A Thought from the Word - A brief thought based on 1 John 1:9

Bible Readings for March 28, 2017

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 9:1–10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; and Proverbs 12:2-3. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year. 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 9-10:22 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 9

Why the LORD Will Help Israel

Moses said:

 ¹Israel, listen to me! You will soon cross the Jordan River and go into the land to force out the nations that live there. They are more powerful than you are, and the walls around their cities reach to the sky. ²Some of these nations are descendants of the Anakim. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} You know how tall and strong they are, and you've heard that no one can defeat them in battle. ³But the LORD your God has promised to go ahead of you, like a raging fire burning everything in its path. So when you attack your enemies, it will be easy for you to destroy them and take their land. ^4-6After the LORD helps you wipe out these nations and conquer their land, don't think he did it because you are such good people. You aren't good--you are stubborn! No, the LORD is going to help you, because the nations that live there are evil, and because he wants to keep the promise he made to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.    Moses said to Israel:
   

When Israel Made an Idol

(Exodus 32)

 ⁷Don't ever forget how you kept rebelling and making the LORD angry the whole time you were in the desert. You rebelled from the day you left Egypt until the day you arrived here.     ⁸At Mount Sinai ^[b<="">] you made the LORD so angry that he was going to destroy you. ^9-11It happened during those forty days and nights that I was on the mountain, without anything to eat or drink. He had told me to come up there so he could give me the agreement he made with us. And this agreement was actually the same Ten Commandments ^[c<="">] he had announced to you when he spoke from the fire on the mountain. The LORD had written them on two flat stones with his own hand. But after giving me the two stones, ¹²he said: Moses, hurry down the mountain to those people you led out of Egypt. They have already disobeyed me and committed the terrible sin of making an idol.
    ¹³I've been watching the Israelites, and I've seen how stubborn and rebellious they are. ¹⁴So don't try to stop me! I am going to wipe them out, and no one on earth will remember they ever lived. Then I will let your descendants become an even bigger and more powerful nation than Israel.
   

Moses said:

 ¹⁵Fire was raging on the mountaintop as I went back down, carrying the two stones with the commandments on them. ¹⁶I saw how quickly you had sinned and disobeyed the LORD your God. There you were, worshiping the metal idol you had made in the shape of a calf. ¹⁷So I threw down the two stones and smashed them before your very eyes.     ^18-20I bowed down at the place of worship and prayed to the LORD, without eating or drinking for forty days and nights. You had committed a terrible sin by making that idol, and the LORD hated what you had done. He was angry enough to destroy all of you and Aaron as well. So I prayed for you and Aaron as I had done before, and this time the LORD answered my prayers. ^{[d<="">] 21}It was a sin for you to make that idol, so I threw it into the fire to melt it down. Then I took the lump of gold, ground it into powder, and threw the powder into the stream flowing down the mountain.
    ²²You also made the LORD angry when you were staying at Taberah, ^[e<="">] at Massah, ^[f<="">] and at Kibroth-Hattaavah. ^{[g<="">] 23}Then at Kadesh-Barnea the LORD said, " I am giving you the land, so go ahead and take it!" But since you didn't trust the LORD, you rebelled and disobeyed his command. ^{[h<="">] 24}In fact, you've rebelled against the LORD for as long as he has ^[i<="">] known you. ²⁵After you had made the idol in the shape of a calf, the LORD said he was going to destroy you. So I bowed down in front of the sacred tent for forty days and nights, ²⁶and I prayed:
   Our LORD, please don't wipe out your people. You used your great power to rescue them from Egypt and to make them your very own. ²⁷Israel's ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob obeyed you faithfully. Think about them, and not about Israel's stubbornness, evil, and sin. ²⁸If you destroy your people, the Egyptians will say, " The LORD promised to give Israel land, but he wasn't powerful enough to keep his promise. In fact, he hated them so much that he took them into the desert and killed them." ²⁹But you, our LORD, chose the people of Israel to be your own, and with your mighty power you rescued them from Egypt.
   Moses said to the people:
   

Deuteronomy 10

The Second Set of Commandments

(Exodus 34.1-10)

 ¹The LORD told me to chisel out two flat stones, just like the ones he had given me earlier. He also commanded me to make a wooden chest, then come up the mountain and meet with him. ²He told me that he would write the same words on the new stones that he had written on the ones I broke, and that I could put these stones in this sacred chest.     ³So I made a chest out of acacia wood, and I chiseled two flat stones like the ones I broke. Then I carried the stones up the mountain, ⁴where the LORD wrote the Ten Commandments on them, just as he had done the first time. The commandments were exactly what he had announced from the fire, when you were gathered at the mountain.
   After the LORD returned the stones to me, ⁵I took them down the mountainside and put them in the chest, just as he had commanded. And they are still there.
   Moses said to Israel:
   

Aaron Died

(Numbers 20.22-29)

 ⁶Later we set up camp at the wells belonging to the descendants of Jaakan. ^[j<="">] Then we moved on and camped at Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became the priest. ⁷Next, we camped at Gudgodah and then at Jotbathah, where there are flowing streams.

The Levites Were Appointed To Carry the Chest

Moses said to Israel:

 ⁸After I put the two stones in the sacred chest, ^[k<="">] the LORD chose the tribe of Levi, not only to carry the chest, but also to serve as his priests at the place of worship and to bless the other tribes in his name. And they still do these things. ⁹The LORD promised that he would always provide for the tribe of Levi, and that's why he won't give them any land, when he divides it among the other tribes. Moses said to Israel:    

The LORD Answered the Prayers of Moses

(Exodus 34.9,10,27-29)

 ¹⁰When I had taken the second set of stones up the mountain, I spent forty days and nights there, just as I had done before. Once again, the LORD answered my prayer and did not destroy you. ¹¹Instead, he told me, " Moses, get ready to lead the people into the land that I promised their ancestors." ^[l<="">]

What the LORD Wants

Moses said:

 ¹²People of Israel, what does the LORD your God want from you? The LORD wants you to respect and follow him, to love and serve him with all your heart and soul, ¹³and to obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. Do this, and all will go well for you.     ¹⁴Everything belongs to the LORD your God, not only the earth and everything on it, but also the sky and the highest heavens. ¹⁵Yet the LORD loved your ancestors and wanted them to belong to him. So he chose them and their descendants rather than any other nation, and today you are still his people.
    ¹⁶Remember your agreement with the LORD and stop being so stubborn. ¹⁷The LORD your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. ¹⁸The LORD defends the rights of orphans and widows. He cares for foreigners and gives them food and clothing. ¹⁹And you should also care for them, because you were foreigners in Egypt.
    ²⁰Respect the LORD your God, serve only him, and make promises in his name alone. ²¹Offer your praises to him, because you have seen him work such terrifying miracles for you.
    ²²When your ancestors went to live in Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But the LORD has blessed you, and now there are more of you than there are stars in the sky.
   

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 9:2 Anakim: See the note at 2.10,11.
2. Deuteronomy 9:8 Mount Sinai: See the note at 1.1-5.
3. Deuteronomy 9:9 Ten Commandments: Hebrew " commandments."
4. Deuteronomy 9:18 as I had done before. . . prayers: This may refer to Moses' praying for Israel before he came down from the mountain (see Exodus 32.11-14).
5. Deuteronomy 9:22 Taberah: See Numbers 11.1-3.
6. Deuteronomy 9:22 Massah: See the note at 6.16.
7. Deuteronomy 9:22 Kibroth-Hattaavah: See Numbers 11.31-34.
8. Deuteronomy 9:23 Kadesh-Barnea. . . you rebelled and disobeyed his command: See Numbers 13,14.
9. Deuteronomy 9:24 he has: The Samaritan Hebrew Text and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text " I have."
10. Deuteronomy 10:6 the wells. . . Jaakan: Or " Beeroth Bene-Jaakan."
11. Deuteronomy 10:8 After. . . chest: Or " After Israel reached Jotbathah."
12. Deuteronomy 10:11 lead. . . ancestors: The LORD would later tell Moses that he would not be allowed to enter the land (see 1.37; 3.23-28; Numbers 20.10-12).

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Luke 8:4-21 (Contemporary English Version)

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Mark 4.1-9)

 ⁴When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:     ⁵A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing it, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds. ⁶Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up. ⁷Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. ⁸The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.
   When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, "If you have ears, pay attention!"
   

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Mark 4.10-12)

 ⁹Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. ¹⁰So he answered:    I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can only use stories. These people look, but they don't see, and they hear, but they don't understand.
   

Jesus Explains the Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Mark 4.13-20)

 ¹¹This is what the story means: The seed is God's message, ¹²and the seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But the devil comes and snatches the message out of their hearts, so that they will not believe and be saved. ¹³The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don't have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.     ¹⁴The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything. ¹⁵Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.
   

Light

(Mark 4.21-25)

 ¹⁶No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed. A lamp is always put on a lampstand, so that people who come into a house will see the light. ¹⁷There is nothing hidden that will not be found. There is no secret that will not be well known. ¹⁸Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have.    

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12.46-50; Mark 3.31-35)

 ¹⁹Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him. ²⁰Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you."     ²¹Jesus answered, "My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God's message."

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Psalm 69:19-36 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁹You know how I am insulted,
   mocked, and disgraced;
   you know every one
   of my enemies.
    ²⁰I am crushed by insults,
   and I feel sick.
   I had hoped for mercy and pity,
   but there was none.
    ²¹Enemies poisoned my food,
   and when I was thirsty,
   they gave me vinegar.
    ²²Make their table a trap
   for them and their friends.
    ²³Blind them with darkness
   and make them tremble.
    ²⁴Show them how angry you are!
   Be furious and catch them.
    ²⁵Destroy their camp
   and don't let anyone live
   in their tents.
    ²⁶They cause trouble for people
   you have already punished;
   their gossip hurts those
   you have wounded.
    ²⁷Make them guiltier than ever
   and don't forgive them.
    ²⁸Wipe their names from the book
   of the living;
   remove them from the list
   of the innocent.
    ²⁹I am mistreated and in pain.
   Protect me, God,
   and keep me safe!
    ³⁰I will praise the LORD God
   with a song
   and a thankful heart.
    ³¹This will please the LORD
   better than offering an ox
   or a full-grown bull.
    ³²When those in need see this,
   they will be happy,
   and the LORD's worshipers
   will be encouraged.
    ³³The LORD will listen
   when the homeless cry out,
   and he will never forget
   his people in prison.
    ³⁴Heaven and earth
   will praise our God,
   and so will the oceans
   and everything in them.
    ³⁵God will rescue Jerusalem,
   and he will rebuild
   the towns of Judah.
   His people will live there
   on their own land,
    ³⁶and when the time comes,
   their children will inherit
   the land.
   Then everyone who loves God
   will also settle there.

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Proverbs 12:2-3 (Contemporary English Version)

²The LORD likes everyone
   who lives right,
   but he punishes everyone
   who makes evil plans.
    ³Sin cannot offer security!
   But if you live right,
   you will be as secure
   as a tree with deep roots.

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Verse of the Day

“There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us. God showed us this at the right time.” - 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun and author during the Counter Reformation, Teresa of Ávila wrote, “Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.”

Bible Readings for March 27, 2017

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 7:1–8:20; Luke 7:36–8:3; Psalm 69:1-18; and Proverbs 12:1. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year. 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 7-8:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 7

Force the Other Nations Out of the Land

(Exodus 34.11-16)

 ¹People of Israel, the LORD your God will help you take the land of the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These seven nations have more people and are stronger than Israel, but when you attack them, ²the LORD will force them out of the land. Then you must destroy them without mercy. Don't make any peace treaties with them, ³and don't let your sons and daughters marry any of them. ⁴If you do, those people will lead your descendants to worship other gods and to turn their backs on the LORD. That will make him very angry, and he will quickly destroy Israel.

    ⁵So when you conquer these nations, tear down the altars where they worship their gods. Break up their sacred stones, cut down the poles that they use in worshiping the goddess Asherah, and throw their idols in the fire.

   

The LORD's Chosen People

Moses said:

 ⁶Israel, you are the chosen people of the LORD your God. There are many nations on this earth, but he chose only Israel to be his very own. ⁷You were the weakest of all nations, ⁸but the LORD chose you because he loves you and because he had made a promise to your ancestors. Then with his mighty arm, he rescued you from the king of Egypt, who had made you his slaves.

    ⁹You know that the LORD your God is the only true God. So love him and obey his commands, and he will faithfully keep his agreement with you and your descendants for a thousand generations. ¹⁰But if you turn against the LORD, he will quickly destroy you. ¹¹So be sure to obey his laws and teachings I am giving you today.

   Moses said to Israel:

   

The LORD Will Bless You if You Obey

(Deuteronomy 28.1-14; Leviticus 26.3-13)

 ¹²If you completely obey these laws, the LORD your God will be loyal and keep the agreement he made with you, just as he promised our ancestors. ¹³The LORD will love you and bless you by giving you many children and plenty of food, wine, and olive oil. Your herds of cattle will have many calves, and your flocks of sheep will have many lambs. ¹⁴God will bless you more than any other nation--your families will grow and your livestock increase. ¹⁵You will no longer suffer with the same horrible diseases that you sometimes had in Egypt. You will be healthy, but the LORD will make your enemies suffer from those diseases.

   

Destroy the Nations and Their Gods

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹⁶When the LORD helps you defeat your enemies, you must destroy them without pity! And don't get trapped into worshiping their gods.

    ¹⁷You may be thinking, " How can we destroy these nations? They are more powerful than we are." ¹⁸But stop worrying! Just remember what the LORD your God did to Egypt and its king. ¹⁹You saw how the LORD used his tremendous power to work great miracles and bring you out of Egypt. And he will again work miracles for you when you face these enemies you fear so much. ²⁰Some of them may try to survive by hiding from you, but the LORD will make them panic, and soon they will be dead. ^a] 21So don't be frightened when you meet them in battle. The LORD your God is great and fearsome, and he will fight at your side. ²²As you attack these nations, the LORD will force them out little by little. He won't let you get rid of them all at once--if he did, there wouldn't be enough people living in the land to keep down the number of wild animals. ^23-24But when you attack your enemies, the LORD will make them panic, and you will easily destroy them. You will defeat them one after another until they are gone, and no one will remember they ever lived.

    ²⁵After you conquer a nation, burn their idols. Don't get trapped into wanting the silver or gold on an idol. Even the metal on an idol is disgusting to the LORD, ²⁶so destroy it. If you bring it home with you, both you and your house will be destroyed. Stay away from those disgusting idols!

   

Deuteronomy 8

The LORD Takes Care of You

Moses said:

 ¹Israel, do you want to go into the land the LORD promised your ancestors? Do you want to capture it, live there, and become a powerful nation? Then be sure to obey every command I am giving you.

    ²Don't forget how the LORD your God has led you through the desert for the past forty years. He wanted to find out if you were truly willing to obey him and depend on him, ³so he made you go hungry. Then he gave you manna, ^b] a kind of food that you and your ancestors had never even heard about. The LORD was teaching you that people need more than food to live--they need every word that the LORD has spoken. ⁴Over the past forty years, your clothing hasn't worn out, and your feet haven't swollen. ⁵So keep in mind that the LORD has been correcting you, just as parents correct their children. ⁶Obey the commands the LORD your God has given you and worship him with fear and trembling.

    ⁷The LORD your God is bringing you into a good land with streams that flow from springs in the valleys and hills. ^8-9You can dig for copper in those hills, and the stones are made of iron ore. And you won't go hungry. Wheat and barley fields are everywhere, and so are vineyards and orchards full of fig, pomegranate, ^c] and olive trees, and there is plenty of honey.

Don't Forget the LORD

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹⁰After you eat and are full, give praise to the LORD your God for the good land he gave you. ¹¹Make sure that you never forget the LORD or disobey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. If you always obey them, ¹²you will have plenty to eat, and you will build good houses to live in. ¹³You will get more and more cattle, sheep, silver, gold, and other possessions.

    ¹⁴But when all this happens, don't be proud! Don't forget that you were once slaves in Egypt and that it was the LORD who set you free. ¹⁵Remember how he led you in that huge and frightening desert where poisonous snakes and scorpions live. There was no water, but the LORD split open a rock, and water poured out so you could drink. ¹⁶He also gave you manna, ^d] a kind of food your ancestors had never even heard about. The LORD was testing you to make you trust him, so that later on he could be good to you. ¹⁷When you become successful, don't say, " I'm rich, and I've earned it all myself." ¹⁸Instead, remember that the LORD your God gives you the strength to make a living. That's how he keeps the promise he made to your ancestors.

    ^19-20But I'm warning you--if you forget the LORD your God and worship other gods, the LORD will destroy you, just as he destroyed the nations you fought.

   

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 7:20 make them. . . dead: Or " send hornets to kill them."
2. Deuteronomy 8:3 manna: See Exodus 16.1-36.
3. Deuteronomy 8:8 pomegranate: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
4. Deuteronomy 8:16 manna: See the note at 8.3.

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Luke 7:36-8:3 (Contemporary English Version)

Simon the Pharisee

 ³⁶A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat. ^a] 37When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. ³⁸Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

    ³⁹The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, "If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner."

    ⁴⁰Jesus said to the Pharisee, "Simon, I have something to say to you."

   "Teacher, what is it?" Simon replied.

    ⁴¹Jesus told him, "Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. ⁴²Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?"

    ⁴³Simon answered, "I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back."

   "You are right," Jesus said.

    ⁴⁴He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. ⁴⁵You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, ^b] but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love." ⁴⁸Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."

    ⁴⁹Some other guests started saying to one another, "Who is this who dares to forgive sins?"

    ⁵⁰But Jesus told the woman, "Because of your faith, you are now saved. ^c] May God give you peace!"

Luke 8

Women Who Helped Jesus

 ¹Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him, ²and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene, ^d] who once had seven demons in her. ³Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus ^e] and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials. ^f]

Footnotes:

1. Luke 7:36 got ready to eat: On special occasions the Jewish people often followed the Greek and Roman custom of lying down on their left side and leaning on their left elbow, while eating with their right hand. This is how the woman could come up behind Jesus and wash his feet (see verse 38).
2. Luke 7:46 washed my feet. . . greet me with a kiss. . . pour olive oil on my head: Guests in a home were usually offered water so they could wash their feet, because most people either went barefoot or wore sandals and would come in the house with very dusty feet. Guests were also greeted with a kiss on the cheek, and special ones often had sweet-smelling olive oil poured on their head.
3. Luke 7:50 saved: Or " healed." The Greek word may have either meaning.
4. Luke 8:2 Magdalene: Meaning " from Magdala," a small town on the western shore of Lake Galilee. There is no hint that she is the sinful woman in 7.36-50.
5. Luke 8:3 used what they owned to help Jesus: Women often helped Jewish teachers by giving them money.
6. Luke 8:3 Herod's officials: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great.

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Psalm 69:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 69

(By David for the music leader. To the tune "Lilies.")

God Can Be Trusted

 ¹Save me, God!

   I am about to drown.

    ²I am sinking deep in the mud,

   and my feet are slipping.

   I am about to be swept under

   by a mighty flood.

    ³I am worn out from crying,

   and my throat is dry.

   I have waited for you

   till my eyes are blurred.

    ⁴There are more people

   who hate me for no reason

   than there are hairs

   on my head.

   Many terrible enemies

   want to destroy me, God.

   Am I supposed to give back

   something I didn't steal?

    ⁵You know my foolish sins.

   Not one is hidden from you.

    ⁶LORD God All-Powerful,

   ruler of Israel,

   don't let me embarrass anyone

   who trusts and worships you.

    ⁷It is for your sake alone

   that I am insulted

   and blush with shame.

    ⁸I am like a stranger

   to my relatives

   and like a foreigner

   to my own family.

    ⁹My love for your house

   burns in me like a fire,

   and when others insulted you,

   they insulted me as well.

    ¹⁰I cried and went without food, ^a] but they still insulted me.

    ¹¹They sneered at me

   for wearing sackcloth ^b] to show my sorrow.

    ¹²Rulers and judges gossip

   about me,

   and drunkards make up songs

   to mock me.

    ¹³But I pray to you, LORD.

   So when the time is right,

   answer me

   and help me

   with your wonderful love.

    ¹⁴Don't let me sink in the mud,

   but save me from my enemies

   and from the deep water.

    ¹⁵Don't let me be

   swept away by a flood

   or drowned in the ocean

   or swallowed by death.

    ¹⁶Answer me, LORD!

   You are kind and good.

   Pay attention to me!

   You are truly merciful.

    ¹⁷Don't turn away from me.

   I am your servant,

   and I am in trouble.

   Please hurry and help!

    ¹⁸Come and save me

   from my enemies.

   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 69:10 went without food: See the note at 35.13.
2. Psalm 69:11 sackcloth: See the note at 30.11.

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Proverbs 12:1 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 12

You Can't Hide behind Evil

 ¹To accept correction is wise,

   to reject it is stupid.

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Verse of the Day

“God saves me and honors me. He is that mighty rock where I find safety.” - Psalm 62:7

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

African American comedian and actor, Flip Wilson wrote, “You can't expect to hit the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the machine.”

Bible Readings for March 26, 2017

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39–7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; and Proverbs 11:28. 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 5-6:25 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 5

The Ten Commandments

(Exodus 20.1-17)

 ¹Moses called together the people of Israel and said:

   Today I am telling you the laws and teachings that you must follow, so listen carefully. ²The LORD our God made an agreement with our nation at Mount Sinai. ^] 3That agreement wasn't only with ^] our ancestors but with us, who are here today. ⁴The LORD himself spoke to you out of the fire, ⁵but you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. So I spoke with the LORD for you, then I told you that he had said: ⁶I am the LORD your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.

    ⁷Do not worship any god except me.

    ⁸Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth. ⁹Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the LORD your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me and worship idols, I will punish your families for three or four generations. ¹⁰But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.

    ¹¹Do not misuse my name. ^] I am the LORD your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name. ¹²Show respect for the Sabbath Day--it belongs to me. ¹³You have six days when you can do your work, ¹⁴but the seventh day of the week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day--not you, your children, your oxen or donkeys or any other animal, not even those foreigners who live in your towns. And don't make your slaves do any work. ¹⁵This special day of rest will remind you that I reached out my mighty arm and rescued you from slavery in Egypt.

    ¹⁶Respect your father and mother, and you will live a long and successful life in the land I am giving you.

    ¹⁷Do not murder.

    ¹⁸Be faithful in marriage.

    ¹⁹Do not steal.

    ²⁰Do not tell lies about others.

    ²¹Do not want anything that belongs to someone else. Don't want anyone's wife or husband, house, land, slaves, oxen, donkeys, or anything else.

    ²²When we were gathered on the mountain, the LORD spoke to us in a loud voice from the dark fiery cloud. The LORD gave us these commands, and only these. Then he wrote them on two flat stones and gave them to me.

   Moses said to Israel:

   

The People Were Afraid

(Exodus 20.18-21)

 ²³When fire blazed from the mountain, and you heard the voice coming from the darkness, your tribal leaders came to me ²⁴and said:

   Today the LORD our God has shown us how powerful and glorious he is. He spoke to us from the fire, and we learned that people can live, even though God speaks to them. ²⁵But we don't want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire, and if we keep on hearing the LORD's voice, we will die.²⁶Has anyone else ever heard the only true God speaking from fire, as we have? And even if they have, would they live to tell about it? ²⁷Moses, go up close and listen to the LORD. Then come back and tell us, and we will do everything he says.

    ²⁸The LORD heard you and said:

   Moses, I heard what the people said to you, and I approve. ²⁹I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.

    ³⁰Now, tell them to return to their tents, ³¹but you come back here to me. After I tell you my laws and teachings, you will repeat them to the people, so they can obey these laws in the land I am giving them.

   

Moses said:

 ³²Israel, you must carefully obey the LORD's commands. ³³Follow them, because they make a path that will lead to a long successful life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

   

Deuteronomy 6

The Most Important Commandment

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹The LORD told me to give you these laws and teachings, ^] so you can obey them in the land he is giving you. Soon you will cross the Jordan River and take that land. ²And if you and your descendants want to live a long time, you must always worship the LORD and obey his laws. ³Pay attention, Israel! Our ancestors worshiped the LORD, and he promised to give us this land that is rich with milk and honey. Be careful to obey him, and you will become a successful and powerful nation. ⁴Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! ^] 5So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. ⁶Memorize his laws ⁷and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. ⁸Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. ⁹Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates.

Worship Only the LORD

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹⁰The LORD promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give you this land. Now he will take you there and give you large towns, with good buildings that you didn't build, ¹¹and houses full of good things that you didn't put there. The LORD will give you wells ^] that you didn't have to dig, and vineyards and olive orchards that you didn't have to plant. But when you have eaten so much that you can't eat any more, ¹²don't forget it was the LORD who set you free from slavery and brought you out of Egypt. ¹³Worship and obey the LORD your God with fear and trembling, and promise that you will be loyal to him. ¹⁴Don't have anything to do with gods that are worshiped by the nations around you. ¹⁵If you worship other gods, the LORD will be furious and wipe you off the face of the earth. The LORD your God is with you, ¹⁶so don't try to make him prove that he can help you, as you did at Massah. ^] 17Always obey the laws that the LORD has given you ^18-19and live in a way that pleases him. Then you will be able to go in and take this good land from your enemies, just as he promised your ancestors. ²⁰Someday your children will ask, " Why did the LORD give us these laws and teachings?"

    ²¹Then you will answer:

   We were slaves of the king of Egypt, but the LORD used his great power and set us free. ²²We saw him perform miracles and make horrible things happen to the king, his officials, and everyone else. ²³The LORD rescued us from Egypt, so he could bring us into this land, as he had promised our ancestors. ^24-25That's why the LORD our God demands that we obey his laws and worship him with fear and trembling. And if we do, he will protect us and help us be successful.

   Moses said:

   

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 5:2 Mount Sinai: See the note at 1.1-5.
2. Deuteronomy 5:3 wasn't only with: Hebrew " wasn't with."
3. Deuteronomy 5:11 misuse my name: Probably includes breaking promises, telling lies after swearing to tell the truth, using the LORD's name as a curse word or a magic formula, and trying to control the LORD by using his name.
4. Deuteronomy 6:1 these laws and teachings: Or " the following commandment with its laws and teachings" (see 6.4,5).
5. Deuteronomy 6:4 The LORD. . . true God: Or " Only the LORD is our God."
6. Deuteronomy 6:11 wells: Cisterns cut into the rock to collect rainwater.
7. Deuteronomy 6:16 Massah: See Exodus 17.1-7; Numbers 20.2-13.

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Luke 7:1-35 (Contemporary English Version)

Luke 7

Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant

(Matthew 8.5-13; John 4.43-54)

 ¹After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. ²In that town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked this servant very much. ³And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.

    ⁴The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, "This man deserves your help! ⁵He loves our nation and even built us a meeting place." ⁶So Jesus went with them.

   When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, "Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. ⁷And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. ⁸I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, `Go!' and he goes. I can say to another, `Come!' and he comes. I can say to my servant, `Do this!' and he will do it."

    ⁹When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, "In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!"

    ¹⁰The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.

   

A Widow's Son

 ¹¹Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. ¹²As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.

    ¹³When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, "Don't cry!"

    ¹⁴Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, "Young man, get up!" ¹⁵The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.

    ¹⁶Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, "A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people."

    ¹⁷News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.

   

John the Baptist

(Matthew 11.1-19)

 ^18-19John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, "Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?"

    ²⁰When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, `Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?' "

    ²¹At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. ²²Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy ^] are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. ²³God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do." ²⁴After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:

   What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? ²⁵What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. ²⁶What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. ²⁷In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, "I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you." ²⁸No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.

    ²⁹Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors ^] had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. ³⁰But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John. ³¹Jesus went on to say:

   What are you people like? What kind of people are you? ³²You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

   "We played the flute,

   but you would not dance!

   We sang a funeral song,

   but you would not cry!"

    ³³John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, "John has a demon in him!" ³⁴But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, "Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners." ³⁵Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.

   

Footnotes:

1. Luke 7:22 leprosy: See the note at 4.27.
2. Luke 7:29 tax collectors: See the note at 3.12.

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Psalm 68:19-35 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁹We praise you, Lord God!

   You treat us with kindness

   day after day,

   and you rescue us.

    ²⁰You always protect us

   and save us from death.

    ²¹Our Lord and our God,

   your terrible enemies

   are ready for war, ^] but you will crush

   their skulls.

    ²²You promised to bring them

   from Bashan

   and from the deepest sea.

    ²³Then we could stomp

   on their blood,

   and our dogs could chew

   on their bones.

    ²⁴We have seen crowds marching

   to your place of worship,

   our God and King.

    ²⁵The singers come first,

   and then the musicians,

   surrounded by young women

   playing tambourines.

    ²⁶They come shouting,

   "People of Israel,

   praise the LORD God!"

    ²⁷The small tribe of Benjamin

   leads the way,

   followed by the leaders

   from Judah.

   Then come the leaders

   from Zebulun and Naphtali.

    ²⁸Our God, show your strength!

   Show us once again.

    ²⁹Then kings will bring gifts

   to your temple

   in Jerusalem. ^] 30Punish that animal

   that lives in the swamp! ^] Punish that nation

   whose leaders and people

   are like wild bulls.

   Make them come crawling

   with gifts of silver.

   Scatter those nations

   that enjoy making war. ^] 31Force the Egyptians to bring

   gifts of bronze;

   make the Ethiopians ^] hurry to offer presents. ^] 32Now sing praises to God!

   Every kingdom on earth,

   sing to the Lord!

    ³³Praise the one who rides

   across the ancient skies;

   listen as he speaks

   with a mighty voice.

    ³⁴Tell about God's power!

   He is honored in Israel,

   and he rules the skies.

    ³⁵The God of Israel is fearsome

   in his temple,

   and he makes us strong.

   Let's praise our God!

   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 68:21 are ready for war: The Hebrew text has " have long hair," which probably refers to the ancient custom of wearing long hair on special occasions, such as a " holy war."
2. Psalm 68:29 Our God. . . Jerusalem: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 28,29.
3. Psalm 68:30 animal. . . swamp: Probably Egypt.
4. Psalm 68:30 war: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 30.
5. Psalm 68:31 the Ethiopians: The Hebrew text has " the people of Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
6. Psalm 68:31 presents: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 31.

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Proverbs 11:29-31 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁹Fools who cause trouble

   in the family

   won't inherit a thing.

   They will end up as slaves

   of someone with good sense.

    ³⁰Live right, and you will eat

   from the life-giving tree.

   And if you act wisely,

   others will follow. ^] 31If good people are rewarded ^] here on this earth,

   all who are cruel and mean

   will surely be punished.

   

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 11:30 act. . . follow: Hebrew; one ancient translation " but violence leads to death."
2. Proverbs 11:31 rewarded: Or " punished."

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Verse of the Day

 

“and he has blessed you. Not only do you have faith in Christ, but you suffer for him.” - Philippians 1:29

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Jewish-Hungarian mathematician, Paul Erdos wrote, “It is not enough to be in the right place at the right time. You should also have an open mind at the right time.”