Reading through the Word.....Day 242

JOB 40:1- 42:17
2 CORINTHIANS 5:11- 21
PSALM 45:1- 17
PROVERBS 22:14


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 Leviathan 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 Leviathan, 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 Leviathan'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 Leviathan, 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" Leviathan 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.


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.


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.


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

Reading through the Word.....Day 241

JOB 37:1- 39:30
2 CORINTHIANS 4:13- 5:10
PSALM 44:9- 26
PROVERBS 22:13


"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."


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.


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.


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

Reading through the Word.....Day 240

JOB 34:1- 36:33
2 CORINTHIANS 4:1- 12
PSALM 44:1- 8
PROVERBS 22:10- 12


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.


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.


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


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

Reading through the Word.....Day 239

JOB 31:1- 33:33
2 CORINTHIANS 3:1- 18
PSALM 43:1- 5
PROVERBS 22:8- 9


"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! "


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.


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!


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

Reading through the Word.....Day 238

JOB 28:1- 30:31
2 CORINTHIANS 2:12- 17
PSALM 42:1- 11
PROVERBS 22:7


"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."


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.


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!


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

Reading through the Word.....Day 237

JOB 23:1- 27:23
2 CORINTHIANS 1:12- 2:11
PSALM 41:1- 13
PROVERBS 22:5- 6


Then Job spoke again:2 "My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. 3 If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his throne and talk with him there. 4 I would lay out my case and present my arguments. 5 Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me. 6 Would he merely argue with me in his greatness? No, he would give me a fair hearing. 7 Fair and honest people can reason with him, so I would be acquitted by my Judge. 8" I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. 9 I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find him. 10 But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent. 11 "For I have stayed in God's paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart. 13 Nevertheless, his mind concerning me remains unchanged, and who can turn him from his purposes? Whatever he wants to do, he does. 14 So he will do for me all he has planned. He controls my destiny. 15 No wonder I am so terrified in his presence. When I think of it, terror grips me. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Darkness is all around me; thick, impenetrable darkness is everywhere. 24:1" WHY doesn't the Almighty open the court and bring judgment? Why must the godly wait for him in vain? 2 Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers. They steal flocks of sheep, 3 and they even take donkeys from the poor and fatherless. A poor widow must surrender her valuable ox as collateral for a loan. 4 The poor are kicked aside; the needy must hide together for safety. 5 Like the wild donkeys in the desert, the poor must spend all their time just getting enough to keep body and soul together. They go into the desert to search for food for their children. 6 They harvest a field they do not own, and they glean in the vineyards of the wicked. 7 All night they lie naked in the cold, without clothing or covering. 8 They are soaked by mountain showers, and they huddle against the rocks for want of a home. 9 "The wicked snatch a widow's child from her breast; they take the baby as a pledge for a loan. 10 The poor must go about naked, without any clothing. They are forced to carry food while they themselves are starving. 11 They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it, and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst. 12 The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the wounded cry for help, yet God does not respond to their moaning. 13" Wicked people rebel against the light. They refuse to acknowledge its ways. They will not stay in its paths. 14 The murderer rises in the early dawn to kill the poor and needy; at night he is a thief. 15 The adulterer waits for the twilight, for he says, `No one will see me then. 'He masks his face so no one will know him. 16 They break into houses at night and sleep in the daytime. They are not acquainted with the light. 17 The black night is their morning. They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness. 18 "But they disappear from the earth as quickly as foam is swept down a river. Everything they own is cursed, so that no one enters their vineyard. 19 Death consumes sinners just as drought and heat consume snow. 20 Even the sinner's own mother will forget him. Worms will find him sweet to eat. No one will remember him. Wicked people are broken like a tree in the storm. 21 For they have taken advantage of the childless who have no protecting sons. They refuse to help the needy widows. 22" God, in his power, drags away the rich. They may rise high, but they have no assurance in life. 23 They may be allowed to live in security, but God is always watching them. 24 And though they are great now, in a moment they will be gone like all others, withered like heads of grain. 25 "Can anyone claim otherwise? Who can prove me wrong?" 25:1 THEN Bildad the Shuhite replied:2 "God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces peace in the heavens. 3 Who is able to count his heavenly army? Does his light not shine on all the earth? 4 How can a mere mortal stand before God and claim to be righteous? Who in all the earth is pure? 5 God is so glorious that even the moon and stars scarcely shine compared to him. 6 How much less are mere people, who are but worms in his sight?" 26:1 THEN Job spoke again:2 "How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved a person who has no strength! 3 How you have enlightened my stupidity! What wise things you have said! 4 Where have you gotten all these wise sayings? Whose spirit speaks through you? 5" The dead tremble in their place beneath the waters. 6 The underworld is naked in God's presence. There is no cover for the place of destruction. 7 God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. 8 He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds do not burst with the weight. 9 He shrouds his throne with his clouds. 10 He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundaries for day and night. 11 The foundations of heaven tremble at his rebuke. 12 By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster. 13 His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. 14 "These are some of the minor things he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who can understand the thunder of his power?" 27:1 JOB continued speaking:2 "I make this vow by the living God, who has taken away my rights, by the Almighty who has embittered my soul. 3 As long as I live, while I have breath from God, 4 my lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies. 5 I will never concede that you are right; until I die, I will defend my innocence. 6 I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live. 7" May my enemy be punished like the wicked, my adversary like evil men. 8 For what hope do the godless have when God cuts them off and takes away their life? 9 Will God listen to their cry when trouble comes upon them? 10 Can they take delight in the Almighty? Can they call to God at any time? 11 "I will teach you about God's power. I will not conceal anything that concerns the Almighty. 12 But I don't need to, for you yourselves have seen all this; yet you are saying all these useless things to me. 13" This is what the wicked will receive from God; this is their inheritance from the Almighty. 14 If they have a multitude of children, their children will die in war or starve to death. 15 Those who survive will be brought down to the grave by a plague, with no one to mourn them, not even their wives. 16 "Evil people may have all the money in the world, and they may store away mounds of clothing. 17 But the righteous will wear that clothing, and the innocent will divide all that money. 18 The houses built by the wicked are as fragile as a spiderweb, as flimsy as a shelter made of branches. 19" The wicked go to bed rich but wake up to find that all their wealth is gone. 20 Terror overwhelms them, and they are blown away in the storms of the night. 21 The east wind carries them away, and they are gone. It sweeps them away. 22 It whirls down on them without mercy. They struggle to flee from its power. 23 But everyone jeers at them and mocks them. "


We [Paul and his coworkers] can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have been honest and sincere in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own earthly wisdom. That is how we have acted toward everyone, and especially toward you. 13 My letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can't understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us, 14 even if you don't fully understand us now. Then on the day when our Lord Jesus comes back again, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you. 15 Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing. 16 I wanted to stop and see you on my way to Macedonia and again on my return trip. Then you could send me on my way to Judea. 17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Hadn't I made up my mind yet? Or am I like people of the world who say yes when they really mean no? 18 As surely as God is true, I am not that sort of person. My yes means yes 19 because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never wavers between yes and no. He is the one whom Timothy, Silas, and I preached to you, and he is the divine Yes-- God's affirmation. 20 For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say" Amen "when we give glory to God through Christ. 21 It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment of everything he will give us. 23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn't return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. 24 But that does not mean we want to tell you exactly how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy as you stand firm in your faith. 2:1 SO I said to myself," No, I won't do it. I won't make them unhappy with another painful visit. "2 For if I cause you pain and make you sad, who is going to make me glad? 3 That is why I wrote as I did in my last letter, so that when I do come, I will not be made sad by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you know that my happiness depends on your happiness. 4 How painful it was to write that letter! Heartbroken, I cried over it. I didn't want to hurt you, but I wanted you to know how very much I love you. 5 I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt your entire church more than he hurt me. 6 He was punished enough when most of you were united in your judgment against him. 7 Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won't be able to recover. 8 Now show him that you still love him. 9 I wrote to you as I did to find out how far you would go in obeying me. 10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive him (for whatever is to be forgiven), I do so with Christ's authority for your benefit, 11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor.
The LORD rescues them in times of trouble.
2 The LORD protects them
and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity
and rescues them from their enemies.
3 The LORD nurses them when they are sick
and eases their pain and discomfort.
4" O LORD, "I prayed," have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you. "
5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
" How soon will he die and be forgotten? "they ask.
6 They visit me as if they are my friends,
but all the while they gather gossip,
and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
7 All who hate me whisper about me,
imagining the worst for me.
8" Whatever he has, it is fatal, "they say.
" He will never get out of that bed! "
9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food,
has turned against me.
10 LORD, have mercy on me.
Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
11 I know that you are pleased with me,
for you have not let my enemy triumph over me.
12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
you have brought me into your presence forever.
13 Bless the LORD, the God of Israel,
who lives forever from eternal ages past.
Amen and amen!


The deceitful walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will stay away. Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it

Reading through the Word.....Day 236

JOB 20:1- 22:30
2 CORINTHIANS 1:1- 11
PSALM 40:11- 17
PROVERBS 22:2- 4


Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:2 "I must reply because I am greatly disturbed. 3 I have had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply. 4" Don't you realize that ever since people were first placed on the earth, 5 the triumph of the wicked has been short- lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary? 6 Though the godless man's pride reaches to the heavens and though his head touches the clouds, 7 yet he will perish forever, thrown away like his own dung. Those who knew him will ask, `Where is he? '8 He will fade like a dream and not be found. He will vanish like a vision in the night. 9 Neither his friends nor his family will ever see him again. 10 His children will beg from the poor, for he must give back his ill- gotten wealth. 11 He was just a young man, but his bones will lie in the dust. 12 "He enjoyed the taste of his wickedness, letting it melt under his tongue. 13 He savored it, holding it long in his mouth. 14 But suddenly, the food he has eaten turns sour within him, a poisonous venom in his stomach. 15 He will vomit the wealth he swallowed. God won't let him keep it down. 16 He will suck the poison of snakes. The viper will kill him. 17 He will never again enjoy abundant streams of olive oil or rivers of milk and honey. 18 His labors will not be rewarded. His wealth will bring him no joy. 19 For he oppressed the poor and left them destitute. He foreclosed on their homes. 20 He was always greedy but never satisfied. Of all the things he dreamed about, nothing remains. 21 Nothing is left after he finishes gorging himself; therefore, his prosperity will not endure. 22" In the midst of plenty, he will run into trouble, and disasters will destroy him. 23 May God give him a bellyful of trouble. May God rain down his anger upon him. 24 He will try to escape, but God's arrow will pierce him. 25 The arrow is pulled from his body, and the arrowhead glistens with blood. The terrors of death are upon him. 26 "His treasures will be lost in deepest darkness. A wildfire will devour his goods, consuming all he has left. 27 The heavens will reveal his guilt, and the earth will give testimony against him. 28 A flood will sweep away his house. God's anger will descend on him in torrents. 29 This is the fate that awaits the wicked. It is the inheritance decreed by God." 21:1 THEN Job spoke again:2 "Listen closely to what I am saying. You can console me by listening to me. 3 Bear with me, and let me speak. After I have spoken, you may mock me. 4" My complaint is with God, not with people. No wonder I'm so impatient. 5 Look at me and be stunned. Put your hand over your mouth in shock. 6 When I think about what I am saying, I shudder. My body trembles. 7 "The truth is that the wicked live to a good old age. They grow old and wealthy. 8 They live to see their children grow to maturity, and they enjoy their grandchildren. 9 Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them. 10 Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves without miscarriage. 11 Their children skip about like lambs in a flock of sheep. 12 They sing with tambourine and harp. They make merry to the sound of the flute. 13 They spend their days in prosperity; then they go down to the grave in peace. 14 All this, even though they say to God, `Go away. We want no part of you and your ways. 15 Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us if we pray?' 16 But their prosperity is not of their own doing, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. 17" Yet the wicked get away with it time and time again. They rarely have trouble, and God skips them when he distributes sorrows in his anger. 18 Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm? Not at all! 19 "`Well, 'you say, `at least God will punish their children!' But I say that God should punish the ones who sin, not their children! Let them feel their own penalty. 20 Let their own eyes see their destruction. Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty. 21 For when they are dead, they will not care what happens to their family. 22" But who can teach a lesson to God, the supreme Judge? 23 One person dies in prosperity and security, 24 the very picture of good health. 25 Another person dies in bitter poverty, never having tasted the good life. 26 Both alike are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same worms. 27 "Look, I know your thoughts. I know the schemes you plot against me. 28 You will tell me of rich and wicked people who came to disaster because of their sins. 29 But I tell you to ask those who have been around, and they can tell you the truth. 30 Evil people are spared in times of calamity and are allowed to escape. 31 No one rebukes them openly. No one repays them for what they have done. 32 When they are carried to the grave, an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb. 33 A great funeral procession goes to the cemetery. Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest and the earth gives sweet repose. 34" How can you comfort me? All your explanations are wrong! "22:1 THEN Eliphaz the Temanite replied:2" Can a person's actions be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him? 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? 4 Is it because of your reverence for him that he accuses and judges you? 5 Not at all! It is because of your wickedness! Your guilt has no limit! 6 "For example, you must have lent money to your friend and then kept the clothing he gave you as a pledge. Yes, you stripped him to the bone. 7 You must have refused water for the thirsty and food for the hungry. 8 After all, you think the land belongs to the powerful and that those who are privileged have a right to it! 9 You must have sent widows away without helping them and crushed the strength of orphans. 10 That is why you are surrounded by traps and sudden fears. 11 That is why you cannot see in the darkness, and waves of water cover you. 12" God is so great-- higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars. 13 But you reply, `That's why God can't see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness? 14 For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven. '15 "Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked? 16 They were snatched away in the prime of life, and the foundations of their lives were washed away forever. 17 For they said to God, `Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do for us?' 18 But they forgot that he had filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. 19" Now the righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh them to scorn. 20 They will say, `Surely our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire. '21 "Stop quarreling with God! If you agree with him, you will have peace at last, and things will go well for you. 22 Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart. 23 If you return to the Almighty and clean up your life, you will be restored. 24 Give up your lust for money, and throw your precious gold into the river. 25 Then the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver! 26" Then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and look up to God. 27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. 28 Whatever you decide to do will be accomplished, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. 29 If someone is brought low and you say, `Help him up,' God will save the downcast. 30 Then even sinners will be rescued by your pure hands. "


This letter is from Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our dear brother Timothy. We are writing to God's church in Corinth and to all the Christians throughout Greece. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you his grace and peace. 3 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God's comfort. 8 I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, *about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. 10 And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. 11 He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people's prayers for our safety have been answered.


LORD, don't hold back your tender mercies from me.
My only hope is in your unfailing love and faithfulness.
12 For troubles surround me--
too many to count!
They pile up so high
I can't see my way out.
They are more numerous than the hairs on my head.
I have lost all my courage.
13 Please, LORD, rescue me!
Come quickly, LORD, and help me.
14 May those who try to destroy me
be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
be turned back in disgrace.
15 Let them be horrified by their shame,
for they said," Aha! We've got him now! "
16 But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout," The LORD is great! "
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord is thinking about me right now.
You are my helper and my savior.
Do not delay, O my God.


The rich and the poor have this in common:The LORD made them both. A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life