MATTHEW 13:24- 46
PSALM 18:1- 15
PROVERBS 4:1- 6
So Pharaoh told him [Joseph] the dream. "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River," he said. 18 "Suddenly, seven fat, healthy-looking cows came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 19 But then seven other cows came up from the river. They were very thin and gaunt-- in fact, I've never seen such ugly animals in all the land of Egypt. 20 These thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat ones that had come out of the river first, 21 but afterward, they were still as ugly and gaunt as before! Then I woke up. 22" A little later I had another dream. This time there were seven heads of grain on one stalk, and all seven heads were plump and full. 23 Then out of the same stalk came seven withered heads, shriveled by the east wind. 24 And the withered heads swallowed up the plump ones! I told these dreams to my magicians, but not one of them could tell me what they mean. "25" Both dreams mean the same thing, "Joseph told Pharaoh." God was telling you what he is about to do. 26 The seven fat cows and the seven plump heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. 27 The seven thin, ugly cows and the seven withered heads of grain represent seven years of famine. 28 This will happen just as I have described it, for God has shown you what he is about to do. 29 The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. 30 But afterward, there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten and wiped out. Famine will destroy the land. 31 This famine will be so terrible that even the memory of the good years will be erased. 32 As for having the dream twice, it means that the matter has been decreed by God and that he will make these events happen soon. 33 "My suggestion is that you find the wisest man in Egypt and put him in charge of a nationwide program. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land, and let them collect one- fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. 35 Have them gather all the food and grain of these good years into the royal storehouses, and store it away so there will be food in the cities. 36 That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come. Otherwise, disaster will surely strike the land, and all the people will die." 37 Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his advisers. 38 As they discussed who should be appointed for the job, Pharaoh said, "Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God." 39 Turning to Joseph, Pharaoh said, "Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the land! 40 I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh placed his own signet ring on Joseph's finger as a symbol of his authority. He dressed him in beautiful clothing and placed the royal gold chain about his neck. 43 Pharaoh also gave Joseph the chariot of his second- in- command, and wherever he went the command was shouted, "Kneel down!" So Joseph was put in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am the king, but no one will move a hand or a foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval." 45 Pharaoh renamed him Zaphenath- paneah and gave him a wife-- a young woman named Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. 46 He was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he made a tour of inspection throughout the land. 47 And sure enough, for the next seven years there were bumper crops everywhere. 48 During those years, Joseph took a portion of all the crops grown in Egypt and stored them for the government in nearby cities. 49 After seven years, the granaries were filled to overflowing. There was so much grain, like sand on the seashore, that the people could not keep track of the amount. 50 During this time, before the arrival of the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. 51 Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father." 52 Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering." 53 At last the seven years of plenty came to an end. 54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There were crop failures in all the surrounding countries, too, but in Egypt there was plenty of grain in the storehouses. 55 Throughout the land of Egypt the people began to starve. They pleaded with Pharaoh for food, and he told them, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you." 56 So with severe famine everywhere in the land, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. 57 And people from surrounding lands also came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world. 42:1 WHEN Jacob heard that there was grain available in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2 I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down and buy some for us before we all starve to death." 3 So Joseph's ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. 4 Jacob wouldn't let Joseph's younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, however, for fear some harm might come to him. 5 So Jacob's sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine had reached Canaan as well. 6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of the sale of the grain, it was to him that his brothers came. They bowed low before him, with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph recognized them instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger. "Where are you from?" he demanded roughly. "From the land of Canaan," they replied. "We have come to buy grain." 8 Joseph's brothers didn't recognize him, but Joseph recognized them. 9 And he remembered the dreams he had had many years before. He said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become." 10 "No, my lord!" they exclaimed. "We have come to buy food. 11 We are all brothers and honest men, sir! We are not spies!" 12 "Yes, you are!" he insisted. "You have come to discover how vulnerable the famine has made us." 13 "Sir," they said, "there are twelve of us brothers, and our father is in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is there with our father, and one of our brothers is no longer with us." 14 But Joseph insisted, "As I said, you are spies! 15 This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will not leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 One of you go and get your brother! I'll keep the rest of you here, bound in prison. Then we'll find out whether or not your story is true. If it turns out that you don't have a younger brother, then I'll know you are spies." 17 So he put them all in prison for three days.
Here is another story Jesus told:"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27 The farmer's servants came and told him, `Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! '28" `An enemy has done it!' the farmer exclaimed. "`Shall we pull out the weeds? 'they asked. 29" He replied, `No, you'll hurt the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.' "31 Here is another illustration Jesus used:" The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches. "33 Jesus also used this illustration:" The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough. "34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled the prophecy that said," I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world. "
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said," Please explain the story of the weeds in the field. "37" All right, "he said." I, the Son of Man, am the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. 40 "Just as the weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 I, the Son of Man, will send my angels, and they will remove from my Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the godly will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! 44" The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field-- and to get the treasure, too! 45 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"
For the choir director:A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.
1 I love you, LORD; you are my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold.
3 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
for he saves me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death surrounded me;
the floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death itself stared me in the face.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
7 Then the earth quaked and trembled;
the foundations of the mountains shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
8 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angel, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
12 The brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds,
raining down hail and burning coals.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the Most High gave a mighty shout.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
15 Then at your command, O LORD,
at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
My children, listen to me. Listen to your father's instruction. Pay attention and grow wise, for I am giving you good guidance. Don't turn away from my teaching. For I, too, was once my father's son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child. My father told me, "Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live. Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don't forget or turn away from my words. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you
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