September 5 Reading through the Bible

  

ECCLESIASTES 10:1-12:14

2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-15

PSALM 49:1-20

PROVERBS 22:20-21

ECCLESIASTES 10:1-12:14

Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor. 2 The hearts of the wise lead them to do right, and the hearts of the foolish lead them to do evil. 3 You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! 4 If your boss is angry with you, don't quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. 5 There is another evil I have seen as I have watched the world go by. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 if they give foolish people great authority, and if they fail to give people of proven worth their rightful place of dignity. 7 I have even seen servants riding like princes--and princes walking like servants. 8 When you dig a well, you may fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. 9 When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you! When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax! Such are the risks of life. 10 Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. 11 It does no good to charm a snake after it has bitten you. 12 It is pleasant to listen to wise words, but the speech of fools brings them to ruin. 13 Since fools base their thoughts on foolish premises, their conclusions will be wicked madness. 14 Foolish people claim to know all about the future and tell everyone the details! But who can really know what is going to happen? 15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they have no strength for even the simplest tasks.16 Destruction is certain for the land whose king is a child and whose leaders feast in the morning. 17 Happy is the land whose king is a nobleman and whose leaders feast only to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk. 18 Laziness lets the roof leak, and soon the rafters begin to rot. 19 A party gives laughter, and wine gives happiness, and money gives everything! 20 Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don't make fun of a rich man, either. A little bird may tell them what you have said.11:1 GIVE generously, for your gifts will return to you later.* 2 Divide your gifts among many, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. 3 When the clouds are heavy, the rains come down. When a tree falls, whether south or north, there it lies. 4 If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. 5 God's ways are as hard to discern as the pathways of the wind, and as mysterious as a tiny baby being formed in a mother's womb. 6 Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow--perhaps they all will. 7 Light is sweet; it's wonderful to see the sun! 8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember that the dark days will be many. Everything still to come is meaningless.9 Young man, it's wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So banish grief and pain, but remember that youth, with a whole life before it, still faces the threat of meaninglessness. 12:1 DON'T let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and no longer enjoy living. 2 It will be too late then to remember him, when the light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds. 3 Your limbs will tremble with age, and your strong legs will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to do their work, and you will be blind, too. 4 And when your teeth are gone, keep your lips tightly closed when you eat! Even the chirping of birds will wake you up. But you yourself will be deaf and tuneless, with a quavering voice. 5 You will be afraid of heights and of falling, white-haired and withered, dragging along without any sexual desire. You will be standing at death's door. And as you near your everlasting home, the mourners will walk along the streets. 6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 " All is meaningless," says the Teacher, " utterly meaningless." 9 Because the Teacher was wise, he taught the people everything he knew. He collected proverbs and classified them. 10 Indeed, the Teacher taught the plain truth, and he did so in an interesting way.11 A wise teacher's words spur students to action and emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of the wise are like guidance from a shepherd. 12 But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting! 13 Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-15

Now I [Paul] want to tell you, dear brothers and sisters,* what God in his kindness has done for the churches in Macedonia. 2 Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. 3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem. 5 Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them. 6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to complete your share in this ministry of giving. 7 Since you excel in so many ways--you have so much faith, such gifted speakers, such knowledge, such enthusiasm, and such love for us--now I want you to excel also in this gracious ministry of giving. 8 I am not saying you must do it, even though the other churches are eager to do it. This is one way to prove your love is real. 9 You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.10 I suggest that you finish what you started a year ago, for you were the first to propose this idea, and you were the first to begin doing something about it. 11 Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can according to what you have. 12 If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have. 13 Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's needs will be met. 15 Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? " Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough."

PSALM 49:1-20

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 Listen to this, all you people!

Pay attention, everyone in the world!

2 High and low,

rich and poor--listen!

3 For my words are wise,

and my thoughts are filled with insight.

4 I listen carefully to many proverbs

and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.

5 There is no need to fear when times of trouble come,

when enemies are surrounding me.

6 They trust in their wealth

and boast of great riches.

7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death

by paying a ransom to God.

8 Redemption does not come so easily,

for no one can ever pay enough

9 to live forever

and never see the grave.

10 Those who are wise must finally die,

just like the foolish and senseless,

leaving all their wealth behind.

11 The grave is their eternal home,

where they will stay forever.

They may name their estates after themselves,

but they leave their wealth to others.

12 They will not last long despite their riches--

they will die like the animals.

13 This is the fate of fools,

though they will be remembered as being so wise.

Interlude14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,

where death will be their shepherd.

In the morning the godly will rule over them.

Their bodies will rot in the grave,

far from their grand estates.

15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.

He will snatch me from the power of death.

Interlude16 So don't be dismayed when the wicked grow rich,

and their homes become ever more splendid.

17 For when they die, they carry nothing with them.

Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.

18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate,

and the world loudly applauds their success.

19 But they will die like all others before them

and never again see the light of day.

20 People who boast of their wealth don't understand

that they will die like the animals.

PROVERBS 22:20-21

I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. In this way, you may know the truth and bring an accurate report to those who sent you.

September 4 Reading through the Bible

 

ECCLESIASTES 7:1-9:18

2 CORINTHIANS 7:8-16

PSALM 48:1-14

PROVERBS 22:17-19

ECCLESIASTES 7:1-9:18

A good reputation is more valuable than the most expensive perfume. In the same way, the day you die is better than the day you are born. 2 It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and you should think about it while there is still time. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. 4 A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now. 5 It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool! 6 Indeed, a fool's laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless. 7 Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart. 8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. 9 Don't be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools. 10 Don't long for " the good old days," for you don't know whether they were any better than today. 11 Being wise is as good as being rich; in fact, it is better. 12 Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it's important to know that only wisdom can save your life. 13 Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don't fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked? 14 Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life. 15 In this meaningless life, I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on. 16 So don't be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17 On the other hand, don't be too wicked either--don't be a fool! Why should you die before your time? 18 So try to walk a middle course--but those who fear God will succeed either way. 19 A wise person is stronger than the ten leading citizens of a town! 20 There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins. 21 Don't eavesdrop on others--you may hear your servant laughing at you. 22 For you know how often you yourself have laughed at others. 23 All along I have tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, " I am determined to be wise." But it didn't really work. 24 Wisdom is always distant and very difficult to find. 25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness. 26 I discovered that a seductive woman is more bitter than death. Her passion is a trap, and her soft hands will bind you. Those who please God will escape from her, but sinners will be caught in her snare. 27 " This is my conclusion," says the Teacher. " I came to this result after looking into the matter from every possible angle. 28 Just one out of every thousand men I interviewed can be said to be upright, but not one woman! 29 I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path."8:1 HOW wonderful to be wise, to be able to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person's face, softening its hardness. 2 Obey the king because you have vowed before God to do this. 3 Don't try to avoid doing your duty, and don't take a stand with those who plot evil. For the king will punish those who disobey him. 4 The king's command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right. 6 Yes, there is a time and a way for everything, even as people's troubles lie heavily upon them. 7 Indeed, how can people avoid what they don't know is going to happen? 8 None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue those who practice it. 9 I have thought deeply about all that goes on here in the world, where people have the power to hurt each other. 10 I have seen wicked people buried with honor. How strange that they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are praised in the very city where they committed their crimes! 11 When a crime is not punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong. 12 But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 13 The wicked will never live long, good lives, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows. 14 And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless! 15 So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them. 16 In my search for wisdom, I tried to observe everything that goes on all across the earth. I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. 17 This reminded me that no one can discover everything God has created in our world, no matter how hard they work at it. Not even the wisest people know everything, even if they say they do.9:1 THIS, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God's hands, no one knows whether or not God will show them favor in this life. 2 The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether they are righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who take oaths are treated like people who don't. 3 It seems so tragic that one fate comes to all. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 4 There is hope only for the living. For as they say, " It is better to be a live dog than a dead lion!" 5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime--loving, hating, envying--is all long gone. They no longer have a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a dash of cologne! 9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you in this world. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 11 I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being at the right place at the right time. 12 People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often caught by sudden tragedy. 13 Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. 14 There was a small town with only a few people living in it, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 15 There was a poor, wise man living there who knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought any more about him. 16 Then I realized that though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. 17 But even so, the quiet words of a wise person are better than the shouts of a foolish king. 18 A wise person can overcome weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

2 CORINTHIANS 7:8-16

I [Paul] am no longer sorry that I sent that letter to you [Corinthians], though I was sorry for a time, for I know that it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to have remorse and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death. 11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish the wrongdoer. You showed that you have done everything you could to make things right. 12 My purpose was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could show how much you really do care for us. 13 We have been encouraged by this.In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was at the way you welcomed him and set his mind at ease. 14 I had told him how proud I was of you--and you didn't disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! 15 Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way you listened to him and welcomed him with such respect and deep concern. 16 I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.

PSALM 48:1-14

A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song.

1 How great is the LORD,

and how much we should praise him

in the city of our God,

which is on his holy mountain!

2 It is magnificent in elevation--

the whole earth rejoices to see it!

Mount Zion, the holy mountain,

is the city of the great King!

3 God himself is in Jerusalem's towers.

He reveals himself as her defender.

4 The kings of the earth joined forces

and advanced against the city.

5 But when they saw it, they were stunned;

they were terrified and ran away.

6 They were gripped with terror,

like a woman writhing in the pain of childbirth

7 or like the mighty ships of Tarshish

being shattered by a powerful east wind.

8 We had heard of the city's glory,

but now we have seen it ourselves--

the city of the LORD Almighty.

It is the city of our God;

he will make it safe forever.

Interlude9 O God, we meditate on your unfailing love

as we worship in your Temple.

10 As your name deserves, O God,

you will be praised to the ends of the earth.

Your strong right hand is filled with victory.

11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.

Let the towns of Judah be glad,

for your judgments are just.

12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.

Walk around and count the many towers.

13 Take note of the fortified walls,

and tour all the citadels,

that you may describe them

to future generations.

14 For that is what God is like.

He is our God forever and ever,

and he will be our guide until we die.

PROVERBS 22:17-19

Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings deep within yourself, always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today--yes, you--so you will trust in the LORD. 

September 3 Reading through the Bible

 

ECCLESIASTES 4:1-6:12

2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:7

PSALM 47:1-9

PROVERBS 22:16

ECCLESIASTES 4:1-6:12

Again I [the Teacher] observed all the oppression that takes place in our world. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and the victims are helpless. 2 So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. 3 And most fortunate of all are those who were never born. For they have never seen all the evil that is done in our world. 4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success by their envy of their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless, like chasing the wind. 5 Foolish people refuse to work and almost starve. 6 They feel it is better to be lazy and barely survive than to work hard, especially when in the long run everything is so futile. 7 I observed yet another example of meaninglessness in our world. 8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, " Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?" It is all so meaningless and depressing. 9 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. 11 And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. 13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than to be an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. 14 Such a youth could come from prison and succeed. He might even become king, though he was born in poverty. 15 Everyone is eager to help such a youth, even to help him take the throne. 16 He might become the leader of millions and be very popular. But then the next generation grows up and rejects him! So again, it is all meaningless, like chasing the wind.5:1 AS you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! Don't be a fool who doesn't realize that mindless offerings to God are evil. 2 And don't make rash promises to God, for he is in heaven, and you are only here on earth. So let your words be few. 3 Just as being too busy gives you nightmares, being a fool makes you a blabbermouth. 4 So when you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. 5 It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you don't follow through on. 6 In such cases, your mouth is making you sin. And don't defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. 7 Dreaming all the time instead of working is foolishness. And there is ruin in a flood of empty words. Fear God instead. 8 If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried throughout the land, don't be surprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. 9 Even the king milks the land for his own profit! 10 Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what is the advantage of wealth--except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers! 12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep. 13 There is another serious problem I have seen in the world. Riches are sometimes hoarded to the harm of the saver, 14 or they are put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one's children. 15 People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born. 16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. As people come into this world, so they depart. All their hard work is for nothing. They have been working for the wind, and everything will be swept away. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud--frustrated, discouraged, and angry. 18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work--whatever they do under the sun--for however long God lets them live. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. 20 People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy.6:1 THERE is another serious tragedy I have seen in our world. 2 God gives great wealth and honor to some people and gives them everything they could ever want, but then he doesn't give them the health to enjoy it. They die, and others get it all! This is meaningless--a sickening tragedy. 3 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and in the end does not even get a decent burial, I say he would have been better off born dead. 4 I realize that his birth would have been meaningless and ended in darkness. He wouldn't even have had a name, 5 and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than he has in growing up to be an unhappy man. 6 He might live a thousand years twice over but not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else--well, what's the use? 7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough. 8 Considering this, do wise people really have any advantage over fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others? 9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind. 10 Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny. 11 The more words you speak, the less they mean. So why overdo it? 12 In the few days of our empty lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? And who can tell what will happen in the future after we are gone?

2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:7

Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: " I will live in them

and walk among them.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

17 Therefore, come out from them

and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.

Don't touch their filthy things,

and I will welcome you.

18 And I will be your Father,

and you will be my sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty."

7:1 BECAUSE we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God. 2 Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone. We have not led anyone astray. We have not taken advantage of anyone. 3 I'm not saying this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts forever. We live or die together with you. 4 I have the highest confidence in you, and my pride in you is great. You have greatly encouraged me; you have made me happy despite all our troubles. 5 When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us. Outside there was conflict from every direction, and inside there was fear. 6 But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7 His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told me how much you were looking forward to my visit, and how sorry you were about what had happened, and how loyal your love is for me, I was filled with joy!

PSALM 47:1-9

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 Come, everyone, and clap your hands for joy!

Shout to God with joyful praise!

2 For the LORD Most High is awesome.

He is the great King of all the earth.

3 He subdues the nations before us,

putting our enemies beneath our feet.

4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,

the proud possession of Jacob's descendants, whom he loves.

Interlude5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.

The LORD has ascended with trumpets blaring.

6 Sing praise to God, sing praises;

sing praise to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King over all the earth.

Praise him with a psalm!

8 God reigns above the nations,

sitting on his holy throne.

9 The rulers of the world have gathered together.

They join us in praising the God of Abraham.

For all the kings of the earth belong to God.

He is highly honored everywhere.

PROVERBS 22:16

A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty. 

September 2 Reading through the Bible

 

ECCLESIASTES 1:1-3:22

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-13

PSALM 46:1-11

PROVERBS 22:15

ECCLESIASTES 1:1-3:22

These are the words of the Teacher, King David's son, who ruled in Jerusalem. 2 " Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, " utterly meaningless!" 3 What do people get for all their hard work? 4 Generations come and go, but nothing really changes. 5 The sun rises and sets and hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south and north, here and there, twisting back and forth, getting nowhere. 7 The rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows again to the sea. 8 Everything is so weary and tiresome! No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. 9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 What can you point to that is new? How do you know it didn't already exist long ago? 11 We don't remember what happened in those former times. And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. 12 I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done in the world. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. 14 Everything under the sun is meaningless, like chasing the wind. 15 What is wrong cannot be righted. What is missing cannot be recovered.16 I said to myself, " Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them." 17 So I worked hard to distinguish wisdom from foolishness. But now I realize that even this was like chasing the wind. 18 For the greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. 2:1 I SAID to myself, " Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the ` good things' in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 2 " It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. " What good does it do to seek only pleasure?" 3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. 4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. 7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned great herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who lived in Jerusalem before me. 8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire! 9 So I became greater than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things. 10 Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors. 11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. 12 So I decided to compare wisdom and folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did. 13 Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. 14 For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that wise and foolish people share the same fate. 15 Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom? Then I said to myself, " This is all so meaningless!" 16 For the wise person and the fool both die, and in the days to come, both will be forgotten. 17 So now I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind. 18 I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others. 19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless!20 So I turned in despair from hard work. It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life. 21 For though I do my work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, I must leave everything I gain to people who haven't worked to earn it. This is not only foolish but highly unfair. 22 So what do people get for all their hard work? 23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless. 24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? 26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. Even this, however, is meaningless, like chasing the wind. 3:1 THERE is a time for everything,

a season for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to lose.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.

8 A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have thought about this in connection with the various kinds of work God has given people to do. 11 God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. 14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him. 15 Whatever exists today and whatever will exist in the future has already existed in the past. For God calls each event back in its turn. 16 I also noticed that throughout the world there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! 17 I said to myself, " In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds." 18 Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals. 19 For humans and animals both breathe the same air, and both die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! 20 Both go to the same place--the dust from which they came and to which they must return. 21 For who can prove that the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is why they are here! No one will bring them back from death to enjoy life in the future.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-13

As God's partners, we [Paul and his co-workers] beg you [Corinthians] not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. 2 For God says, " At just the right time, I heard you.

On the day of salvation, I helped you."

Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation. 3 We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit. 7 We have faithfully preached the truth. God's power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are well known, but we are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive. We have been beaten within an inch of our lives. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you. Our hearts are open to you. 12 If there is a problem between us, it is not because of a lack of love on our part, but because you have withheld your love from us. 13 I am talking now as I would to my own children. Open your hearts to us!

PSALM 46:1-11

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices. A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

always ready to help in times of trouble.

2 So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come

and the mountains crumble into the sea.

3 Let the oceans roar and foam.

Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

Interlude4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,

the sacred home of the Most High.

5 God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed.

God will protect it at the break of day.

6 The nations are in an uproar,

and kingdoms crumble!

God thunders,

and the earth melts!

7 The LORD Almighty is here among us;

the God of Israel is our fortress.

Interlude8 Come, see the glorious works of the LORD:

See how he brings destruction upon the world

9 and causes wars to end throughout the earth.

He breaks the bow and snaps the spear in two;

he burns the shields with fire.

10 " Be silent, and know that I am God!

I will be honored by every nation.

I will be honored throughout the world."

11 The LORD Almighty is here among us;

the God of Israel is our fortress.

Interlude

PROVERBS 22:15

A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but discipline will drive it away. 

September 1 Reading through the Bible

 

 JOB 40:1-42:17

2 CORINTHIANS 5:11-21

PSALM 45:1-17

PROVERBS 22:14

JOB 40:1-42:17

Then the LORD said to Job, 2 " Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?" 3 Then Job replied to the LORD, 4 " I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers? I will put my hand over my mouth in silence. 5 I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say." 6 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: 7 " Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 8 Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so you can say you are right? 9 Are you as strong as God, and can you thunder with a voice like his? 10 All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. 11 Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. 12 Humiliate the proud with a glance; walk on the wicked where they stand. 13 Bury them in the dust. Imprison them in the world of the dead. 14 Then even I would praise you, for your own strength would save you. 15 " Take a look at the mighty hippopotamus. I made it, just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox. 16 See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly. 17 Its tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are tightly knit together. 18 Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron. 19 It is a prime example of God's amazing handiwork. Only its Creator can threaten it. 20 The mountains offer it their best food, where all the wild animals play. 21 It lies down under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds. 22 The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream. 23 It is not disturbed by raging rivers, not even when the swelling Jordan rushes down upon it. 24 No one can catch it off guard or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.41:1 " CAN you catch a crocodile with a hook or put a noose around its jaw? 2 Can you tie it with a rope through the nose or pierce its jaw with a spike? 3 Will it beg you for mercy or implore you for pity? 4 Will it agree to work for you? Can you make it be your slave for life? 5 Can you make it a pet like a bird, or give it to your little girls to play with? 6 Will merchants try to buy it? Will they sell it in their shops? 7 Will its hide be hurt by darts, or its head by a harpoon? 8 If you lay a hand on it, you will never forget the battle that follows, and you will never try it again! 9 " No, it is useless to try to capture it. The hunter who attempts it will be thrown down. 10 And since no one dares to disturb the crocodile, who would dare to stand up to me? 11 Who will confront me and remain safe? Everything under heaven is mine. 12 " I want to emphasize the tremendous strength in the crocodile's limbs and throughout its enormous frame. 13 Who can strip off its hide, and who can penetrate its double layer of armor? 14 Who could pry open its jaws? For its teeth are terrible! 15 The overlapping scales on its back make a shield. 16 They are close together so no air can get between them. 17 They lock together so nothing can penetrate them. 18 " When it sneezes, it flashes light! Its eyes are like the red of dawn. 19 Fire and sparks leap from its mouth. 20 Smoke streams from its nostrils like steam from a boiling pot on a fire of dry rushes. 21 Yes, its breath would kindle coals, for flames shoot from its mouth. 22 " The tremendous strength in its neck strikes terror wherever it goes. 23 Its flesh is hard and firm, not soft and fat. 24 Its heart is as hard as rock, as hard as a millstone. 25 When it rises, the mighty are afraid, gripped by terror. 26 No sword can stop it, nor spear nor dart nor pointed shaft. 27 To the crocodile, iron is nothing but straw, and bronze is rotten wood. 28 Arrows cannot make it flee. Stones shot from a sling are as ineffective as straw. 29 Clubs do no good, and it laughs at the swish of the javelins. 30 Its belly is covered with scales as sharp as glass. They tear up the ground as it drags through the mud. 31 " The crocodile makes the water boil with its commotion. It churns the depths. 32 The water glistens in its wake. One would think the sea had turned white. 33 There is nothing else so fearless anywhere on earth. 34 Of all the creatures, it is the proudest. It is the king of beasts."42:1 THEN Job replied to the LORD: 2 " I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You ask, ` Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I. And I was talking about things I did not understand, things far too wonderful for me. 4 " You said, ` Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.' 5 " I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance." 7 After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: " I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was. 8 Now take seven young bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the LORD commanded them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer. 10 When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before! 11 Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the LORD had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring. 12 So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. 14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land there were no other women as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers. 16 Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. 17 Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, good life.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:11-21

It is because we [Paul and his co-workers] know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you [Corinthians] know this, too. 12 Are we trying to pat ourselves on the back again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart before God. 13 If it seems that we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them. 16 So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! 17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, " Be reconciled to God!" 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

PSALM 45:1-17

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be sung to the tune " Lilies." A love song.

1 My heart overflows with a beautiful thought!

I will recite a lovely poem to the king,

for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

2 You are the most handsome of all.

Gracious words stream from your lips.

God himself has blessed you forever.

3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

You are so glorious, so majestic!

4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,

defending truth, humility, and justice.

Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp,

piercing your enemies' hearts.

The nations fall before you,

lying down beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.

Your royal power is expressed in justice.

7 You love what is right and hate what is wrong.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,

pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.

8 Your robes are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

In palaces decorated with ivory,

you are entertained by the music of harps.

9 Kings' daughters are among your concubines.

At your right side stands the queen,

wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.

Forget your people and your homeland far away.

11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;

honor him, for he is your lord.

12 The princes of Tyre will shower you with gifts.

People of great wealth will entreat your favor.

13 The bride, a princess, waits within her chamber,

dressed in a gown woven with gold.

14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,

accompanied by her bridesmaids.

15 What a joyful, enthusiastic procession

as they enter the king's palace!

16 Your sons will become kings like their father.

You will make them rulers over many lands.

17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation.

Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

PROVERBS 22:14

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; those living under the LORD's displeasure will fall into it.

August 31 Reading through the Bible

 

 JOB 37:1-39:30

2 CORINTHIANS 4:13-5:10

PSALM 44:9-26

PROVERBS 22:13

JOB 37:1-39:30

" My [Elihu's] heart pounds as I think of this. It leaps within me. 2 Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as it rolls from his mouth. 3 It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes out in every direction. 4 Then comes the roaring of the thunder--the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain the thunder when he speaks. 5 God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We cannot comprehend the greatness of his power. 6 " He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. 7 Everyone stops working at such a time so they can recognize his power. 8 The wild animals hide in the rocks or in their dens. 9 The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold. 10 God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning. 12 The clouds turn around and around under his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth. 13 He causes things to happen on earth, either as a punishment or as a sign of his unfailing love.14 " Listen, Job; stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God! 15 Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash forth from his clouds? 16 Do you understand how he balances the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? 17 When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, 18 he makes the skies reflect the heat like a giant mirror. Can you do that? 19 " You think you know so much, so teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments. 20 Should God be told that I want to speak? Can we speak when we are confused? 21 We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds. 22 Golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor. 23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty, yet he is so just and merciful that he does not oppress us. 24 No wonder people everywhere fear him. People who are truly wise show him reverence."38:1 THEN the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: 2 " Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? 3 Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 4 " Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5 Do you know how its dimensions were determined and who did the surveying? 6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?8 " Who defined the boundaries of the sea as it burst from the womb, 9 and as I clothed it with clouds and thick darkness? 10 For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. 11 I said, ` Thus far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!' 12 " Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? 13 Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night's wickedness? 14 For the features of the earth take shape as the light approaches, and the dawn is robed in red. 15 The light disturbs the haunts of the wicked, and it stops the arm that is raised in violence. 16 " Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you walked about and explored their depths? 17 Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom? 18 Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know! 19 " Where does the light come from, and where does the darkness go? 20 Can you take it to its home? Do you know how to get there? 21 But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!22 " Have you visited the treasuries of the snow? Have you seen where the hail is made and stored? 23 I have reserved it for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war. 24 Where is the path to the origin of light? Where is the home of the east wind? 25 " Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning? 26 Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? 27 Who sends the rain that satisfies the parched ground and makes the tender grass spring up? 28 " Does the rain have a father? Where does dew come from? 29 Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens? 30 For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.31 " Can you hold back the movements of the stars? Are you able to restrain the Pleiades or Orion? 32 Can you ensure the proper sequence of the seasons or guide the constellation of the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? 33 Do you know the laws of the universe and how God rules the earth? 34 " Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? 35 Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct it? 36 Who gives intuition and instinct? 37 Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven, 38 turning the dry dust to clumps of mud? 39 " Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions' appetites 40 as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket? 41 Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God as they wander about in hunger?39:1 " DO you know when the mountain goats give birth? Have you watched as the wild deer are born? 2 Do you know how many months they carry their young? Are you aware of the time of their delivery? 3 They crouch down to give birth to their young and deliver their offspring. 4 Their young grow up in the open fields, then leave their parents and never return. 5 " Who makes the wild donkey wild? 6 I have placed it in the wilderness; its home is the wasteland. 7 It hates the noise of the city, and it has no driver to shout at it. 8 The mountains are its pastureland, where it searches for every blade of grass. 9 " Will the wild ox consent to being tamed? Will it stay in your stall? 10 Can you hitch a wild ox to a plow? Will it plow a field for you? 11 Since it is so strong, can you trust it? Can you go away and trust the ox to do your work? 12 Can you rely on it to return, bringing your grain to the threshing floor? 13 " The ostrich flaps her wings grandly, but they are no match for the feathers of the stork. 14 She lays her eggs on top of the earth, letting them be warmed in the dust. 15 She doesn't worry that a foot might crush them or that wild animals might destroy them. 16 She is harsh toward her young, as if they were not her own. She is unconcerned though they die, 17 for God has deprived her of wisdom. He has given her no understanding. 18 But whenever she jumps up to run, she passes the swiftest horse with its rider. 19 " Have you given the horse its strength or clothed its neck with a flowing mane? 20 Did you give it the ability to leap forward like a locust? Its majestic snorting is something to hear! 21 It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength. When it charges to war, 22 it is unafraid. It does not run from the sword. 23 The arrows rattle against it, and the spear and javelin flash. 24 Fiercely it paws the ground and rushes forward into battle when the trumpet blows. 25 It snorts at the sound of the bugle. It senses the battle even at a distance. It quivers at the noise of battle and the shout of the captain's commands. 26 " Are you the one who makes the hawk soar and spread its wings to the south? 27 Is it at your command that the eagle rises to the heights to make its nest? 28 It lives on the cliffs, making its home on a distant, rocky crag. 29 From there it hunts its prey, keeping watch with piercing eyes. 30 Its nestlings gulp down blood, for it feeds on the carcass of the slaughtered."

2 CORINTHIANS 4:13-5:10

But we [Paul and his co-workers] continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, " I believed in God, and so I speak." 14 We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. 15 All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.5:1 FOR we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down--when we die and leave these bodies--we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. 4 Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So our aim is to please him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies.

PSALM 44:9-26

But now you [God] have tossed us aside in dishonor.

You no longer lead our armies to battle.

10 You make us retreat from our enemies

and allow them to plunder our land.

11 You have treated us like sheep waiting to be slaughtered;

you have scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold us--your precious people--for a pittance.

You valued us at nothing at all.

13 You have caused all our neighbors to mock us.

We are an object of scorn and derision to the nations around us.

14 You have made us the butt of their jokes;

we are scorned by the whole world.

15 We can't escape the constant humiliation;

shame is written across our faces.

16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.

All we see are our vengeful enemies.

17 All this has happened despite our loyalty to you.

We have not violated your covenant.

18 Our hearts have not deserted you.

We have not strayed from your path.

19 Yet you have crushed us in the desert.

You have covered us with darkness and death.

20 If we had turned away from worshiping our God

or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,

21 God would surely have known it,

for he knows the secrets of every heart.

22 For your sake we are killed every day;

we are being slaughtered like sheep.

23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?

Get up! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you look the other way?

Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

25 We collapse in the dust,

lying face down in the dirt.

26 Rise up! Come and help us!

Save us because of your unfailing love.

PROVERBS 22:13

The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, "If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!"

August 30 Reading through the Bible

  

JOB 34:1-36:33

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-12

PSALM 44:1-8

PROVERBS 22:10-12

JOB 34:1-36:33

Then Elihu said: 2 " Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge. 3 ` Just as the mouth tastes good food, the ear tests the words it hears.' 4 So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. 5 For Job has said, ` I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. 6 I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, even though I have not sinned.'7 " Has there ever been a man as arrogant as Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? 8 He seeks the companionship of evil people. He spends his time with wicked men. 9 He has even said, ` Why waste time trying to please God?' 10 " Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn't sin! The Almighty can do no wrong. 11 He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people according to their ways. 12 There is no truer statement than this: God will not do wrong. The Almighty cannot twist justice. 13 Who put the world in his care? Who has set the whole world in place? 14 If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, 15 all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. 16 " Listen now and try to understand. 17 Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty Judge? 18 For he says to kings and nobles, ` You are wicked and unjust.' 19 He doesn't care how great a person may be, and he doesn't pay any more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. 20 In a moment they die. At midnight they all pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.21 " For God carefully watches the way people live; he sees everything they do. 22 No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes. 23 For it is not up to mortals to decide when to come before God in judgment. 24 He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their places. 25 He watches what they do, and in the night he overturns them, destroying them. 26 He openly strikes them down for their wickedness. 27 For they turned aside from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways. 28 So they cause the poor to cry out, catching God's attention. Yes, he hears the cries of the needy. 29 When he is quiet, who can make trouble? But when he hides his face, who can find him? 30 He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people. 31 " Why don't people say to God, ` I have sinned, but I will sin no more'? 32 Or ` I don't know what evil I have done; tell me, and I will stop at once'? 33 " Must God tailor his justice to your demands? But you have rejected him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us. 34 After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say, 35 ` Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.' 36 Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. 37 For now you have added rebellion and blasphemy against God to your other sins."35:1 THEN Elihu said: 2 " Do you think it is right for you to claim, ` I am righteous before God'? 3 Yet you also ask, ` What's the use of living a righteous life? How will it benefit me?' 4 " I will answer you and all your friends, too. 5 Look up into the sky and see the clouds high above you. 6 If you sin, what do you accomplish against him? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him? 7 If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him? 8 No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds affect only other people. 9 " The oppressed cry out beneath the wrongs that are done to them. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. 10 Yet they don't ask, ` Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night? 11 Where is the one who makes us wiser than the animals and birds?' 12 " And if they do cry out and God does not answer, it is because of their pride. 13 But it is wrong to say God doesn't listen, to say the Almighty isn't concerned. 14 And it is even more false to say he doesn't see what is going on. He will bring about justice if you will only wait. 15 But do you cry out against him because he does not respond in anger? 16 Job, you have protested in vain. You have spoken like a fool."36:1 ELIHU continued speaking: 2 " Let me go on, and I will show you the truth of what I am saying. For I have not finished defending God! 3 I will give you many illustrations of the righteousness of my Creator. 4 I am telling you the honest truth, for I am a man of well-rounded knowledge. 5 " God is mighty, yet he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. 6 He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted. 7 His eyes never leave the innocent, but he establishes and exalts them with kings forever. 8 If troubles come upon them and they are enslaved and afflicted, 9 he takes the trouble to show them the reason. He shows them their sins, for they have behaved proudly. 10 He gets their attention and says they must turn away from evil. 11 " If they listen and obey God, then they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant. 12 But if they refuse to listen to him, they will perish in battle and die from lack of understanding. 13 For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help. 14 They die young after wasting their lives in immoral living. 15 But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity. 16 " God has led you away from danger, giving you freedom. You have prospered in a wide and pleasant valley. 17 But you are too obsessed with judgment on the godless. Don't worry, justice will be upheld. 18 But watch out, or you may be seduced with wealth. Don't let yourself be bribed into sin. 19 Could all your wealth and mighty efforts keep you from distress? 20 Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed. 21 Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for it was to prevent you from getting into a life of evil that God sent this suffering. 22 " Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? 23 No one can tell him what to do. No one can say to him, ` You have done wrong.' 24 Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise. 25 Everyone has seen these things, but only from a distance. 26 " Look, God is exalted beyond what we can understand. His years are without number. 27 He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. 28 The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits from it. 29 Can anyone really understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven? 30 See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. 31 By his mighty acts he governs the people, giving them food in abundance. 32 He fills his hands with lightning bolts. He hurls each at its target. 33 The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-12

And so, since God in his mercy has given us [Paul and his coworkers] this wonderful ministry, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful and underhanded methods. We do not try to trick anyone, and we do not distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know that. 3 If the Good News we preach is veiled from anyone, it is a sign that they are perishing. 4 Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 5 We don't go around preaching about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord. All we say about ourselves is that we are your servants because of what Jesus has done for us. 6 For God, who said, " Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But this precious treasure--this light and power that now shine within us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. 10 Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.

PSALM 44:1-8

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears--

our ancestors have told us

of all you did in other days,

in days long ago:

2 You drove out the pagan nations

and gave all the land to our ancestors;

you crushed their enemies,

setting our ancestors free.

3 They did not conquer the land with their swords;

it was not their own strength that gave them victory.

It was by your mighty power that they succeeded;

it was because you favored them and smiled on them.

4 You are my King and my God.

You command victories for your people.

5 Only by your power can we push back our enemies;

only in your name can we trample our foes.

6 I do not trust my bow;

I do not count on my sword to save me.

7 It is you who gives us victory over our enemies;

it is you who humbles those who hate us.

8 O God, we give glory to you all day long

and constantly praise your name.

Interlude

PROVERBS 22:10-12

Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear. Anyone who loves a pure heart and gracious speech is the king's friend. The LORD preserves knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the deceitful.

August 29 Reading through the Bible

  

JOB 31:1-33:33

2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-18

PSALM 43:1-5

PROVERBS 22:8-9

JOB 31:1-33:33

" I [Job] made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman. 2 What has God above chosen for us? What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high? 3 It is calamity for the wicked, misfortune for those who do evil. 4 He sees everything I do and every step I take. 5 " Have I lied to anyone or deceived anyone? 6 Let God judge me on the scales of justice, for he knows my integrity. 7 If I have strayed from his pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, or if I am guilty of any other sin, 8 then let someone else harvest the crops I have planted, and let all that I have planted be uprooted.9 " If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor's wife, 10 then may my wife belong to another man; may other men sleep with her. 11 For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. 12 It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell. It would wipe out everything I own. 13 " If I have been unfair to my male or female servants, if I have refused to hear their complaints, 14 how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me about it? 15 For God created both me and my servants. He created us both. 16 " Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows who looked to me for help? 17 Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with hungry orphans? 18 No, from childhood I have cared for orphans, and all my life I have cared for widows. 19 Whenever I saw someone who was homeless and without clothes, 20 did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm? 21 If my arm has abused an orphan because I thought I could get away with it, 22 then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place! Let my arm be torn from its socket! 23 That would be better than facing the judgment sent by God. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there? 24 " Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold? 25 Does my happiness depend on my wealth and all that I own? 26 Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway, 27 and been secretly enticed in my heart to worship them? 28 If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.29 " Have I ever rejoiced when my enemies came to ruin or become excited when harm came their way? 30 No, I have never cursed anyone or asked for revenge. 31 My servants have never let others go hungry. 32 I have never turned away a stranger but have opened my doors to everyone. 33 Have I tried to hide my sins as people normally do, hiding my guilt in a closet? 34 Have I feared the crowd and its contempt, so that I refused to acknowledge my sin and would not go outside? 35 " If only I had someone who would listen to me and try to see my side! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty show me that I am wrong. Let my accuser write out the charges against me. 36 I would face the accusation proudly. I would treasure it like a crown. 37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince. 38 " If my land accuses me and all its furrows weep together, 39 or if I have stolen its crops or murdered its owners, 40 then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley." Job's words are ended.32:1 JOB'S three friends refused to reply further to him because he kept insisting on his innocence. 2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, became angry. He was angry because Job refused to admit that he had sinned and that God was right in punishing him. 3 He was also angry with Job's three friends because they had condemned God by their inability to answer Job's arguments. 4 Elihu had waited for the others to speak because they were older than he. 5 But when he saw that they had no further reply, he spoke out angrily. 6 Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said, " I am young and you are old, so I held back and did not dare to tell you what I think. 7 I thought, ` Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.' 8 Surely it is God's Spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent. 9 But sometimes the elders are not wise. Sometimes the aged do not understand justice. 10 So listen to me and let me express my opinion. 11 " I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, listening to you grope for words. 12 I have listened, but not one of you has refuted Job or answered his arguments. 13 And don't tell me, ` He is too wise for us. Only God can convince him.' 14 If Job had been arguing with me, I would not answer with that kind of logic! 15 You sit there baffled, with no further response. 16 Should I continue to wait, now that you are silent? Must I also remain silent? 17 No, I will say my piece. I will speak my mind. I surely will. 18 For I am pent up and full of words, and the spirit within me urges me on. 19 I am like a wine cask without a vent. My words are ready to burst out! 20 I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers. 21 I won't play favorites or try to flatter anyone. 22 And if I tried, my Creator would soon do away with me.33:1 " LISTEN, Job, to what I have to say. 2 Now that I have begun to speak, let me continue. 3 I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. 4 For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5 Answer me, if you can; make your case and take your stand. 6 " Look, you and I are the same before God. I, too, was formed from clay. 7 So you don't need to be afraid of me. I am not some great person to make you nervous and afraid. 8 " You have said it in my hearing. I have heard your very words. 9 You said, ` I am pure; I am innocent; I have not sinned. 10 God is picking a quarrel with me, and he considers me to be his enemy. 11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches every move I make.' 12 " In this you are not right, and I will show you why. As you yourself have said, ` God is greater than any person.' 13 So why are you bringing a charge against him? You say, ` He does not respond to people's complaints.' 14 But God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. 15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in bed. 16 He whispers in their ear and terrifies them with his warning. 17 He causes them to change their minds; he keeps them from pride. 18 He keeps them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. 19 Or God disciplines people with sickness and pain, with ceaseless aching in their bones. 20 They lose their appetite and do not care for even the most delicious food. 21 They waste away to skin and bones. 22 They are at death's door; the angels of death wait for them. 23 " But if a special messenger from heaven is there to intercede for a person, to declare that he is upright, 24 God will be gracious and say, ` Set him free. Do not make him die, for I have found a ransom for his life.' 25 Then his body will become as healthy as a child's, firm and youthful again. 26 When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. 27 He will declare to his friends, ` I sinned, but it was not worth it. 28 God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.' 29 " Yes, God often does these things for people. 30 He rescues them from the grave so they may live in the light of the living. 31 Mark this well, Job. Listen to me, and let me say more. 32 But if you have anything to say, go ahead. I want to hear it, for I am anxious to see you justified. 33 But if not, then listen to me. Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!"

2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-18

Are we [Paul and his coworkers] beginning again to tell you how good we are? Some people need to bring letters of recommendation with them or ask you to write letters of recommendation for them. 2 But the only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves! Your lives are a letter written in our hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. 6 He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life. 7 That old system of law etched in stone led to death, yet it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn't we expect far greater glory when the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new covenant. 11 So if the old covenant, which has been set aside, was full of glory, then the new covenant, which remains forever, has far greater glory. 12 Since this new covenant gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory fading away. 14 But the people's minds were hardened, and even to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, a veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. 17 Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. 18 And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.

PSALM 43:1-5

O God, take up my cause!

Defend me against these ungodly people.

Rescue me from these unjust liars.

2 For you are God, my only safe haven.

Why have you tossed me aside?

Why must I wander around in darkness,

oppressed by my enemies?

3 Send out your light and your truth;

let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live.

4 There I will go to the altar of God,

to God--the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp,

O God, my God!

5 Why am I discouraged?

Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again--

my Savior and my God!

PROVERBS 22:8-9

Those who plant seeds of injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will end. Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

August 28 Reading through the Bible

  

JOB 28:1-30:31

2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-17

PSALM 42:1-11

PROVERBS 22:7

JOB 28:1-30:31

" People know how to mine silver and refine gold. 2 They know how to dig iron from the earth and smelt copper from stone. 3 They know how to put light into darkness and explore the farthest, darkest regions of the earth as they search for ore. 4 They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth. 5 Bread comes from the earth, but below the surface the earth is melted as by fire. 6 " People know how to find sapphires and gold dust--7 treasures that no bird of prey can see, no falcon's eye observe--8 for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. 9 People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains. 10 They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones. 11 They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures. 12 " But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? 13 No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. 14 ` It is not here,' says the ocean. ` Nor is it here,' says the sea. 15 " It cannot be bought for gold or silver. 16 Its value is greater than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx stone or sapphires. 17 Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. 18 Coral and valuable rock crystal are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above pearls. 19 Topaz from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. Its value is greater than the purest gold. 20 " But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? 21 For it is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. 22 But Destruction and Death say, ` We have heard a rumor of where wisdom can be found.' 23 " God surely knows where it can be found, 24 for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. 25 He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. 26 He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. 27 Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. 28 And this is what he says to all humanity: ` The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.' "29:1 JOB continued speaking: 2 " I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, 3 when he lighted the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness. 4 In my early years, the friendship of God was felt in my home. 5 The Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me. 6 In those days my cows produced milk in abundance, and my olive groves poured out streams of olive oil. 7 " Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. 8 The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. 9 The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths. 10 The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect.11 " All who heard of me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me. 12 For I helped the poor in their need and the orphans who had no one to help them. 13 I helped those who had lost hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows' hearts to sing for joy. 14 All I did was just and honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban. 15 I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor and made sure that even strangers received a fair trial. 17 I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and made them release their victims. 18 " I thought, ` Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life. 19 For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. 20 New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.' 21 " Everyone listened to me and valued my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak. 22 And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied them. 23 They longed for me to speak as they longed for rain. They waited eagerly, for my words were as refreshing as the spring rain. 24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. 25 I told them what they should do and presided over them as their chief. I lived as a king among his troops and as one who comforts those who mourn.30:1 " BUT now I am mocked by those who are younger than I, by young men whose fathers are not worthy to run with my sheepdogs. 2 A lot of good they are to me--those worn-out wretches! 3 They are gaunt with hunger and flee to the deserts and the wastelands, desolate and gloomy. 4 They eat coarse leaves, and they burn the roots of shrubs for heat. 5 They are driven from civilization, and people shout after them as if they were thieves. 6 So now they live in frightening ravines and in caves and among the rocks. 7 They sound like animals as they howl among the bushes; they huddle together for shelter beneath the nettles. 8 They are nameless fools, outcasts of civilization. 9 " And now their sons mock me with their vulgar song! They taunt me! 10 They despise me and won't come near me, except to spit in my face. 11 For God has cut the cords of my tent. He has humbled me, so they have thrown off all restraint. 12 These outcasts oppose me to my face. They send me sprawling; they lay traps in my path. 13 They block my road and do everything they can to hasten my calamity, knowing full well that I have no one to help me. 14 They come at me from all directions. They rush upon me when I am down. 15 I live in terror now. They hold me in contempt, and my prosperity has vanished as a cloud before a strong wind. 16 " And now my heart is broken. Depression haunts my days. 17 My weary nights are filled with pain as though something were relentlessly gnawing at my bones. 18 With a strong hand, God grabs my garment. He grips me by the collar of my tunic. 19 He has thrown me into the mud. I have become as dust and ashes. 20 " I cry to you, O God, but you don't answer me. I stand before you, and you don't bother to look. 21 You have become cruel toward me. You persecute me with your great power. 22 You throw me into the whirlwind and destroy me in the storm. 23 And I know that you are sending me to my death--the destination of all who live. 24 " Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help. 25 Did I not weep for those in trouble? Was I not deeply grieved for the needy? 26 So I looked for good, but evil came instead. I waited for the light, but darkness fell. 27 My heart is troubled and restless. Days of affliction have come upon me. 28 I walk in gloom, without sunlight. I stand in the public square and cry for help. 29 But instead, I am considered a brother to jackals and a companion to ostriches. 30 My skin has turned dark, and my bones burn with fever. 31 My harp plays sad music, and my flute accompanies those who weep."

2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-17

Well, when I [Paul] came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord gave me tremendous opportunities. 13 But I couldn't rest because my dear brother Titus hadn't yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him. 14 But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those being saved and by those perishing. 16 To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? 17 You see, we are not like those hucksters--and there are many of them--who preach just to make money. We preach God's message with sincerity and with Christ's authority. And we know that the God who sent us is watching us.

PSALM 42:1-11

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

so I long for you, O God.

2 I thirst for God, the living God.

When can I come and stand before him?

3 Day and night, I have only tears for food,

while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,

" Where is this God of yours?"

4 My heart is breaking

as I remember how it used to be:

I walked among the crowds of worshipers,

leading a great procession to the house of God,

singing for joy and giving thanks--

it was the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?

Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again--

my Savior and 6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,

but I will remember your kindness--

from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,

from the land of Mount Mizar.

7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas

as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

8 Through each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,

and through each night I sing his songs,

praying to God who gives me life.

9 " O God my rock," I cry,

" Why have you forsaken me?

Why must I wander in darkness,

oppressed by my enemies?"

10 Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound.

They scoff, " Where is this God of yours?"

11 Why am I discouraged?

Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again--

my Savior and my God!

PROVERBS 22:7

Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.