁰Jerusalem, your city walls

   will be rebuilt by foreigners;

   their rulers will become

   your slaves.

   I punished you in my anger;

   now I will be kind

   and treat you with mercy.

    ¹¹Your gates will be open

   day and night

   to let the rulers of nations

   lead their people to you

   with all their treasures.

    ¹²Any nation or kingdom

   that refuses to serve you

   will be wiped out.

    ¹³Wood from Lebanon's best trees

   will be brought to you--

   the pines, the firs,

   and the cypress trees.

   It will be used in my temple

   to make beautiful

   the place

   where I rest my feet.

    ¹⁴The descendants of enemies

   who hated and mistreated you

   will kneel at your feet.

   They will say, "You are Zion,

   the city of the LORD,

   the holy God of Israel."

    ¹⁵You were hated and deserted,

   rejected by everyone.

   But I will make you beautiful,

   a city to be proud of

   for all time to come.

    ¹⁶You will drain the wealth

   of kings and foreign nations.

   You will know that I,

   the mighty LORD God of Israel,

   have saved and rescued you.

    ¹⁷I will bring bronze and iron

   in place of wood and stone;

   in place of bronze and iron,

   I will bring gold and silver.

   I will appoint peace and justice

   as your rulers and leaders.

    ¹⁸Violence, destruction, and ruin

   will never again

   be heard of

   within your borders.

   "Victory" will be the name

   you give to your walls;

   "Praise" will be the name

   you give to your gates.

    ¹⁹You won't need the light

   of the sun or the moon.

   I, the LORD your God,

   will be your eternal light

   and bring you honor.

    ²⁰Your sun will never set

   or your moon go down.

   I, the LORD, will be

   your everlasting light,

   and your days of sorrow

   will come to an end.

    ²¹Your people will live right

   and always own the land;

   they are the trees I planted

   to bring praise to me.

    ²²Even the smallest family

   will be a powerful nation.

   I am the LORD,

   and when the time comes,

   I will quickly do all this.

   

Isaiah 61

The Good News of Victory

 ¹The Spirit of the LORD God

   has taken control of me!

   The LORD has chosen and sent me

   to tell the oppressed

   the good news,

   to heal the brokenhearted,

   and to announce freedom

   for prisoners and captives.

    ²This is the year

   when the LORD God

   will show kindness to us

   and punish our enemies.

   The LORD has sent me

   to comfort those who mourn,

    ³especially in Jerusalem.

   He sent me to give them flowers

   in place of their sorrow,

   olive oil in place of tears,

   and joyous praise

   in place of broken hearts.

   They will be called

   "Trees of Justice,"

   planted by the LORD

   to honor his name.

    ⁴Then they will rebuild cities

   that have been in ruins

   for many generations.

    ⁵They will hire foreigners

   to take care of their sheep

   and their vineyards.

    ⁶But they themselves will be

   priests and servants

   of the LORD our God.

   The treasures of the nations

   will belong to them,

   and they will be famous. ^g] 7They were terribly insulted

   and horribly mistreated;

   now they will be greatly blessed

   and joyful forever.  

The LORD Loves Justice

 ⁸I, the LORD, love justice!

   But I hate robbery

   and injustice. ^h] My people, I solemnly promise

   to reward you

   with an eternal agreement.

    ⁹Your descendants will be known

   in every nation.

   All who see them will realize

   that they have been blessed,

   by me, the LORD.  

Celebrate and Shout

 ¹⁰I celebrate and shout

   because of my LORD God.

   His saving power and justice

   are the very clothes I wear.

   They are more beautiful

   than the jewelry worn

   by a bride or a groom.

    ¹¹The LORD will bring about

   justice and praise

   in every nation on earth,

   like flowers blooming

   in a garden.

   

Isaiah 62

Jerusalem Will Be Saved

 ¹Jerusalem, I will speak up

   for your good.

   I will never be silent

   till you are safe and secure,

   sparkling like a flame.

    ²Your great victory will be seen

   by every nation and king;

   the LORD will even give you

   a new name.

    ³You will be a glorious crown,

   a royal headband,

   for the LORD your God.

    ⁴Your name will no longer be

   "Deserted and Childless,"

   but "Happily Married."

   You will please the LORD;

   your country

   will be his bride.

    ⁵Your people will take the land, ^i] just as a young man

   takes a bride.

   The LORD will be pleased

   because of you,

   just as a husband is pleased

   with his bride.

   

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 60:5 swell with pride: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Isaiah 60:6 Midian. . . Ephah: Midian was the ancestor of a nomadic tribe of the Arabian desert, east of the Gulf of Aqaba. Ephah was a clan within the tribe of Midian.
3. Isaiah 60:6 Sheba: Perhaps a place in what is now southwest Arabia. The Queen of Sheba brought gifts to Solomon (1 Kings 10.1-13).
4. Isaiah 60:7 Kedar. . . Nebaioth: Regions in northern Arabia.
5. Isaiah 60:9 On. . . LORD: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Isaiah 60:9 Seagoing ships: See the note at 2.16.
7. Isaiah 61:6 and. . . famous: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Isaiah 61:8 But. . . injustice: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. Isaiah 62:5 Your. . . land: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Philippians 1:27-2:18 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and that you are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news.

    ²⁸Be brave when you face your enemies. Your courage will show them that they are going to be destroyed, and it will show you that you will be saved. God will make all of this happen, ²⁹and he has blessed you. Not only do you have faith in Christ, but you suffer for him. ³⁰You saw me suffer, and you still hear about my troubles. Now you must suffer in the same way.

   

Philippians 2

True Humility

 ¹Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God's Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. ²Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. ³Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. ⁴Care about them as much as you care about yourselves ⁵and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: ^a] 6Christ was truly God.

   But he did not try to remain ^b] equal with God.

    ⁷Instead he gave up everything ^c] and became a slave,

   when he became

   like one of us.

    ⁸Christ was humble.

   He obeyed God

   and even died

   on a cross.

    ⁹Then God gave Christ

   the highest place

   and honored his name

   above all others.

    ¹⁰So at the name of Jesus

   everyone will bow down,

   those in heaven, on earth,

   and under the earth.

    ¹¹And to the glory

   of God the Father

   everyone will openly agree,

   "Jesus Christ is Lord!"   

Lights in the World

 ¹²My dear friends, you always obeyed when I was with you. Now that I am away, you should obey even more. So work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved. ¹³God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.

    ¹⁴Do everything without grumbling or arguing. ¹⁵Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything that they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, ¹⁶as you hold firmly to ^d] the message that gives life. Then on the day when Christ returns, I can take pride in you. I can also know that my work and efforts were not useless. ¹⁷Your faith in the Lord and your service are like a sacrifice offered to him. And my own blood may have to be poured out with the sacrifice. ^e] If this happens, I will be glad and rejoice with you. ¹⁸In the same way, you should be glad and rejoice with me.

Footnotes:

1. Philippians 2:5 think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: Or "think the way you should because you belong to Christ Jesus."
2. Philippians 2:6 remain: Or "become."
3. Philippians 2:7 Instead he gave up everything: Greek, "He emptied himself."
4. Philippians 2:16 hold firmly to: Or "offer them."
5. Philippians 2:17 my own blood may have to be poured out with the sacrifice: Offerings of water or wine were sometimes poured out when animals were sacrificed on the altar.

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Psalm 72:1-20 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 72

(By Solomon.)

A Prayer for God To Guide and Help the King

 ¹Please help the king

   to be honest and fair

   just like you, our God.

    ²Let him be honest and fair

   with all your people,

   especially the poor.

    ³Let peace and justice rule

   every mountain and hill.

    ⁴Let the king defend the poor,

   rescue the homeless,

   and crush

   everyone who hurts them.

    ⁵Let the king live ^a] forever like the sun and the moon.

    ⁶Let him be as helpful as rain

   that refreshes the meadows

   and the ground.

    ⁷Let the king be fair

   with everyone,

   and let there be peace

   until the moon

   falls from the sky.

    ⁸Let his kingdom reach

   from sea to sea,

   from the Euphrates River

   across all the earth.

    ⁹Force the desert tribes

   to accept his rule,

   and make his enemies

   crawl in the dirt.

    ¹⁰Force the rulers of Tarshish ^b] and of the islands

   to pay taxes to him.

   Make the kings of Sheba

   and of Seba ^c] bring gifts. ¹¹Make other rulers bow down

   and all nations serve him.

    ¹²Do this because the king

   rescues the homeless

   when they cry out,

   and he helps everyone

   who is poor and in need.

    ¹³The king has pity

   on the weak and the helpless

   and protects those in need.

    ¹⁴He cares when they hurt,

   and he saves them from cruel

   and violent deaths.

    ¹⁵Long live the king!

   Give him gold from Sheba.

   Always pray for the king

   and praise him each day.

    ¹⁶Let cities overflow with food

   and hills be covered with grain,

   just like Mount Lebanon.

   Let the people in the cities

   prosper like wild flowers.

    ¹⁷May the glory of the king

   shine brightly forever

   like the sun in the sky.

   Let him make nations prosper

   and learn to praise him.

    ¹⁸LORD God of Israel,

   we praise you.

   Only you can work miracles.

    ¹⁹We will always praise

   your glorious name.

   Let your glory be seen

   everywhere on earth.

   Amen and amen.

    ²⁰This ends the prayers

   of David, the son of Jesse.

   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 72:5 Let the king live: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Let them worship you."
2. Psalm 72:10 Tarshish: Possibly a city in Spain.
3. Psalm 72:10 Sheba. . . Seba: Sheba may have been a place in what is now southwest Arabia, and Seba may have been in southern Arabia.

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Proverbs 24:11-12 (Contemporary English Version)

-25-

 ¹¹ Don't fail to rescue those

   who are doomed to die.

    ¹²Don't say, "I didn't know it!"

   God can read your mind.

   He watches each of us

   and knows our thoughts.

   And God will pay us back

   for what we do.

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Verse of the Day

“I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day,” - Philippians 1:9-10

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American soul and gospel singer, Cissy Houston wrote, “Good mothers and good fathers and good families don't always have great children.”

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A Joke for Today

Billy-Bob walks into a bar and says, "Bartender, one round for everyone, on me!" 

The bartender says, "Well, seems you're in a really good mood tonight, hm?" 

Billy-Bob says, "Oh, you can bet on it! I just got hired by the city to go around and remove all the money from parking meters. I start on Monday!" The bartender congratulates him and proceeds to pour the round.

Monday evening arrives. Billy-Bob comes back into the bar and says, "Bartender, two rounds for everyone, on me!" 

The bartender says, "Well now! If you're so happy just over having this new job, I can just imagine how happy you'll be when you get your paycheck!" 

Billy-Bob looks at the bartender with a wondrous look on his face, pulls out a handful of quarters from his pocket, and says, "You mean they'll PAY me too?"