Bible Readings for March 24, 2019

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 2:1–3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; and Proverbs 11:27. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below. 

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Deuteronomy 2-3:29 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 2

 ¹We spent many years wandering around outside the hill country of Seir, ^[a] ²until the LORD said: Moses, ³Israel has wandered in these hills long enough. Turn and go north. ⁴And give the people these orders: " Be very careful, because you will soon go through the land that belongs to your relatives, the descendants of Esau. ^[b] They are afraid of you, ⁵but don't start a war with them. I have given them the hill country of Seir, so I won't give any of it to you, not even enough to set a foot on. ⁶And as you go through their land, you will have to buy food and water from them." ⁷The LORD has helped us and taken care of us during the past forty years that we have been in this huge desert. We've had everything we needed, and the LORD has blessed us and made us successful in whatever we have done.     ⁸We went past the territory that belonged to our relatives, the descendants of Esau. ^[c] We followed Arabah Road that starts in the south at Elath and Ezion-Geber, then we turned onto the desert road that leads to Moab. ⁹The LORD told me, " Don't try to start a war with Moab. Leave them alone, because I gave the land of Ar ^[d] to them, ^[e] and I will not let you have any of it." 

Tribes That Lived near Canaan

 ¹⁰Before the LORD gave the Moabites their land, a large and powerful tribe lived there. They were the Emim, and they were as tall as the Anakim. ¹¹The Moabites called them Emim, though others sometimes used the name Rephaim ^[f] for both the Anakim and the Emim. ¹²The Horites used to live in Seir, but the Edomites ^[g] took over that region. They killed many of the Horites and forced the rest of them to leave, just as Israel did to the people in the land that the LORD gave them.

Israel Crossed the Zered Gorge

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹³When we came to the Zered Gorge along the southern border of Moab, the LORD told us to cross the gorge into Moab, and we did. ¹⁴This was thirty-eight years after we left Kadesh-Barnea, and by that time all the men who had been in the army at Kadesh-Barnea had died, just as the LORD had said they would. ^15-16The LORD kept getting rid of ^[h] them until finally none of them were left. ¹⁷Then the LORD told me, ¹⁸" Moses, now go past the town of Ar and cross Moab's northern border ¹⁹into Ammon. But don't start a war with the Ammonites. I gave them ^[i] their land, and I won't give any of it to Israel."

More Nations That Lived near Canaan

 ²⁰Before the Ammonites conquered the land that the LORD had given them, some of the Rephaim used to live there, although the Ammonites called them Zamzummim. ²¹The Zamzummim were a large and powerful tribe and were as tall as the Anakim. ^[j] But the LORD helped the Ammonites, and they killed many of the Zamzummim and forced the rest to leave. Then the Ammonites settled there. ²²The LORD helped them as he had helped the Edomites, ^[k] who killed many of the Horites in Seir and forced the rest to leave before settling there themselves. ²³A group called the Avvim used to live in villages as far south as Gaza, but the Philistines ^[l] killed them and settled on their land.

Israel Crossed the Arnon Gorge

Moses said:

 ²⁴After we went through Ammon, the LORD told us:    Israel, pack up your possessions, take down your tents, and cross the Arnon River gorge. ^[m] The territory of the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon lies on the other side of the river, but I now give you his land. So attack and take it! ²⁵Today I will start making all other nations afraid of you. They will tremble with fear when anyone mentions you, and they will be terrified when you show up. Moses said to Israel:     

The Defeat of King Sihon of Heshbon

(Numbers 21.21-30)

 ²⁶After we had crossed the Arnon and had set up camp in the Kedemoth Desert, I sent messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon, telling him that his nation and ours could be at peace. I said:     ²⁷Please let Israel go across your country. We will walk straight through, without turning off the road. ^28-29You can even sell us food and water, and we will pay with silver. We need to reach the Jordan River and cross it, because the LORD our God is giving us the land on the west side. The Edomites and Moabites ^[n] have already let us cross their land. Please let us cross your land as well. ^30-31But Sihon refused to let us go across his country, because the LORD made him stubborn and eager to fight us. The LORD told me, " I am going to help you defeat Sihon and take his land, so attack him!"
    ³²We met Sihon and his army in battle at Jahaz, ³³and the LORD our God helped us defeat them. We killed Sihon, his sons, and everyone else in his army. ³⁴Then we captured and destroyed every town in Sihon's kingdom, killing everyone, ³⁵but keeping the livestock and everything else of value. ³⁶The LORD helped us capture every town from the Arnon River gorge north to the boundary of Gilead, including the town of Aroer on the edge of the gorge and the town in the middle of the gorge.
    ³⁷However, we stayed away from all the Ammonite towns, both in the hill country and near the Jabbok River, just as the LORD had commanded.
   Moses said to Israel: 
    

Deuteronomy 3

The Defeat of King Og of Bashan

(Numbers 21.31-35)

 ¹When we turned onto the road that leads to Bashan, King Og of Bashan led out his whole army to fight us at Edrei. ²But the LORD told me, " Moses, don't be afraid of King Og. I am going to help you defeat him and his army and take over his land. Destroy him and his people, just as you did with the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon."     ^3-6The LORD our God helped us destroy Og and his army and conquer his entire kingdom of Bashan, including the Argob region. His kingdom had lots of villages and sixty towns with high walls and gates that locked with bars. We completely destroyed ^[o] them all, killing everyone, ⁷but keeping the livestock and everything else of value. ⁸Sihon and Og had ruled Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan River. Their land stretched from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, and we captured it all. ⁹Mount Hermon is called Mount Sirion by the people of Sidon, and it is called Mount Senir by the Amorites. ¹⁰We captured all the towns in the highlands, all of Gilead, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, two of the towns that Og had ruled.     

Og's Coffin

 ¹¹King Og was the last of the Rephaim, ^[p] and his coffin ^[q] is in the town of Rabbah in Ammon. It is made of hard black rock ^[r] and is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide. Moses said to Israel:     

The Land East of the Jordan River Is Divided

(Numbers 32.1-42)

 ^12-17I gave some of the land and towns we captured to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. Their share started at the Arnon River gorge in the south, took in the town of Aroer on the edge of the gorge, and went far enough north to include the southern half of the Gilead region. The northern part of their land went as far east as the upper Jabbok River gorge, which formed their border with the Ammonites. ^[s] I also gave them the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from Lake Galilee ^[t] south to the Dead Sea ^[u] below the slopes of Mount Pisgah. I gave the northern half of Gilead and all of the Bashan region to half the tribe of Manasseh. ^[v] Bashan had belonged to King Og, and the Argob region in Bashan used to be called the Land of the Rephaim. Jair from the Manasseh tribe conquered the Argob region as far west as the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. The Israelites even started calling Bashan by the name " Villages of Jair," ^[w] and that is still its name. I gave the northern half of Gilead to the Machir clan. ^[x] ^18-19At that time I told the men of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh:    The LORD our God told me to give you this land with its towns, and that's what I have done. Now your wives and children can stay here with your large flocks of sheep and goats and your large herds of cattle. But all of you men that can serve in our army must cross the Jordan River and help the other tribes, because they are your relatives. ²⁰The LORD will let them defeat the enemy nations on the west side of the Jordan and take their land. Afterwards, you can come back here to the land I gave you.
    ^21-22Then I told Joshua, " You saw how the LORD our God helped us destroy King Sihon and King Og. So don't be afraid! Wherever you go, the LORD will fight on your side and help you destroy your enemies."     

God Refused To Let Moses Enter Canaan

Moses said to Israel:

 ²³At that time I prayed and begged, ²⁴" Our LORD, it seems that you have just begun to show me your great power. No other god in the sky or on earth is able to do the mighty things that you do. ²⁵The land west of the Jordan is such good land. Please let me cross the Jordan and see the hills and the Lebanon Mountains."     ²⁶But the LORD was angry with me because of you people, ^[y] and he refused to listen. " That's enough!" he said. " I don't want to hear any more. ²⁷Climb to the top of Mount Pisgah and look north, south, east, and west. Take a good look, but you are not going to cross the Jordan River. ²⁸Joshua will lead Israel across the Jordan to take the land, so help him be strong and brave and tell him what he must do." ²⁹After this we stayed in the valley at Beth-Peor.
    

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 2:1 hill country of Seir: See the note at 1.44.
2. Deuteronomy 2:4 your relatives, the descendants of Esau: Esau was the brother of Jacob, the ancestor of the nation of Israel. Esau's descendants were also known as the nation of Edom.
3. Deuteronomy 2:8 We went past. . . Esau: According to Numbers 20.14-21, the king of Edom did not let the Israelites go through his land.
4. Deuteronomy 2:9 Ar: One of the main cities of Moab (see Numbers 21.28); sometimes it may have stood for the whole territory of Moab.
5. Deuteronomy 2:9 them: The Hebrew text has " the descendants of Lot" ; the nation of Moab descended from Moab, who was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham.
6. Deuteronomy 2:11 Emim. . . Anakim. . . Rephaim: These may refer to a group or groups of very tall people that lived in or near Palestine before the Israelites (see also Numbers 13.33).
7. Deuteronomy 2:12 Edomites: The Hebrew text has " the descendants of Esau," who became the nation of Edom.
8. Deuteronomy 2:15 getting rid of: Or " sending diseases on."
9. Deuteronomy 2:19 them: The Hebrew text has " descendants of Lot" ; the nation of Ammon descended from Benammi, who was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham.
10. Deuteronomy 2:21 Anakim: See the note at 2.10,11.
11. Deuteronomy 2:22 Edomites: See the note at 2.12.
12. Deuteronomy 2:23 Philistines: The Hebrew text has " the Caphtorim from Caphtor," probably referring to the Philistines who originally came from Crete.
13. Deuteronomy 2:24 Arnon River gorge: The northern boundary of Moab's territory and the southern boundary of Sihon's kingdom.
14. Deuteronomy 2:28 Edomites and Moabites: Hebrew " descendants of Esau, who live in Seir and Moabites who live in Ar."
15. Deuteronomy 3:3 completely destroyed: The Hebrew word means that the town was given completely to the LORD, and since it could not be used for normal purposes any more, it had to be destroyed. Every person was killed and sometimes all the animals as well.
16. Deuteronomy 3:11 Rephaim: See the note at 2.10,11.
17. Deuteronomy 3:11 coffin: Or " bed."
18. Deuteronomy 3:11 hard black rock: The Hebrew text has " iron," which probably refers to basalt, a hard black rock.
19. Deuteronomy 3:12 The northern part. . . border with the Ammonites: The Jabbok River flowed from south to north, then it turned west and formed the northern border of the land belonging to the Reuben and Gad tribes.
20. Deuteronomy 3:12 Lake Galilee: The Hebrew text has " Lake Chinnereth," an earlier name.
21. Deuteronomy 3:12 the Dead Sea: Hebrew " the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea."
22. Deuteronomy 3:12 half the tribe of Manasseh: Or " East Manasseh."
23. Deuteronomy 3:12 Villages of Jair: Or " Havvoth-Jair."
24. Deuteronomy 3:12 Machir clan: One of the clans of the Manasseh tribe.
25. Deuteronomy 3:26 But the LORD. . . people: See 1.37.

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Luke 6:12-38 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.1-4; Mark 3.13-19)

 ¹²About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. ¹³The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. ¹⁴One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter's brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, ^[a] ¹⁶Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, ^[b] who later betrayed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals

(Matthew 4.23-25)

 ¹⁷Jesus and his apostles went down from the mountain and came to some flat, level ground. Many other disciples were there to meet him. Large crowds of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon were there too. ¹⁸These people had come to listen to Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. All who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed. ¹⁹Everyone was trying to touch Jesus, because power was going out from him and healing them all.     

Blessings and Troubles

(Matthew 5.1-12)

 ²⁰Jesus looked at his disciples and said:    God will bless you people
   who are poor.
   His kingdom belongs to you!
    ²¹God will bless
   you hungry people.
   You will have plenty
   to eat!
   God will bless you people
   who are crying.
   You will laugh!
    ²²God will bless you when others hate you and won't have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. ²³Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.
    ²⁴But you rich people
   are in for trouble.
   You have already had
   an easy life!
    ²⁵You well-fed people
   are in for trouble.
   You will go hungry!
   You people
   who are laughing now
   are in for trouble.
   You are going to cry
   and weep!
    ²⁶You are in for trouble when everyone says good things about you. That is what your own people said about those prophets who told lies.     

Love for Enemies

(Matthew 5.38-48; 7.12a)

 ²⁷This is what I say to all who will listen to me:    Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. ²⁸Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. ²⁹If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you. ³¹Treat others just as you want to be treated.
    ³²If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. ³³If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. ³⁴If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.
    ³⁵But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. ^[c] Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. ³⁶Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you. 

Judging Others

(Matthew 7.1-5)

 ³⁷Jesus said:    Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. ³⁸If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.
    

Footnotes:

1. Luke 6:15 known as the Eager One: The word " eager" translates the Greek word " zealot," which was a name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans.
2. Luke 6:16 Iscariot: This may mean " a man from Kerioth" (a place in Judea). But more probably it means " a man who was a liar" or " a man who was a betrayer."
3. Luke 6:35 without expecting to be paid back: Some manuscripts have " without giving up on anyone."

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Psalm 67:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 67

(A psalm and a song for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Tell the Nations To Praise God

 ¹Our God, be kind and bless us!    Be pleased and smile.
    ²Then everyone on earth
   will learn to follow you,
   and all nations will see
   your power to save us.
    ³Make everyone praise you
   and shout your praises.
    ⁴Let the nations celebrate
   with joyful songs,
   because you judge fairly
   and guide all nations.
    ⁵Make everyone praise you
   and shout your praises.
    ⁶Our God has blessed the earth
   with a wonderful harvest!
    ⁷Pray for his blessings
   to continue
   and for everyone on earth
   to worship our God.

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Proverbs 11:27 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷Try hard to do right,
   and you will win friends;
   go looking for trouble,
   and you will find it.

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Verse of the Day

“Sin pays off with death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician,William James wrote, “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”

Bible Readings for November 17, 2018

Today our passages are Ezekiel 35:1–36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; and Proverbs 27:23-27. 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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Ezekiel 35-36:38 (The Message)

Ezekiel 35

A Pile of Rubble

 ^1-4 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Mount Seir. Prophesy against it! Tell them, 'God, the Master, says:    "'I'm coming down hard on you, Mount Seir.
   I'm stepping in and turning you to a pile of rubble.
I'll reduce your towns to piles of rocks.
   There'll be nothing left of you.
   Then you'll realize that I am God.
 ^5-9 "'I'm doing this because you've kept this age-old grudge going against Israel: You viciously attacked them when they were already down, looking their final punishment in the face. Therefore, as sure as I am the living God, I'm lining you up for a real bloodbath. Since you loved blood so much, you'll be chased by rivers of blood. I'll reduce Mount Seir to a heap of rubble. No one will either come or go from that place! I'll blanket your mountains with corpses. Massacred bodies will cover your hills and fill up your valleys and ditches. I'll reduce you to ruins and all your towns will be ghost towns—population zero. Then you'll realize that I am God.
 ^10-13 "'Because you said, "These two nations, these two countries, are mine. I'm taking over" (even though God is right there watching, right there listening), I'll turn your hate-bloated anger and rage right back on you. You'll know I mean business when I bring judgment on you. You'll realize then that I, God, have overheard all the vile abuse you've poured out against the mountains of Israel, saying, "They're roadkill and we're going to eat them up." You've strutted around, talking so big, insolently pitting yourselves against me. And I've heard it all.
 ^14-15 "'This is the verdict of God, the Master: With the whole earth applauding, I'll demolish you. Since you danced in the streets, thinking it was so wonderful when Israel's inheritance was demolished, I'll give you the same treatment: demolition. Mount Seir demolished—yes, every square inch of Edom. Then they'll realize that I am God!'" 

Ezekiel 36

Back to Your Own Land

 ^1-5 "And now, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel.    Say, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to God's Message. God, the Master, says, Because the enemy crowed over you, "Good! Those old hills are now ours!" now here is a prophecy in the name of God, the Master: Because nations came at you from all sides, ripping and plundering, hauling pieces of you off every which way, and you've become the butt of cheap gossip and jokes, therefore, Mountains of Israel, listen to the Message of God, the Master. My Message to mountains and hills, to ditches and valleys, to the heaps of rubble and the emptied towns that are looted for plunder and turned into jokes by all the surrounding nations: Therefore, says God, the Master, now I'm speaking in a fiery rage against the rest of the nations, but especially against Edom, who in an orgy of violence and shameless insolence robbed me of my land, grabbed it for themselves.'
 ^6-7 "Therefore prophesy over the land of Israel, preach to the mountains and hills, to every ditch and valley: 'The Message of God, the Master: Look! Listen! I'm angry—and I care. I'm speaking to you because you've been humiliated among the nations. Therefore I, God, the Master, am telling you that I've solemnly sworn that the nations around you are next. It's their turn to be humiliated.
 ^8-12 "'But you, Mountains of Israel, will burst with new growth, putting out branches and bearing fruit for my people Israel. My people are coming home! Do you see? I'm back again. I'm on your side. You'll be plowed and planted as before! I'll see to it that your population grows all over Israel, that the towns fill up with people, that the ruins are rebuilt. I'll make this place teem with life—human and animal. The country will burst into life, life, and more life, your towns and villages full of people just as in the old days. I'll treat you better than I ever have. And you'll realize that I am God. I'll put people over you—my own people Israel! They'll take care of you and you'll be their inheritance. Never again will you be a harsh and unforgiving land to them.
 ^13-15 "'God, the Master, says: Because you have a reputation of being a land that eats people alive and makes women barren, I'm now telling you that you'll never eat people alive again nor make women barren. Decree of God, the Master. And I'll never again let the taunts of outsiders be heard over you nor permit nations to look down on you. You'll no longer be a land that makes women barren. Decree of God, the Master.'"
 ^16-21 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they polluted it by the way they lived. I poured out my anger on them because of the polluted blood they poured out on the ground. And so I got thoroughly angry with them polluting the country with their wanton murders and dirty gods. I kicked them out, exiled them to other countries. I sentenced them according to how they had lived. Wherever they went, they gave me a bad name. People said, 'These are God's people, but they got kicked off his land.' I suffered much pain over my holy reputation, which the people of Israel blackened in every country they entered.
 ^22-23 "Therefore, tell Israel, 'Message of God, the Master: I'm not doing this for you, Israel. I'm doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you've blackened in every country where you've gone. I'm going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went. Then the nations will realize who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with their own eyes.
 ^24-28 "'For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people! I'll be your God!
 ^29-30 "'I'll pull you out of that stinking pollution. I'll give personal orders to the wheat fields, telling them to grow bumper crops. I'll send no more famines. I'll make sure your fruit trees and field crops flourish. Other nations won't be able to hold you in contempt again because of famine.
 ³¹ "'And then you'll think back over your terrible lives—the evil, the shame—and be thoroughly disgusted with yourselves, realizing how badly you've lived—all those obscenities you've carried out.
 ³² "'I'm not doing this for you. Get this through your thick heads! Shame on you. What a mess you made of things, Israel!
 ^33-36 "'Message of God, the Master: On the day I scrub you clean from all your filthy living, I'll also make your cities livable. The ruins will be rebuilt. The neglected land will be worked again, no longer overgrown with weeds and thistles, worthless in the eyes of passersby. People will exclaim, "Why, this weed patch has been turned into a Garden of Eden! And the ruined cities, smashed into oblivion, are now thriving!" The nations around you that are still in existence will realize that I, God, rebuild ruins and replant empty waste places. I, God, said so, and I'll do it.
 ^37-38 "'Message of God, the Master: Yet again I'm going to do what Israel asks. I'll increase their population as with a flock of sheep. Like the milling flocks of sheep brought for sacrifices in Jerusalem during the appointed feasts, the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. And they'll realize that I am God.'"

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James 1:1-18 (The Message)

James 1

 ¹I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello! Faith Under Pressure  ^2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
 ^5-8If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.
 ^9-11When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don't ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that's a picture of the "prosperous life." At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.
 ¹²Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
 ^13-15Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.
 ^16-18So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

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Psalm 116:1-19 (The Message)

Psalm 116

    I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy.
   He listened so intently
      as I laid out my case before him.
   Death stared me in the face,
      hell was hard on my heels.
   Up against it, I didn't know which way to turn;
      then I called out to God for help:
   "Please, God!" I cried out.
      "Save my life!"
   God is gracious—it is he who makes things right,
      our most compassionate God.
   God takes the side of the helpless;
      when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.

 ^7-8 I said to myself, "Relax and rest.
      God has showered you with blessings.
      Soul, you've been rescued from death;
      Eye, you've been rescued from tears;
      And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling."

 ^9-11 I'm striding in the presence of God,
      alive in the land of the living!
   I stayed faithful, though bedeviled,
      and despite a ton of bad luck,
   Despite giving up on the human race,
      saying, "They're all liars and cheats."

 ^12-19 What can I give back to God
      for the blessings he's poured out on me?
   I'll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God!
      I'll pray in the name of God;
   I'll complete what I promised God I'd do,
      and I'll do it together with his people.
   When they arrive at the gates of death,
      God welcomes those who love him.
   Oh, God, here I am, your servant,
      your faithful servant: set me free for your service!
   I'm ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice
      and pray in the name of God.
   I'll complete what I promised God I'd do,
      and I'll do it in company with his people,
   In the place of worship, in God's house,
      in Jerusalem, God's city.
   Hallelujah!

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Proverbs 27:23-27 (The Message)

 ^23-27 Know your sheep by name;
   carefully attend to your flocks;
(Don't take them for granted;
   possessions don't last forever, you know.)
And then, when the crops are in
   and the harvest is stored in the barns,
You can knit sweaters from lambs' wool,
   and sell your goats for a profit;
There will be plenty of milk and meat
   to last your family through the winter.

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Verse of the Day

Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.” - Psalm 119:105 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician, William James wrote, “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.”

Bible Readings for March 24, 2017

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 2:1–3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; and Proverbs 11:27. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

 

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Deuteronomy 2-3:29 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 2

 ¹We spent many years wandering around outside the hill country of Seir, ^[a] ²until the LORD said: Moses, ³Israel has wandered in these hills long enough. Turn and go north. ⁴And give the people these orders: " Be very careful, because you will soon go through the land that belongs to your relatives, the descendants of Esau. ^[b] They are afraid of you, ⁵but don't start a war with them. I have given them the hill country of Seir, so I won't give any of it to you, not even enough to set a foot on. ⁶And as you go through their land, you will have to buy food and water from them." ⁷The LORD has helped us and taken care of us during the past forty years that we have been in this huge desert. We've had everything we needed, and the LORD has blessed us and made us successful in whatever we have done.     ⁸We went past the territory that belonged to our relatives, the descendants of Esau. ^[c] We followed Arabah Road that starts in the south at Elath and Ezion-Geber, then we turned onto the desert road that leads to Moab. ⁹The LORD told me, " Don't try to start a war with Moab. Leave them alone, because I gave the land of Ar ^[d] to them, ^[e] and I will not let you have any of it."

Tribes That Lived near Canaan

 ¹⁰Before the LORD gave the Moabites their land, a large and powerful tribe lived there. They were the Emim, and they were as tall as the Anakim. ¹¹The Moabites called them Emim, though others sometimes used the name Rephaim ^[f] for both the Anakim and the Emim. ¹²The Horites used to live in Seir, but the Edomites ^[g] took over that region. They killed many of the Horites and forced the rest of them to leave, just as Israel did to the people in the land that the LORD gave them.

Israel Crossed the Zered Gorge

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹³When we came to the Zered Gorge along the southern border of Moab, the LORD told us to cross the gorge into Moab, and we did. ¹⁴This was thirty-eight years after we left Kadesh-Barnea, and by that time all the men who had been in the army at Kadesh-Barnea had died, just as the LORD had said they would. ^15-16The LORD kept getting rid of ^[h] them until finally none of them were left. ¹⁷Then the LORD told me, ¹⁸" Moses, now go past the town of Ar and cross Moab's northern border ¹⁹into Ammon. But don't start a war with the Ammonites. I gave them ^[i] their land, and I won't give any of it to Israel."

More Nations That Lived near Canaan

 ²⁰Before the Ammonites conquered the land that the LORD had given them, some of the Rephaim used to live there, although the Ammonites called them Zamzummim. ²¹The Zamzummim were a large and powerful tribe and were as tall as the Anakim. ^[j] But the LORD helped the Ammonites, and they killed many of the Zamzummim and forced the rest to leave. Then the Ammonites settled there. ²²The LORD helped them as he had helped the Edomites, ^[k] who killed many of the Horites in Seir and forced the rest to leave before settling there themselves. ²³A group called the Avvim used to live in villages as far south as Gaza, but the Philistines ^[l] killed them and settled on their land.

Israel Crossed the Arnon Gorge

Moses said:

 ²⁴After we went through Ammon, the LORD told us:    Israel, pack up your possessions, take down your tents, and cross the Arnon River gorge. ^[m] The territory of the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon lies on the other side of the river, but I now give you his land. So attack and take it! ²⁵Today I will start making all other nations afraid of you. They will tremble with fear when anyone mentions you, and they will be terrified when you show up. Moses said to Israel:
   

The Defeat of King Sihon of Heshbon

(Numbers 21.21-30)

 ²⁶After we had crossed the Arnon and had set up camp in the Kedemoth Desert, I sent messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon, telling him that his nation and ours could be at peace. I said:     ²⁷Please let Israel go across your country. We will walk straight through, without turning off the road. ^28-29You can even sell us food and water, and we will pay with silver. We need to reach the Jordan River and cross it, because the LORD our God is giving us the land on the west side. The Edomites and Moabites ^[n] have already let us cross their land. Please let us cross your land as well. ^30-31But Sihon refused to let us go across his country, because the LORD made him stubborn and eager to fight us. The LORD told me, " I am going to help you defeat Sihon and take his land, so attack him!"
    ³²We met Sihon and his army in battle at Jahaz, ³³and the LORD our God helped us defeat them. We killed Sihon, his sons, and everyone else in his army. ³⁴Then we captured and destroyed every town in Sihon's kingdom, killing everyone, ³⁵but keeping the livestock and everything else of value. ³⁶The LORD helped us capture every town from the Arnon River gorge north to the boundary of Gilead, including the town of Aroer on the edge of the gorge and the town in the middle of the gorge.
    ³⁷However, we stayed away from all the Ammonite towns, both in the hill country and near the Jabbok River, just as the LORD had commanded.
   Moses said to Israel:
   

Deuteronomy 3

The Defeat of King Og of Bashan

(Numbers 21.31-35)

 ¹When we turned onto the road that leads to Bashan, King Og of Bashan led out his whole army to fight us at Edrei. ²But the LORD told me, " Moses, don't be afraid of King Og. I am going to help you defeat him and his army and take over his land. Destroy him and his people, just as you did with the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon."     ^3-6The LORD our God helped us destroy Og and his army and conquer his entire kingdom of Bashan, including the Argob region. His kingdom had lots of villages and sixty towns with high walls and gates that locked with bars. We completely destroyed ^[o] them all, killing everyone, ⁷but keeping the livestock and everything else of value. ⁸Sihon and Og had ruled Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan River. Their land stretched from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, and we captured it all. ⁹Mount Hermon is called Mount Sirion by the people of Sidon, and it is called Mount Senir by the Amorites. ¹⁰We captured all the towns in the highlands, all of Gilead, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, two of the towns that Og had ruled.
   

Og's Coffin

 ¹¹King Og was the last of the Rephaim, ^[p] and his coffin ^[q] is in the town of Rabbah in Ammon. It is made of hard black rock ^[r] and is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide. Moses said to Israel:    

The Land East of the Jordan River Is Divided

(Numbers 32.1-42)

 ^12-17I gave some of the land and towns we captured to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. Their share started at the Arnon River gorge in the south, took in the town of Aroer on the edge of the gorge, and went far enough north to include the southern half of the Gilead region. The northern part of their land went as far east as the upper Jabbok River gorge, which formed their border with the Ammonites. ^[s] I also gave them the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from Lake Galilee ^[t] south to the Dead Sea ^[u] below the slopes of Mount Pisgah. I gave the northern half of Gilead and all of the Bashan region to half the tribe of Manasseh. ^[v] Bashan had belonged to King Og, and the Argob region in Bashan used to be called the Land of the Rephaim. Jair from the Manasseh tribe conquered the Argob region as far west as the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. The Israelites even started calling Bashan by the name " Villages of Jair," ^[w] and that is still its name. I gave the northern half of Gilead to the Machir clan. ^[x] ^18-19At that time I told the men of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh:    The LORD our God told me to give you this land with its towns, and that's what I have done. Now your wives and children can stay here with your large flocks of sheep and goats and your large herds of cattle. But all of you men that can serve in our army must cross the Jordan River and help the other tribes, because they are your relatives. ²⁰The LORD will let them defeat the enemy nations on the west side of the Jordan and take their land. Afterwards, you can come back here to the land I gave you.
    ^21-22Then I told Joshua, " You saw how the LORD our God helped us destroy King Sihon and King Og. So don't be afraid! Wherever you go, the LORD will fight on your side and help you destroy your enemies."
   

God Refused To Let Moses Enter Canaan

Moses said to Israel:

 ²³At that time I prayed and begged, ²⁴" Our LORD, it seems that you have just begun to show me your great power. No other god in the sky or on earth is able to do the mighty things that you do. ²⁵The land west of the Jordan is such good land. Please let me cross the Jordan and see the hills and the Lebanon Mountains."     ²⁶But the LORD was angry with me because of you people, ^[y] and he refused to listen. " That's enough!" he said. " I don't want to hear any more. ²⁷Climb to the top of Mount Pisgah and look north, south, east, and west. Take a good look, but you are not going to cross the Jordan River. ²⁸Joshua will lead Israel across the Jordan to take the land, so help him be strong and brave and tell him what he must do." ²⁹After this we stayed in the valley at Beth-Peor.
   

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 2:1 hill country of Seir: See the note at 1.44.
2. Deuteronomy 2:4 your relatives, the descendants of Esau: Esau was the brother of Jacob, the ancestor of the nation of Israel. Esau's descendants were also known as the nation of Edom.
3. Deuteronomy 2:8 We went past. . . Esau: According to Numbers 20.14-21, the king of Edom did not let the Israelites go through his land.
4. Deuteronomy 2:9 Ar: One of the main cities of Moab (see Numbers 21.28); sometimes it may have stood for the whole territory of Moab.
5. Deuteronomy 2:9 them: The Hebrew text has " the descendants of Lot" ; the nation of Moab descended from Moab, who was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham.
6. Deuteronomy 2:11 Emim. . . Anakim. . . Rephaim: These may refer to a group or groups of very tall people that lived in or near Palestine before the Israelites (see also Numbers 13.33).
7. Deuteronomy 2:12 Edomites: The Hebrew text has " the descendants of Esau," who became the nation of Edom.
8. Deuteronomy 2:15 getting rid of: Or " sending diseases on."
9. Deuteronomy 2:19 them: The Hebrew text has " descendants of Lot" ; the nation of Ammon descended from Benammi, who was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham.
10. Deuteronomy 2:21 Anakim: See the note at 2.10,11.
11. Deuteronomy 2:22 Edomites: See the note at 2.12.
12. Deuteronomy 2:23 Philistines: The Hebrew text has " the Caphtorim from Caphtor," probably referring to the Philistines who originally came from Crete.
13. Deuteronomy 2:24 Arnon River gorge: The northern boundary of Moab's territory and the southern boundary of Sihon's kingdom.
14. Deuteronomy 2:28 Edomites and Moabites: Hebrew " descendants of Esau, who live in Seir and Moabites who live in Ar."
15. Deuteronomy 3:3 completely destroyed: The Hebrew word means that the town was given completely to the LORD, and since it could not be used for normal purposes any more, it had to be destroyed. Every person was killed and sometimes all the animals as well.
16. Deuteronomy 3:11 Rephaim: See the note at 2.10,11.
17. Deuteronomy 3:11 coffin: Or " bed."
18. Deuteronomy 3:11 hard black rock: The Hebrew text has " iron," which probably refers to basalt, a hard black rock.
19. Deuteronomy 3:12 The northern part. . . border with the Ammonites: The Jabbok River flowed from south to north, then it turned west and formed the northern border of the land belonging to the Reuben and Gad tribes.
20. Deuteronomy 3:12 Lake Galilee: The Hebrew text has " Lake Chinnereth," an earlier name.
21. Deuteronomy 3:12 the Dead Sea: Hebrew " the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea."
22. Deuteronomy 3:12 half the tribe of Manasseh: Or " East Manasseh."
23. Deuteronomy 3:12 Villages of Jair: Or " Havvoth-Jair."
24. Deuteronomy 3:12 Machir clan: One of the clans of the Manasseh tribe.
25. Deuteronomy 3:26 But the LORD. . . people: See 1.37.

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Luke 6:12-38 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.1-4; Mark 3.13-19)

 ¹²About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. ¹³The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. ¹⁴One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter's brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, ^[a] ¹⁶Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, ^[b] who later betrayed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals

(Matthew 4.23-25)

 ¹⁷Jesus and his apostles went down from the mountain and came to some flat, level ground. Many other disciples were there to meet him. Large crowds of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon were there too. ¹⁸These people had come to listen to Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. All who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed. ¹⁹Everyone was trying to touch Jesus, because power was going out from him and healing them all.    

Blessings and Troubles

(Matthew 5.1-12)

 ²⁰Jesus looked at his disciples and said:    God will bless you people
   who are poor.
   His kingdom belongs to you!
    ²¹God will bless
   you hungry people.
   You will have plenty
   to eat!
   God will bless you people
   who are crying.
   You will laugh!
    ²²God will bless you when others hate you and won't have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. ²³Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.
    ²⁴But you rich people
   are in for trouble.
   You have already had
   an easy life!
    ²⁵You well-fed people
   are in for trouble.
   You will go hungry!
   You people
   who are laughing now
   are in for trouble.
   You are going to cry
   and weep!
    ²⁶You are in for trouble when everyone says good things about you. That is what your own people said about those prophets who told lies.
   

Love for Enemies

(Matthew 5.38-48; 7.12a)

 ²⁷This is what I say to all who will listen to me:    Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. ²⁸Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. ²⁹If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you. ³¹Treat others just as you want to be treated.
    ³²If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. ³³If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. ³⁴If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.
    ³⁵But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. ^[c] Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. ³⁶Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you.

Judging Others

(Matthew 7.1-5)

 ³⁷Jesus said:    Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. ³⁸If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.
   

Footnotes:

1. Luke 6:15 known as the Eager One: The word " eager" translates the Greek word " zealot," which was a name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans.
2. Luke 6:16 Iscariot: This may mean " a man from Kerioth" (a place in Judea). But more probably it means " a man who was a liar" or " a man who was a betrayer."
3. Luke 6:35 without expecting to be paid back: Some manuscripts have " without giving up on anyone."

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Psalm 67:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 67

(A psalm and a song for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Tell the Nations To Praise God

 ¹Our God, be kind and bless us!    Be pleased and smile.
    ²Then everyone on earth
   will learn to follow you,
   and all nations will see
   your power to save us.
    ³Make everyone praise you
   and shout your praises.
    ⁴Let the nations celebrate
   with joyful songs,
   because you judge fairly
   and guide all nations.
    ⁵Make everyone praise you
   and shout your praises.
    ⁶Our God has blessed the earth
   with a wonderful harvest!
    ⁷Pray for his blessings
   to continue
   and for everyone on earth
   to worship our God.

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Proverbs 11:27 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷Try hard to do right,
   and you will win friends;
   go looking for trouble,
   and you will find it.

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Verse of the Day

“Sin pays off with death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician, William James wrote, “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”