JOSHUA 13:1- 14:15
LUKE 18:1- 17
PSALM 85:1- 13
PROVERBS 13:7- 8
When Joshua was an old man, the LORD said to him, "You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. 2 The people still need to occupy the land of the Philistines and the Geshurites-- 3 territory that belongs to the Canaanites. This land extends from the stream of Shihor, which is on the boundary of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, 4 and includes the five Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. The land of the Avvites in the south also remains to be conquered. In the north, this area has not yet been conquered:all the land of the Canaanites, including Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), stretching northward to Aphek on the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the Gebalites and all of the Lebanon mountain area to the east, from Baal- gad beneath Mount Hermon to Lebo- hamath; 6 and all the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth- maim, including all the land of the Sidonians." I will drive these people out of the land for the Israelites. So be sure to give this land to Israel as a special possession, just as I have commanded you. 7 Include all this territory as Israel's inheritance when you divide the land among the nine tribes and the half- tribe of Manasseh. "8 Half the tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, for Moses, the servant of the LORD, had previously assigned this land to them. 9 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba, as far as Dibon. 10 It also included all the towns of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and extended as far as the borders of Ammon. 11 It included Gilead, the territory of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, all of Bashan as far as Salecah, 12 and all the territory of King Og of Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. King Og was the last of the Rephaites, for Moses had attacked them and driven them out. 13 But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day. 14 Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the LORD had promised them, their inheritance came from the offerings burned on the altar to the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Reuben. 16 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba. 17 It included Heshbon and the other towns on the plain-- Dibon, Bamoth- baal, Beth- baal- meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth- shahar on the hill above the valley, 20 Beth- peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth- jeshimoth. 21 The land of Reuben also included all the towns of the plain and the entire kingdom of Sihon. Sihon was the Amorite king who had reigned in Heshbon and was killed by Moses along with the chiefs of Midian-- Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba-- princes living in the region who were allied with Sihon. 22 The Israelites also killed Balaam the magician, the son of Beor. 23 The Jordan River marked the western boundary for the tribe of Reuben. The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Reuben. 24 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Gad. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, and half of the land of Ammon, as far as the town of Aroer just west of Rabbah. 26 It extended from Heshbon to Ramath- mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to Lo- debar. 27 In the valley were Beth- haram, Beth- nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon. The Jordan River was the western border, extending as far north as the Sea of Galilee. 28 The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Gad. 29 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the half- tribe of Manasseh. 30 Their territory extended from Mahanaim, including all of Bashan, all the former kingdom of King Og, and the sixty towns of Jair in Bashan. 31 It also included half of Gilead and King Og's royal cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei. All this was given to the descendants of Makir, who was Manasseh's son. 32 These are the allotments Moses had made while he was on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, east of Jericho. 33 But Moses gave no land to the tribe of Levi, for the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised to be their inheritance. 14:1 THE remaining tribes of Israel inherited land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. 2 These nine and a half tribes received their inheritance by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the LORD's command through Moses. 3 Moses had already given an inheritance of land to the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River. 4 The tribe of Joseph had become two separate tribes-- Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in and the surrounding pasturelands for their flocks and herds. 5 So the distribution of the land was in strict accordance with the LORD's instructions to Moses. 6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua," Remember what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh- barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh- barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave from my heart a good report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people and discouraged them from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I followed the LORD my God completely. 9 So that day Moses promised me, `The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your special possession and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. '10 "Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty- five years since Moses made this promise-- even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty- five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So I'm asking you to give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the Anakites living there in great, walled cities. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said." 13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as an inheritance. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath- arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the Anakites.) And the land had rest from war.
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. `I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself, 5 `but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests! '" 6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this evil judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?" 9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self- confidence and scorned everyone else:10 "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. 11 The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:`I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' 13" But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. '14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. "15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples," Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God. "
For the choir director:A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land!
You have restored the fortunes of Israel.
2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people--
yes, you have covered all their sins.
Interlude3 You have withdrawn your fury.
You have ended your blazing anger.
4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation.
Put aside your anger against us.
5 Will you be angry with us always?
Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?
6 Won't you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying,
for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him;
our land will be filled with his glory.
10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful crops.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.
Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor. The rich can pay a ransom, but the poor won't even get threatened
LUKE 18:1- 17
PSALM 85:1- 13
PROVERBS 13:7- 8
When Joshua was an old man, the LORD said to him, "You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. 2 The people still need to occupy the land of the Philistines and the Geshurites-- 3 territory that belongs to the Canaanites. This land extends from the stream of Shihor, which is on the boundary of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, 4 and includes the five Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. The land of the Avvites in the south also remains to be conquered. In the north, this area has not yet been conquered:all the land of the Canaanites, including Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), stretching northward to Aphek on the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the Gebalites and all of the Lebanon mountain area to the east, from Baal- gad beneath Mount Hermon to Lebo- hamath; 6 and all the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth- maim, including all the land of the Sidonians." I will drive these people out of the land for the Israelites. So be sure to give this land to Israel as a special possession, just as I have commanded you. 7 Include all this territory as Israel's inheritance when you divide the land among the nine tribes and the half- tribe of Manasseh. "8 Half the tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, for Moses, the servant of the LORD, had previously assigned this land to them. 9 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba, as far as Dibon. 10 It also included all the towns of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and extended as far as the borders of Ammon. 11 It included Gilead, the territory of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, all of Bashan as far as Salecah, 12 and all the territory of King Og of Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. King Og was the last of the Rephaites, for Moses had attacked them and driven them out. 13 But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day. 14 Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the LORD had promised them, their inheritance came from the offerings burned on the altar to the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Reuben. 16 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba. 17 It included Heshbon and the other towns on the plain-- Dibon, Bamoth- baal, Beth- baal- meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth- shahar on the hill above the valley, 20 Beth- peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth- jeshimoth. 21 The land of Reuben also included all the towns of the plain and the entire kingdom of Sihon. Sihon was the Amorite king who had reigned in Heshbon and was killed by Moses along with the chiefs of Midian-- Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba-- princes living in the region who were allied with Sihon. 22 The Israelites also killed Balaam the magician, the son of Beor. 23 The Jordan River marked the western boundary for the tribe of Reuben. The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Reuben. 24 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Gad. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, and half of the land of Ammon, as far as the town of Aroer just west of Rabbah. 26 It extended from Heshbon to Ramath- mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to Lo- debar. 27 In the valley were Beth- haram, Beth- nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon. The Jordan River was the western border, extending as far north as the Sea of Galilee. 28 The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Gad. 29 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the half- tribe of Manasseh. 30 Their territory extended from Mahanaim, including all of Bashan, all the former kingdom of King Og, and the sixty towns of Jair in Bashan. 31 It also included half of Gilead and King Og's royal cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei. All this was given to the descendants of Makir, who was Manasseh's son. 32 These are the allotments Moses had made while he was on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, east of Jericho. 33 But Moses gave no land to the tribe of Levi, for the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised to be their inheritance. 14:1 THE remaining tribes of Israel inherited land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. 2 These nine and a half tribes received their inheritance by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the LORD's command through Moses. 3 Moses had already given an inheritance of land to the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River. 4 The tribe of Joseph had become two separate tribes-- Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in and the surrounding pasturelands for their flocks and herds. 5 So the distribution of the land was in strict accordance with the LORD's instructions to Moses. 6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua," Remember what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh- barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh- barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave from my heart a good report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people and discouraged them from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I followed the LORD my God completely. 9 So that day Moses promised me, `The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your special possession and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. '10 "Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty- five years since Moses made this promise-- even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty- five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So I'm asking you to give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the Anakites living there in great, walled cities. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said." 13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as an inheritance. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath- arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the Anakites.) And the land had rest from war.
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. `I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself, 5 `but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests! '" 6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this evil judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?" 9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self- confidence and scorned everyone else:10 "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. 11 The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:`I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' 13" But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. '14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. "15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples," Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God. "
For the choir director:A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land!
You have restored the fortunes of Israel.
2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people--
yes, you have covered all their sins.
Interlude3 You have withdrawn your fury.
You have ended your blazing anger.
4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation.
Put aside your anger against us.
5 Will you be angry with us always?
Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?
6 Won't you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying,
for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him;
our land will be filled with his glory.
10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful crops.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.
Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor. The rich can pay a ransom, but the poor won't even get threatened
