Reading through the Word.....Day 52

LEVITICUS 11:1- 12:8
MARK 5:21- 43
PSALM 38:1- 22
PROVERBS 10:8- 9


Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Give the following instructions to the Israelites:The animals you may use for food 3 include those that have completely divided hooves and chew the cud. 4 You may not, however, eat the animals named here because they either have split hooves or chew the cud, but not both. The camel may not be eaten, for though it chews the cud, it does not have split hooves. 5 The same is true of the rock badger 6 and the hare, so they also may never be eaten. 7 And the pig may not be eaten, for though it has split hooves, it does not chew the cud. 8 You may not eat the meat of these animals or touch their dead bodies. They are ceremonially unclean for you. 9" As for marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales, whether taken from fresh water or salt water. 10 You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. You are to detest them, 11 and they will always be forbidden to you. You must never eat their meat or even touch their dead bodies. 12 I repeat, any marine animal that does not have both fins and scales is strictly forbidden to you. 13 "These are the birds you must never eat because they are detestable for you:the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, 14 the buzzard, kites of all kinds, 15 ravens of all kinds, 16 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, hawks of all kinds, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, herons of all kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat. 20" You are to consider detestable all swarming insects that walk along the ground. 21 However, there are some exceptions that you may eat. These include insects that jump with their hind legs:22 locusts of all varieties, crickets, bald locusts, and grasshoppers. All these may be eaten. 23 But you are to consider detestable all other swarming insects that walk or crawl. 24 "The following creatures make you ceremonially unclean. If you touch any of their dead bodies, you will be defiled until evening. 25 If you move the dead body of an unclean animal, you must immediately wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening. 26" Any animal that has divided but unsplit hooves or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you. If you touch the dead body of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening. 27 Of the animals that walk on all fours, those that have paws are unclean for you. If you touch the dead body of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening. 28 If you pick up and move its carcass, you must immediately wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening. 29 "Of the small animals that scurry or creep on the ground, these are unclean for you:the mole, the mouse, the great lizard of all varieties, 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 All these small animals are unclean for you. If you touch the dead body of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening. 32 If such an animal dies and falls on something, that object, whatever its use, will be unclean. This is true whether the object is made of wood, cloth, leather, or sackcloth. It must be put into water, and it will remain defiled until evening. After that, it will be ceremonially clean and may be used again. 33" If such an animal dies and falls into a clay pot, everything in the pot will be defiled, and the pot must be smashed. 34 If the water used to cleanse an unclean object touches any food, all of that food will be defiled. And any beverage that is in such an unclean container will be defiled. 35 Any object on which the dead body of such an animal falls will be defiled. If it is a clay oven or cooking pot, it must be smashed to pieces. It has become defiled, and it will remain that way. 36 "However, if the dead body of such an animal falls into a spring or a cistern, the water will still be clean. But anyone who removes the dead body will be defiled. 37 If the dead body falls on seed grain to be planted in the field, the seed will still be considered clean. 38 But if the seed is wet when the dead body falls on it, the seed will be defiled. 39" If an animal that is permitted for eating dies and you touch its carcass, you will be defiled until evening. 40 If you eat any of its meat or carry away its carcass, you must wash your clothes. Then you will remain defiled until evening. 41 "Consider detestable any animal that scurries along the ground; such animals may never be eaten. 42 This includes all animals that slither along on their bellies, as well as those with four legs and those with many feet. All such animals are to be considered detestable. 43 Never defile yourselves by touching such animals. 44 After all, I, the LORD, am your God. You must be holy because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves by touching any of these animals that scurry along the ground. 45 I, the LORD, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. You must therefore be holy because I am holy. 46" These are the instructions regarding the land animals, the birds, and all the living things that move through the water or swarm over the earth, 47 so you can distinguish between what is unclean and may not be eaten and what is clean and may be eaten. "12:1 THE LORD said to Moses," Give these instructions to the Israelites:2 When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is defiled during her menstrual period. 3 On the eighth day, the boy must be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait for thirty- three days until the time of her purification from the blood of childbirth is completed. During this time of purification, she must not touch anything that is holy. And she must not go to the sanctuary until her time of purification is over. 5 If a woman gives birth to a daughter, she will be ceremonially defiled for two weeks, just as she is defiled during her menstrual period. She must then wait another sixty- six days to be purified from the blood of childbirth. 6 "When the time of purification is completed for either a son or a daughter, the woman must bring a year- old lamb for a whole burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a purification offering. She must take her offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 7 The priest will then present them to the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she will be ceremonially clean again after her bleeding at childbirth. These are the instructions to be followed after the birth of a son or a daughter. 8" If a woman cannot afford to bring a sheep, she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. One will be for the whole burnt offering and the other for the purification offering. The priest will sacrifice them, thus making atonement for her, and she will be ceremonially clean. "


When Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22 A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, came and fell down before him, 23 pleading with him to heal his little daughter." She is about to die, "he said in desperation." Please come and place your hands on her; heal her so she can live. "24 Jesus went with him, and the crowd thronged behind. 25 And there was a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years and had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe. 28 For she thought to herself," If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed. "29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel that she had been healed! 30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked," Who touched my clothes? "31 His disciples said to him," All this crowd is pressing around you. How can you ask, `Who touched me? '"32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done. 34 And he said to her," Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. You have been healed. "35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from Jairus's home with the message," Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now. "36 But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus," Don't be afraid. Just trust me. "37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter and James and John. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the weeping and wailing. 39 He went inside and spoke to the people." Why all this weeping and commotion? "he asked." The child isn't dead; she is only asleep. "40 The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside. Then he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 41 Holding her hand, he said to her," Get up, little girl! "42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! Her parents were absolutely overwhelmed. 43 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened, and he told them to give her something to eat.


A psalm of David, to bring us to the LORD's remembrance.
1 O LORD, don't rebuke me in your anger!
Don't discipline me in your rage!
2 Your arrows have struck deep,
and your blows are crushing me.
3 Because of your anger, my whole body is sick;
my health is broken because of my sins.
4 My guilt overwhelms me--
it is a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and stink
because of my foolish sins.
6 I am bent over and racked with pain.
My days are filled with grief.
7 A raging fever burns within me,
and my health is broken.
8 I am exhausted and completely crushed.
My groans come from an anguished heart.
9 You know what I long for, Lord;
you hear my every sigh.
10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails,
and I am going blind.
11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease.
Even my own family stands at a distance.
12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps for me;
they make plans to ruin me.
They think up treacherous deeds all day long.
13 But I am deaf to all their threats.
I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.
14 I choose to hear nothing,
and I make no reply.
15 For I am waiting for you, O LORD.
You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I prayed," Don't let my enemies gloat over me
or rejoice at my downfall. "
17 I am on the verge of collapse,
facing constant pain.
18 But I confess my sins;
I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
19 My enemies are many;
they hate me though I have done nothing against them.
20 They repay me evil for good
and oppose me because I stand for the right.
21 Do not abandon me, LORD.
Do not stand at a distance, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.


The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People with integrity have firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall

Reading through the Word.....Day 51

LEVITICUS 9:7- 10:20
MARK 4:26- 5:20
PSALM 37:30- 40
PROVERBS 10:6- 7


Then Moses said to Aaron, "Approach the altar and present your sin offering and your whole burnt offering to make atonement for yourself. Then present the offerings to make atonement for the people, just as the LORD has commanded." 8 So Aaron went to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for himself. 9 His sons brought him the blood, and he dipped his finger into it and put it on the horns of the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 10 Then he burned on the altar the fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver from the sin offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11 The meat and the hide, however, he burned outside the camp. 12 Next Aaron slaughtered the animal for the whole burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it against the sides of the altar. 13 They handed the animal to him piece by piece, including the head, and he burned each part on the altar. 14 Then he washed the internal organs and the legs and also burned them on the altar as a whole burnt offering. 15 Next Aaron presented the sacrifices for the people. He slaughtered the people's goat and presented it as their sin offering, just as he had done previously for himself. 16 Then he brought the whole burnt offering and presented it in the prescribed way. 17 He also brought the grain offering, burning a handful of the flour on the altar, in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 18 Then Aaron slaughtered the bull and the ram for the people's peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it against the sides of the altar. 19 Then he took the fat of the bull and the ram-- the fat from the tail and from around the internal organs-- along with the kidneys and the lobe of the liver. 20 He placed these fat parts on top of the breasts of these animals and then burned them on the altar. 21 Aaron then lifted up the breasts and right thighs as an offering to the LORD, just as Moses had commanded. 22 After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the whole burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. 23 Next Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to the whole community. 24 Fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground. 10:1 AARON'S sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over it. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him a different kind of fire than he had commanded. 2 So fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD meant when he said, `I will show myself holy
among those who are near me.
I will be glorified
before all the people. '"
And Aaron was silent. 4 Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron's cousins, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel. He said to them, "Come and carry the bodies of your relatives away from the sanctuary to a place outside the camp." 5 So they came forward and carried them out of the camp by their tunics as Moses had commanded. 6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not mourn by letting your hair hang loose or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn for Nadab and Abihu, whom the LORD has destroyed by fire. 7 But you are not to leave the entrance of the Tabernacle, under penalty of death, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." So they did as Moses commanded. 8 Then the LORD said to Aaron, 9 "You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be kept by all future generations. 10 You are to distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. 11 And you must teach the Israelites all the laws that the LORD has given through Moses." 12 Then Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take what is left of the grain offering after the handful has been presented to the LORD by fire. Make sure there is no yeast in it, and eat it beside the altar, for it is most holy. 13 It must be eaten in a sacred place, for it has been given to you and your descendants as your regular share of the offerings given to the LORD by fire. These are the commands I have been given. 14 But the breast and thigh that were lifted up may be eaten in any place that is ceremonially clean. These parts have been given to you and to your sons and daughters as your regular share of the peace offerings presented by the people of Israel. 15 The thigh and breast that are lifted up must be lifted up to the LORD along with the fat of the offerings given by fire. Then they will belong to you and your descendants forever, just as the LORD has commanded." 16 When Moses demanded to know what had happened to the goat of the sin offering, he discovered that it had been burned up. As a result, he became very angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining sons. 17 "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area?" he demanded. "It is a holy offering! It was given to you for removing the guilt of the community and for making atonement for the people before the LORD. 18 Since the animal's blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the meat in the sanctuary area as I ordered you." 19 Then Aaron answered Moses on behalf of his sons. "Today my sons presented both their sin offering and their burnt offering to the LORD," he said. "This kind of thing has also happened to me. Would the LORD have approved if I had eaten the sin offering today?" 20 And when Moses heard this, he approved.


Jesus also said, "Here is another illustration of what the Kingdom of God is like:A farmer planted seeds in a field, 27 and then he went on with his other activities. As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer's help, 28 because the earth produces crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle." 30 Jesus asked, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, 32 it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter." 33 He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they were able to understand. 34 In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables, but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them. 35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." 36 He was already in the boat, so they started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown?" 39 When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Quiet down!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?" 41 And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, "Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?" 5:1 SO they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the land of the Gerasenes. 2 Just as Jesus was climbing from the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit ran out from a cemetery to meet him. 3 This man lived among the tombs and could not be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles-- as he often was-- he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to control him. 5 All day long and throughout the night, he would wander among the tombs and in the hills, screaming and hitting himself with stones. 6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him. He ran to meet Jesus and fell down before him. 7 He gave a terrible scream, shrieking, "Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's sake, don't torture me!" 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit." 9 Then Jesus asked, "What is your name?" And the spirit replied, "Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man." 10 Then the spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place. 11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 "Send us into those pigs," the evil spirits begged. 13 Jesus gave them permission. So the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of two thousand pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake, where they drowned. 14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby city and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. Everyone rushed out to see for themselves. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, but they were frightened when they saw the man who had been demon possessed, for he was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane. 16 Those who had seen what happened to the man and to the pigs told everyone about it, 17 and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. 18 When Jesus got back into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go, too. 19 But Jesus said, "No, go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been." 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.


The godly offer good counsel;
they know what is right from wrong.
31 They fill their hearts with God's law,
so they will never slip from his path.
32 Those who are evil spy on the godly,
waiting for an excuse to kill them.
33 But the LORD will not let the wicked succeed
or let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge.
34 Don't be impatient for the LORD to act!
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you, giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.
35 I myself have seen it happen--
proud and evil people thriving like mighty trees.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
37 Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future lies before those who love peace.
38 But the wicked will be destroyed;
they have no future.
39 The LORD saves the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.


The godly are showered with blessings; evil people cover up their harmful intentions. We all have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away

Reading through the Word....Day 30

EXODUS 10:1- 12:13
MATTHEW 20:1- 28
PSALM 25:1- 15
PROVERBS 6:6- 11


Then the LORD said to Moses, "Return to Pharaoh and again make your demands. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can continue to display my power by performing miraculous signs among them. 2 You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing among the Egyptians to prove that I am the LORD." 3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says:How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me. 4 If you refuse, watch out! For tomorrow I will cover the whole country with locusts. 5 There will be so many that you won't be able to see the ground. They will devour everything that escaped the hailstorm, including all the trees in the fields. 6 They will overrun your palaces and the homes of your officials and all the houses of Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt has there been a plague like this one!" And with that, Moses turned and walked out. 7 The court officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. "How long will you let these disasters go on? Please let the Israelites go to serve the LORD their God! Don't you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?" 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "All right, go and serve the LORD your God," he said. "But tell me, just whom do you want to take along?" 9 "Young and old, all of us will go," Moses replied. "We will take our sons and daughters and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in a festival to the LORD." 10 Pharaoh retorted, "The LORD will certainly need to be with you if you try to take your little ones along! I can see through your wicked intentions. 11 Never! Only the men may go and serve the LORD, for that is what you requested." And Pharaoh threw them out of the palace. 12 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and eat all the crops still left after the hailstorm." 13 So Moses raised his staff, and the LORD caused an east wind to blow all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts swarmed over the land of Egypt from border to border. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never again been one like it. 15 For the locusts covered the surface of the whole country, making the ground look black. They ate all the plants and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not one green thing remained, neither tree nor plant, throughout the land of Egypt. 16 Pharaoh quickly sent for Moses and Aaron. "I confess my sin against the LORD your God and against you," he said to them. 17 "Forgive my sin only this once, and plead with the LORD your God to take away this terrible plague." 18 So Moses left Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. 19 The LORD responded by sending a strong west wind that blew the locusts out into the Red Sea. Not a single locust remained in all the land of Egypt. 20 But the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn once again, and he did not let the people go. 21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward heaven, and a deep and terrifying darkness will descend on the land of Egypt." 22 So Moses lifted his hand toward heaven, and there was deep darkness over the entire land for three days. 23 During all that time the people scarcely moved, for they could not see. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived. 24 Then Pharaoh called for Moses. "Go and worship the LORD," he said. "But let your flocks and herds stay here. You can even take your children with you." 25 "No," Moses said, "we must take our flocks and herds for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the LORD our God. 26 All our property must go with us; not a hoof can be left behind. We will have to choose our sacrifices for the LORD our God from among these animals. And we won't know which sacrifices he will require until we get there." 27 So the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart once more, and he would not let them go. 28 "Get out of here!" Pharaoh shouted at Moses. "Don't ever let me see you again! The day you do, you will die!" 29 "Very well," Moses replied. "I will never see you again." 11:1 THEN the LORD said to Moses, "I will send just one more disaster on Pharaoh and the land of Egypt. After that, Pharaoh will let you go. In fact, he will be so anxious to get rid of you that he will practically force you to leave the country. 2 Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold." 3 (Now the LORD had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel, and Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt. He was respected by Pharaoh's officials and the Egyptian people alike.) 4 So Moses announced to Pharaoh, "This is what the LORD says:About midnight I will pass through Egypt. 5 All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest slave. Even the firstborn of the animals will die. 6 Then a loud wail will be heard throughout the land of Egypt; there has never been such wailing before, and there never will be again. 7 But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. 8 All the officials of Egypt will come running to me, bowing low. `Please leave! 'they will beg. `Hurry! And take all your followers with you.' Only then will I go!" Then, burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh's presence. 9 Now the LORD had told Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. But this will give me the opportunity to do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt." 10 Although Moses and Aaron did these miracles in Pharaoh's presence, the LORD hardened his heart so he wouldn't let the Israelites leave the country. 12:1 NOW the LORD gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron while they were still in the land of Egypt:2 "From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Announce to the whole community that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice. 4 If a family is too small to eat an entire lamb, let them share the lamb with another family in the neighborhood. Whether or not they share in this way depends on the size of each family and how much they can eat. 5 This animal must be a one- year- old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no physical defects. 6" Take special care of these lambs until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then each family in the community must slaughter its lamb. 7 They are to take some of the lamb's blood and smear it on the top and sides of the doorframe of the house where the lamb will be eaten. 8 That evening everyone must eat roast lamb with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. 9 The meat must never be eaten raw or boiled; roast it all, including the head, legs, and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it until the next day. Whatever is not eaten that night must be burned before morning. 11 "Wear your traveling clothes as you eat this meal, as though prepared for a long journey. Wear your sandals, and carry your walking sticks in your hands. Eat the food quickly, for this is the LORD's Passover. 12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn sons and firstborn male animals in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! 13 The blood you have smeared on your doorposts will serve as a sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt."


"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of an estate who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. 3" At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 At noon and again around three o'clock he did the same thing. 6 At five o'clock that evening he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, `Why haven't you been working today? '7 "They replied, `Because no one hired us.'" The owner of the estate told them, `Then go on out and join the others in my vineyard. '8 "That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each received a full day's wage. 10 When those hired earlier came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day's wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested, 12 `Those people worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.' 13" He answered one of them, `Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take it and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be angry because I am kind? '16 "And so it is, that many who are first now will be last then; and those who are last now will be first then." 17 As Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 "When we get to Jerusalem," he said, "the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, whipped, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead." 20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 "What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?" 22 But Jesus told them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!" 23 "You will indeed drink from it," he told them. "But I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen." 24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. 26 But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. 28 For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."


A psalm of David.
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
4 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD;
point out the right road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion,
which you have shown from long ages past.
7 Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth;
look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love,
for you are merciful, O LORD.
8 The LORD is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
teaching them his way.
10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.
11 For the honor of your name, O LORD,
forgive my many, many sins.
12 Who are those who fear the LORD?
He will show them the path they should choose.
13 They will live in prosperity,
and their children will inherit the Promised Land.
14 Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him.
With them he shares the secrets of his covenant.
15 My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help,
for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.


Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? I want you to learn this lesson:A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber

Reading through the Word...Day 29

EXODUS 8:1- 9:35
MATTHEW 19:13- 30
PSALM 24:1- 10
PROVERBS 6:1- 5


Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh once again and tell him, `This is what the LORD says:Let my people go, so they can worship me. 2 If you refuse, then listen carefully to this:I will send vast hordes of frogs across your entire land from one border to the other. 3 The Nile River will swarm with them. They will come up out of the river and into your houses, even into your bedrooms and onto your beds! Every home in Egypt will be filled with them. They will fill even your ovens and your kneading bowls. 4 You and your people will be overwhelmed by frogs! '" 5 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to point his shepherd's staff toward all the rivers, canals, and marshes of Egypt so there will be frogs in every corner of the land." 6 Aaron did so, and frogs covered the whole land of Egypt! 7 But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their secret arts. They, too, caused frogs to come up on the land. 8 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, "Plead with the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let the people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD." 9 "You set the time!" Moses replied. "Tell me when you want me to pray for you, your officials, and your people. I will pray that you and your houses will be rid of the frogs. Then only the frogs in the Nile River will remain alive." 10 "Do it tomorrow," Pharaoh said. "All right," Moses replied, "it will be as you have said. Then you will know that no one is as powerful as the LORD our God. 11 All the frogs will be destroyed, except those in the river." 12 So Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, and Moses pleaded with the LORD about the frogs he had sent. 13 And the LORD did as Moses had promised. The frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields all died. 14 They were piled into great heaps, and a terrible stench filled the land. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that the frogs were gone, he hardened his heart. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted. 16 So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to strike the dust with his staff. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt." 17 So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Suddenly, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. 18 Pharaoh's magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered all the people and animals. 19 "This is the finger of God!" the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard and stubborn. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted. 20 Next the LORD told Moses, "Get up early in the morning and meet Pharaoh as he goes down to the river. Say to him, `This is what the LORD says:Let my people go, so they can worship me. 21 If you refuse, I will send swarms of flies throughout Egypt. Your homes will be filled with them, and the ground will be covered with them. 22 But it will be very different in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the LORD and that I have power even in the heart of your land. 23 I will make a clear distinction between your people and my people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.'" 24 And the LORD did just as he had said. There were terrible swarms of flies in Pharaoh's palace and in every home in Egypt. The whole country was thrown into chaos by the flies. 25 Pharaoh hastily called for Moses and Aaron. "All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God," he said. "But do it here in this land. Don't go out into the wilderness." 26 But Moses replied, "That won't do! The Egyptians would detest the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God. If we offer them here where they can see us, they will be sure to stone us. 27 We must take a three- day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, just as he has commanded us." 28 "All right, go ahead," Pharaoh replied. "I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the wilderness. But don't go too far away. Now hurry, and pray for me." 29 "As soon as I go," Moses said, "I will ask the LORD to cause the swarms of flies to disappear from you and all your people. But I am warning you, don't change your mind again and refuse to let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD." 30 So Moses left Pharaoh and asked the LORD to remove all the flies. 31 And the LORD did as Moses asked and caused the swarms to disappear. Not a single fly remained in the land! 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart again and refused to let the people go. 9:1 "GO back to Pharaoh," the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, `This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 2 If you continue to oppress them and refuse to let them go, 3 the LORD will send a deadly plague to destroy your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, and sheep. 4 But the LORD will again make a distinction between the property of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel's livestock will die! '" 5 The LORD announced that he would send the plague the very next day, 6 and he did it, just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians began to die, but the Israelites didn't lose a single animal from their flocks and herds. 7 Pharaoh sent officials to see whether it was true that none of the Israelites' animals were dead. But even after he found it to be true, his heart remained stubborn. He still refused to let the people go. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take soot from a furnace, and have Moses toss it into the sky while Pharaoh watches. 9 It will spread like fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, causing boils to break out on people and animals alike." 10 So they gathered soot from a furnace and went to see Pharaoh. As Pharaoh watched, Moses tossed the soot into the air, and terrible boils broke out on the people and animals throughout Egypt. 11 Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them, too. 12 But the LORD made Pharaoh even more stubborn, and he refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted. 13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning. Go to Pharaoh and tell him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 14 If you don't, I will send a plague that will really speak to you and your officials and all the Egyptian people. I will prove to you that there is no other God like me in all the earth. 15 I could have killed you all by now. I could have attacked you with a plague that would have wiped you from the face of the earth. 16 But I have let you live for this reason-- that you might see my power and that my fame might spread throughout the earth. 17 But you are still lording it over my people, and you refuse to let them go. 18 So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm worse than any in all of Egypt's history. 19 Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields. Every person or animal left outside will die beneath the hail. '" 20 Some of Pharaoh's officials believed what the LORD said. They immediately brought their livestock and servants in from the fields. 21 But those who had no respect for the word of the LORD left them out in the open. 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky, and cause the hail to fall throughout Egypt, on the people, the animals, and the crops." 23 So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. The LORD sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt. 24 Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such severe hail and continuous lightning. 25 It left all of Egypt in ruins. Everything left in the fields was destroyed-- people, animals, and crops alike. Even all the trees were destroyed. 26 The only spot in all Egypt without hail that day was the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived. 27 Then Pharaoh urgently sent for Moses and Aaron. "I finally admit my fault," he confessed. "The LORD is right, and my people and I are wrong. 28 Please beg the LORD to end this terrifying thunder and hail. I will let you go at once." 29 "All right," Moses replied. "As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the LORD. Then the thunder and hail will stop. This will prove to you that the earth belongs to the LORD. 30 But as for you and your officials, I know that you still do not fear the LORD God as you should." 31 All the flax and barley were destroyed because the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not destroyed because they had not yet sprouted from the ground. 33 So Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. As he lifted his hands to the LORD, all at once the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. 34 When Pharaoh saw this, he and his officials sinned yet again by stubbornly refusing to do as they had promised. 35 Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the LORD had predicted.


Some children were brought to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples told them not to bother him. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." 15 And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. 16 Someone came to Jesus with this question:"Teacher, what good things must I do to have eternal life?" 17 "Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "Only God is good. But to answer your question, you can receive eternal life if you keep the commandments." 18 "Which ones?" the man asked. And Jesus replied:"`Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'" 20 "I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?" 21 Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 But when the young man heard this, he went sadly away because he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I say it again-- it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" 25 The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." 27 Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get out of it?" 28 And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life. 30 But many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then."


A psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.
2 For he laid the earth's foundation on the seas
and built it on the ocean depths.
3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies.
5 They will receive the LORD's blessing
and have right standing with God their savior.
6 They alone may enter God's presence
and worship the God of Israel.
Interlude7 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, invincible in battle.
9 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
10 Who is the King of glory?
The LORD Almighty--
he is the King of glory.
Interlude



My child, if you co- sign a loan for a friend or guarantee the debt of someone you hardly know-- if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said-- quick, get out of it if you possibly can! You have placed yourself at your friend's mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. Don't put it off. Do it now! Don't rest until you do. Save yourself like a deer escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net

Reading through the Word...Day 28

EXODUS 5:22- 7:25
MATTHEW 18:21- 19:12
PSALM 23:1- 6
PROVERBS 5:22- 23


So Moses went back to the LORD and protested, "Why have you mistreated your own people like this, Lord? Why did you send me? 23 Since I gave Pharaoh your message, he has been even more brutal to your people. You have not even begun to rescue them!" 6:1 "NOW you will see what I will do to Pharaoh," the LORD told Moses. "When he feels my powerful hand upon him, he will let the people go. In fact, he will be so anxious to get rid of them that he will force them to leave his land!" 2 And God continued, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, though I did not reveal my name, the LORD, to them. 4 And I entered into a solemn covenant with them. Under its terms, I swore to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living. 5 You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. I have remembered my covenant with them. 6" Therefore, say to the Israelites:`I am the LORD, and I will free you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with mighty power and great acts of judgment. 7 I will make you my own special people, and I will be your God. And you will know that I am the LORD your God who has rescued you from your slavery in Egypt. 8 I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It will be your very own property. I am the LORD! '"9 So Moses told the people what the LORD had said, but they wouldn't listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the increasing burden of their slavery. 10 Then the LORD said to Moses, 11" Go back to Pharaoh, and tell him to let the people of Israel leave Egypt. "12" But LORD! "Moses objected." My own people won't listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I'm no orator! "13 But the LORD ordered Moses and Aaron to return to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to demand that he let the people of Israel leave Egypt. 14 These are the ancestors of clans from some of Israel's tribes:The descendants of Reuben, Israel's oldest son, included Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Their descendants became the clans of Reuben. 15 The descendants of Simeon included Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul (whose mother was a Canaanite). Their descendants became the clans of Simeon. 16 These are the descendants of Levi, listed according to their family groups. In the first generation were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (Levi, their father, lived to be 137 years old.) 17 The descendants of Gershon included Libni and Shimei, each of whom is the ancestor of a clan. 18 The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. (Kohath lived to be 133 years old.) 19 The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, listed according to their genealogies. 20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. (Amram lived to be 137 years old.) 21 The descendants of Izhar included Korah, Nepheg, and Zicri. 22 The descendants of Uzziel included Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The descendants of Korah included Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. Their descendants became the clans of Korah. 25 Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the ancestors of the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups. 26 The Aaron and Moses named in this list are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said," Lead all the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt, division by division. "27 They are the ones who went to Pharaoh to ask permission to lead the people from the land of Egypt. 28 At that time, the LORD had said to them, 29" I am the LORD! Give Pharaoh the message I have given you. "30 This is the same Moses who had argued with the LORD, saying," I can't do it! I'm no orator. Why should Pharaoh listen to me? "7:1 THEN the LORD said to Moses," Pay close attention to this. I will make you seem like God to Pharaoh. Your brother, Aaron, will be your prophet; he will speak for you. 2 Tell Aaron everything I say to you and have him announce it to Pharaoh. He will demand that the people of Israel be allowed to leave Egypt. 3 But I will cause Pharaoh to be stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will crush Egypt with a series of disasters, after which I will lead the forces of Israel out with great acts of judgment. 5 When I show the Egyptians my power and force them to let the Israelites go, they will realize that I am the LORD. "6 So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty- three at the time they made their demands to Pharaoh. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9" Pharaoh will demand that you show him a miracle to prove that God has sent you. When he makes this demand, say to Aaron, `Throw down your shepherd's staff,' and it will become a snake. "10 So Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh, and they performed the miracle just as the LORD had told them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his court, and it became a snake. 11 Then Pharaoh called in his wise men and magicians, and they did the same thing with their secret arts. 12 Their staffs became snakes, too! But then Aaron's snake swallowed up their snakes. 13 Pharaoh's heart, however, remained hard and stubborn. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted. 14 Then the LORD said to Moses," Pharaoh is very stubborn, and he continues to refuse to let the people go. 15 So go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes down to the river. Stand on the riverbank and meet him there. Be sure to take along the shepherd's staff that turned into a snake. 16 Say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say, "Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness." Until now, you have refused to listen to him. 17 Now the LORD says, "You are going to find out that I am the LORD." Look! I will hit the water of the Nile with this staff, and the river will turn to blood. 18 The fish in it will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile. '"19 Then the LORD said to Moses:" Tell Aaron to point his staff toward the waters of Egypt-- all its rivers, canals, marshes, and reservoirs. Everywhere in Egypt the water will turn into blood, even the water stored in wooden bowls and stone pots in the people's homes. "20 So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. As Pharaoh and all of his officials watched, Aaron raised his staff and hit the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood! 21 The fish in the river died, and the water became so foul that the Egyptians couldn't drink it. There was blood everywhere throughout the land of Egypt. 22 But again the magicians of Egypt used their secret arts, and they, too, turned water into blood. So Pharaoh's heart remained hard and stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted. 23 Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind. 24 Then the Egyptians dug wells along the riverbank to get drinking water, for they couldn't drink from the river. 25 An entire week passed from the time the LORD turned the water of the Nile to blood.


Then Peter came to him and asked," Lord, how often should I forgive someone *who sins against me? Seven times? "22" No! "Jesus replied," seventy times seven! 23 "For this reason, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn't pay, so the king ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. 26 But the man fell down before the king and begged him, `Oh, sir, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.' 27 Then the king was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28" But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29 His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. `Be patient and I will pay it, 'he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and jailed until the debt could be paid in full. 31 "When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him what had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, `You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny. 35" That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters *in your heart. "19:1 AFTER Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went southward to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. 2 Vast crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. 3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question:" Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason? "4" Haven't you read the Scriptures? "Jesus replied." They record that from the beginning `God made them male and female. '5 And he said, `This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together. "7" Then why did Moses say a man could merely write an official letter of divorce and send her away? "they asked. 8 Jesus replied," Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hardhearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery-- unless his wife has been unfaithful. "10 Jesus 'disciples then said to him," Then it is better not to marry! "11" Not everyone can accept this statement, "Jesus said." Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made that way by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone who can, accept this statement. "


A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.


An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self- control; he will be lost because of his incredible folly

Reading through the Word...Day 27

EXODUS 4:1- 5:21
MATTHEW 18:1- 20
PSALM 22:19- 31
PROVERBS 5:15- 21


But Moses protested again, "Look, they won't believe me! They won't do what I tell them. They'll just say, `The LORD never appeared to you." 2 Then the LORD asked him, "What do you have there in your hand?" "A shepherd's staff," Moses replied. 3 "Throw it down on the ground," the LORD told him. So Moses threw it down, and it became a snake! Moses was terrified, so he turned and ran away. 4 Then the LORD told him, "Take hold of its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it became a shepherd's staff again. 5 "Perform this sign, and they will believe you," the LORD told him. "Then they will realize that the LORD, the God of their ancestors-- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob-- really has appeared to you." 6 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Put your hand inside your robe." Moses did so, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with leprosy. 7 "Now put your hand back into your robe again," the LORD said. Moses did, and when he took it out this time, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. 8 "If they do not believe the first miraculous sign, they will believe the second," the LORD said. 9 "And if they do not believe you even after these two signs, then take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground. When you do, it will turn into blood." 10 But Moses pleaded with the LORD, "O Lord, I'm just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now, even after you have spoken to me. I'm clumsy with words." 11 "Who makes mouths?" the LORD asked him. "Who makes people so they can speak or not speak, hear or not hear, see or not see? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go, and do as I have told you. I will help you speak well, and I will tell you what to say." 13 But Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send someone else." 14 Then the LORD became angry with Moses. "All right," he said. "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? He is a good speaker. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. And when he sees you, he will be very glad. 15 You will talk to him, giving him the words to say. I will help both of you to speak clearly, and I will tell you what to do. 16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people, and you will be as God to him, telling him what to say. 17 And be sure to take your shepherd's staff along so you can perform the miraculous signs I have shown you." 18 Then Moses went back home and talked it over with Jethro, his father- in- law. "With your permission," Moses said, "I would like to go back to Egypt to visit my family. I don't even know whether they are still alive." "Go with my blessing," Jethro replied. 19 Before Moses left Midian, the LORD said to him, "Do not be afraid to return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God. 21 Then the LORD reminded him, "When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will make him stubborn so he will not let the people go. 22 Then you will tell him, `This is what the LORD says:Israel is my firstborn son. 23 I commanded you to let him go, so he could worship me. But since you have refused, be warned! I will kill your firstborn son!'" 24 On the journey, when Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the LORD confronted Moses and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah, his wife, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She threw the foreskin at Moses 'feet and said, "What a blood- smeared bridegroom you are to me!" 26 (When she called Moses a "blood- smeared bridegroom," she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the LORD left him alone. 27 Now the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go out into the wilderness to meet Moses." So Aaron traveled to the mountain of God, where he found Moses and greeted him warmly. 28 Moses then told Aaron everything the LORD had commanded them to do and say. And he told him about the miraculous signs they were to perform. 29 So Moses and Aaron returned to Egypt and called the leaders of Israel to a meeting. 30 Aaron told them everything the LORD had told Moses, and Moses performed the miraculous signs as they watched. 31 The leaders were soon convinced that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron. And when they realized that the LORD had seen their misery and was deeply concerned for them, they all bowed their heads and worshiped. 5:1 AFTER this presentation to Israel's leaders, Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:`Let my people go, for they must go out into the wilderness to hold a religious festival in my honor.'" 2 "Is that so?" retorted Pharaoh. "And who is the LORD that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I don't know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go." 3 But Aaron and Moses persisted. "The God of the Hebrews has met with us," they declared. "Let us take a three- day trip into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't, we will surely die by disease or the sword." 4 "Who do you think you are," Pharaoh shouted, "distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! 5 Look, there are many people here in Egypt, and you are stopping them from doing their work." 6 That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the slave drivers and foremen he had set over the people of Israel:7 "Do not supply the people with any more straw for making bricks. Let them get it themselves! 8 But don't reduce their production quotas by a single brick. They obviously don't have enough to do. If they did, they wouldn't be talking about going into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to their God. 9 Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to these liars!" 10 So the slave drivers and foremen informed the people:"Pharaoh has ordered us not to provide straw for you. 11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!" 12 So the people scattered throughout the land in search of straw. 13 The slave drivers were brutal. "Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did before!" they demanded. 14 Then they whipped the Israelite foremen in charge of the work crews. "Why haven't you met your quotas either yesterday or today?" they demanded. 15 So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. "Please don't treat us like this," they begged. 16 "We are given no straw, but we are still told to make as many bricks as before. We are beaten for something that isn't our fault! It is the fault of your slave drivers for making such unreasonable demands." 17 But Pharaoh replied, "You're just lazy! You obviously don't have enough to do. If you did, you wouldn't be saying, `Let us go, so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD. '18 Now, get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still deliver the regular quota of bricks." 19 Since Pharaoh would not let up on his demands, the Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble. 20 As they left Pharaoh's court, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. 21 The foremen said to them, "May the LORD judge you for getting us into this terrible situation with Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us!"


About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" 2 Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. 7" How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven crippled or lame than to be thrown into the unquenchable fire with both of your hands and feet. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 10 "Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. 12" If a shepherd has one hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety- nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one? 13 And if he finds it, he will surely rejoice over it more than over the ninety- nine that didn't wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish. 15 "If another believer *sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won't accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. 18 I tell you this:Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven. 19" I also tell you this:If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them. "


O LORD, do not stay away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
20 Rescue me from a violent death;
spare my precious life from these dogs.
21 Snatch me from the lions' jaws,
and from the horns of these wild oxen.
22 Then I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among all your people.
23 Praise the LORD, all you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not ignored the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned and walked away.
He has listened to their cries for help.
25 I will praise you among all the people;
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the LORD will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him.
People from every nation will bow down before him.
28 For the LORD is king!
He rules all the nations.
29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.
Let all mortals-- those born to die-- bow down in his presence.
30 Future generations will also serve him.
Our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
31 His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn.
They will hear about everything he has done.


Drink water from your own well-- share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in public, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Don't share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving doe, a graceful deer. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, with an immoral woman, or embrace the breasts of an adulterous woman? For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes