December 5 Reading through the Bible

 

HOSEA 1:1-3:5

1 JOHN 5:1-21

PSALM 124:1-8

PROVERBS 29:5-8

HOSEA 1:1-3:5

The LORD gave these messages to Hosea son of Beeri during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. 2 When the LORD first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, " Go and marry a prostitute, so some of her children will be born to you from other men. This will illustrate the way my people have been untrue to me, openly committing adultery against the LORD by worshiping other gods." 3 So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son. 4 And the LORD said, " Name the child Jezreel, for I am about to punish King Jehu's dynasty to avenge the murders he committed at Jezreel. 5 In fact, I will put an end to Israel's independence by breaking its military power in the Jezreel Valley."6 Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the LORD said to Hosea, " Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah--` Not loved'--for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. 7 But I, the LORD their God, will show love to the people of Judah. I will personally free them from their enemies without any help from weapons or armies." 8 After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son. 9 And the LORD said, " Name him Lo-ammi--` Not my people'--for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God. 10 Yet the time will come when Israel will prosper and become a great nation. In that day its people will be like the sands of the seashore--too many to count! Then, at the place where they were told, ` You are not my people,' it will be said, ` You are children of the living God.' 11 Then the people of Judah and Israel will unite under one leader, and they will return from exile together. What a day that will be--the day of Jezreel--when God will again plant his people in his land. 1 In that day you will call your brothers Ammi--` My people.' And you will call your sisters Ruhamah--` The ones I love.' 2:2 " BUT now, call Israel to account, for she is no longer my wife, and I am no longer her husband. Tell her to take off her garish makeup and suggestive clothing and to stop playing the prostitute. 3 If she doesn't, I will strip her as naked as she was on the day she was born. I will leave her to die of thirst, as in a desert or a dry and barren wilderness. 4 And I will not love her children as I would my own because they are not my children! They were conceived in adultery. 5 For their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, ` I'll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and drink, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil.' 6 " But I will fence her in with thornbushes. I will block the road to make her lose her way. 7 When she runs after her lovers, she won't be able to catch up with them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, ` I might as well return to my husband because I was better off with him than I am now.' 8 She doesn't realize that it was I who gave her everything she has--the grain, the wine, the olive oil. Even the gold and silver she used in worshiping the god Baal were gifts from me! 9 " But now I will take back the wine and ripened grain I generously provided each harvest season. I will take away the linen and wool clothing I gave her to cover her nakedness. 10 I will strip her naked in public, while all her lovers look on. No one will be able to rescue her from my hands. 11 I will put an end to her annual festivals, her new moon celebrations, and her Sabbath days--all her appointed festivals. 12 I will destroy her vineyards and orchards, things she claims her lovers gave her. I will let them grow into tangled thickets, where only wild animals will eat the fruit. 13 I will punish her for all the times she deserted me, when she burned incense to her images of Baal, put on her earrings and jewels, and went out looking for her lovers," says the LORD. 14 " But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her out into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. 15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. 16 " In that coming day," says the LORD, " you will call me ` my husband' instead of ` my master.' 17 O Israel, I will cause you to forget your images of Baal; even their names will no longer be spoken. 18 At that time I will make a covenant with all the wild animals and the birds and the animals that scurry along the ground so that they will not harm you. I will remove all weapons of war from the land, all swords and bows, so you can live unafraid in peace and safety. 19 I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. 20 I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as LORD. 21 " In that day," says the LORD, " I will answer the pleading of the sky for clouds, which will pour down water on the earth in answer to its cries for rain. 22 Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain, the grapes, and the olive trees for moisture. And the whole grand chorus will sing together, ` Jezreel'--` God plants!' 23 " At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself! I will show love to those I called ` Not loved.' And to those I called ` Not my people,' I will say, ` Now you are my people.' Then they will reply, ` You are our God!' "3:1 THEN the LORD said to me, " Go and get your wife again. Bring her back to you and love her, even though she loves adultery. For the LORD still loves Israel even though the people have turned to other gods, offering them choice gifts." 2 So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and about five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. 3 Then I said to her, " You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual intercourse with anyone, not even with me." 4 This illustrates that Israel will be a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, temple, priests, or even idols! 5 But afterward the people will return to the LORD their God and to David's descendant, their king. They will come trembling in awe to the LORD, and they will receive his good gifts in the last days.

1 JOHN 5:1-21

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. 5 And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God's Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross--not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit also gives us the testimony that this is true. 7 So we have these three witnesses--8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood--and all three agree. 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know that this is true. Those who don't believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don't believe what God has testified about his Son. 11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life. 13 I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. 15 And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. 16 If you see a Christian brother or sister* sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 Every wrong is sin, but not all sin leads to death.18 We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.

PSALM 124:1-8

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.

1 If the LORD had not been on our side--

let Israel now say--

2 if the LORD had not been on our side

when people rose up against us,

3 they would have swallowed us alive

because of their burning anger against us.

4 The waters would have engulfed us;

a torrent would have overwhelmed us.

5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury

would have overwhelmed our very lives.

6 Blessed be the LORD,

who did not let their teeth tear us apart!

7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap.

The trap is broken, and we are free!

8 Our help is from the LORD,

who made the heavens and the earth.

PROVERBS 29:5-8

To flatter people is to lay a trap for their feet. Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy. The godly know the rights of the poor; the wicked don't care to know. Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but those who are wise will calm anger.

December 4 Reading through the Bible

DANIEL 11:36-12:13

1 JOHN 4:1-21

PSALM 123:1-4

PROVERBS 29:2-4

DANIEL 11:36-12:13

" The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god there is, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed--until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place. 37 He will have no regard for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god beloved of women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. 38 Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses--a god his ancestors never knew--and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and costly gifts. 39 Claiming this foreign god's help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward. 40 " Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will storm out against him with chariots, cavalry, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape. 42 He will conquer many countries, and Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians will be his servants. 44 " But then news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy many as he goes. 45 He will halt between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents there, but while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and there will be no one to help him.12:1 " AT that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. 2 Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever. 4 But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." 5 Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing on opposite banks of the river. 6 One of them asked the man dressed in linen, who was now standing above the river, " How long will it be until these shocking events happen?" 7 The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took this solemn oath by the one who lives forever: " It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened." 8 I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, " How will all this finally end, my lord?" 9 But he said, " Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is for the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means. 11 " From the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days. 12 And blessed are those who wait and remain until the end of the 1,335 days!13 " As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you."

1 JOHN 4:1-21

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is the way to find out if they have the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 If a prophet does not acknowledge Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist. You have heard that he is going to come into the world, and he is already here. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 These people belong to this world, so they speak from the world's viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God--for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us. 13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. 19 We love each other as a result of his loving us first. 20 If someone says, " I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister,* that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? 21 And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.

PSALM 123:1-4

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.

1 I lift my eyes to you,

O God, enthroned in heaven.

2 We look to the LORD our God for his mercy,

just as servants keep their eyes on their master,

as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.

3 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy,

for we have had our fill of contempt.

4 We have had our fill of the scoffing of the proud

and the contempt of the arrogant.

PROVERBS 29:2-4

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted. A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it. 

December 3 Reading through the Bible

 DANIEL 11:2-35

1 JOHN 3:7-24

PSALM 122:1-9

PROVERBS 29:1

DANIEL 11:2-35

" Now then, I [the one who looked like a man] will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. Using his wealth for political advantage, he will stir up everyone to war against the kingdom of Greece. 3 " Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule a vast kingdom and accomplish everything he sets out to do. 4 But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king's descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others. 5 " The king of the south will increase in power, but one of this king's own officials will become more powerful than he and will rule his kingdom with great strength. 6 " Some years later, an alliance will be formed between the king of the north and the king of the south. The daughter of the king of the south will be given in marriage to the king of the north to secure the alliance, but she will lose her influence over him, and so will her father. She will be given up along with her supporters. 7 But when one of her relatives becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him. 8 When he returns again to Egypt, he will carry back their idols with him, along with priceless gold and silver dishes. For some years afterward he will leave the king of the north alone. 9 " Later the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south but will soon return to his own land. 10 However, the sons of the king of the north will assemble a mighty army that will advance like a flood and carry the battle as far as the enemy's fortress. 11 Then the king of the south, in great anger, will rally against the vast forces assembled by the king of the north and will defeat them. 12 After the enemy army is swept away, the king of the south will be filled with pride and will have many thousands of his enemies killed. But his success will be short lived.13 " A few years later, the king of the north will return with a fully equipped army far greater than the one he lost. 14 At that time there will be a general uprising against the king of the south. Lawless ones among your own people will join them in order to fulfill the vision, but they will not succeed. 15 Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught. 16 " The king of the north will march onward unopposed; none will be able to stop him. He will pause in the glorious land of Israel, intent on destroying it. 17 He will make plans to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will form an alliance with the king of the south. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom from within, but his plan will fail. 18 " After this, he will turn his attention to the coastal cities and conquer many. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and will cause him to retreat in shame. 19 He will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall, and he will be seen no more.20 " His successor will be remembered as the king who sent a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor, but after a very brief reign, he will die, though neither in battle nor open conflict. 21 " The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not directly in line for royal succession. But he will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue. 22 Before him great armies will be swept away, including a covenant prince. 23 By making deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. With a mere handful of followers, he will become strong. 24 Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land and do something that none of his predecessors ever did--distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while. 25 " Then he will stir up his courage and raise a great army against the king of the south. The king of the south will go to battle with a mighty army, but to no avail, for plots against him will succeed. 26 Those of his own household will bring his downfall. His army will be swept away, and many will be killed. 27 Seeking nothing but each other's harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for an end will still come at the appointed time. 28 " The king of the north will then return home with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.29 " Then at the appointed time he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different. 30 For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant. 31 His army will take over the Temple fortress, polluting the sanctuary, putting a stop to the daily sacrifices, and setting up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. 32 He will flatter those who have violated the covenant and win them over to his side. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. 33 " Those who are wise will give instruction to many. But for a time many of these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. 34 While all these persecutions are going on, a little help will arrive, though many who join them will not be sincere. 35 And some who are wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come."

1 JOHN 3:7-24

Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. 9 Those who have been born into God's family do not sin, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God's commands and does not love other Christians does not belong to God. 11 This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. 13 So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters,* if the world hates you.14 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another Christian* is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them. 16 We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. 17 But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help--how can God's love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 19 It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20 even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him. 23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God's commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

PSALM 122:1-9

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.

1 I was glad when they said to me,

" Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 And now we are standing here

inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is a well-built city,

knit together as a single unit.

4 All the people of Israel--the LORD's people--

make their pilgrimage here.

They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD

as the law requires.

5 Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,

the thrones of the dynasty of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

May all who love this city prosper.

7 O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls

and prosperity in your palaces.

8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,

" Peace be with you."

9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

PROVERBS 29:1

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.

December 2 Reading through the Bible

 

DANIEL 9:1-11:1

1 JOHN 2:18-3:6

PSALM 121:1-8

PROVERBS 28:27-28

DANIEL 9:1-11:1

It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians. 2 During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the word of the LORD, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I wore rough sackcloth and sprinkled myself with ashes. 4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: " O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and keep your commands. 5 But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. 6 We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke your messages to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land. 7 " Lord, you are in the right; but our faces are covered with shame, just as you see us now. This is true of us all, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the LORD our God, for we have not followed the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has disobeyed your law and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice." So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out against us because of our sin. 12 You have done exactly what you warned you would do against us and our rulers. Never in all history has there been a disaster like the one that happened in Jerusalem. 13 Every curse written against us in the law of Moses has come true. All the troubles he predicted have taken place. But we have refused to seek mercy from the LORD our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. 14 The LORD has brought against us the disaster he prepared, for we did not obey him, and the LORD our God is just in everything he does. 15 " O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. 16 In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city of Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors. 17 " O our God, hear your servant's prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. 18 " O my God, listen to me and hear my request. Open your eyes and see our wretchedness. See how your city lies in ruins--for everyone knows that it is yours. We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful. 19 " O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, O my God, do not delay, for your people and your city bear your name." 20 I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sins of my people, pleading with the LORD my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain. 21 As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He explained to me, " Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. 23 The moment you began praying, a command was given. I am here to tell you what it was, for God loves you very much. Now listen, so you can understand the meaning of your vision. 24 " A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to put down rebellion, to bring an end to sin, to atone for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.26 " After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. 27 He will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has been decreed is poured out on this defiler." 10:1 IN the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. It concerned events certain to happen in the future--times of war and great hardship--and Daniel understood what the vision meant. 2 When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three weeks. 3 All that time I had eaten no rich food or meat, had drunk no wine, and had used no fragrant oils. 4 On April 23, as I was standing beside the great Tigris River, 5 I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. 6 His body looked like a dazzling gem. From his face came flashes like lightning, and his eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people. 7 I, Daniel, am the only one who saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. 8 So I was left there all alone to watch this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. 9 When I heard him speak, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. 10 Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. 11 And the man said to me, " O Daniel, greatly loved of God, listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling with fear. 12 Then he said, " Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 13 But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. 14 Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come." 15 While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. 16 Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, " I am terrified by the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. 17 How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe." 18 Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. 19 " Don't be afraid," he said, " for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!" As he spoke these words, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, " Now you may speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me."20 He replied, " Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and then against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece. 21 But before I do that, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (There is no one to help me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince. 11:1 I have been standing beside Michael as his support and defense since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)"

1 JOHN 2:18-3:6

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the end of the world has come. 19 These people left our churches because they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left us, it proved that they do not belong with us. 20 But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don't know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and falsehood. 22 And who is the great liar? The one who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Such people are antichrists, for they have denied the Father and the Son. 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn't have the Father either. But anyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. 26 I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ. 28 And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. 29 Since we know that God is always right, we also know that all who do what is right are his children.3:1 SEE how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children. 2 Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure. 4 Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him. 6 So if we continue to live in him, we won't sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is.

PSALM 121:1-8

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.

1 I look up to the mountains--

does my help come from there?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

who made the heavens and the earth!

3 He will not let you stumble and fall;

the one who watches over you will not sleep.

4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel

never tires and never sleeps.

5 The LORD himself watches over you!

The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.

6 The sun will not hurt you by day,

nor the moon at night.

7 The LORD keeps you from all evil

and preserves your life.

8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,

both now and forever.

PROVERBS 28:27-28

Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who close their eyes to poverty. When the wicked take charge, people hide. When the wicked meet disaster, the godly multiply.

December 1 Reading through the Bible!

 

DANIEL 8:1-27

1 JOHN 2:1-17

PSALM 120:1-7

PROVERBS 28:25-26

DANIEL 8:1-27

During the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me. 2 This time I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River. 3 As I looked up, I saw in front of me a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had begun to grow later than the shorter one. 4 The ram butted everything out of its way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against it or help its victims. It did as it pleased and became very great. 5 While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that it didn't even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes, 6 headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river. 7 The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck it, breaking off both its horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked it down and trampled it. There was no one who could rescue the ram from the goat's power. 8 The goat became very powerful. But at the height of its power, its large horn was broken off. In the large horn's place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth. 9 From one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. 10 His power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly armies, throwing some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling them. 11 He even challenged the Commander of heaven's armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. 12 But the army of heaven was restrained from destroying him for this sin. As a result, sacrilege was committed against the Temple ceremonies, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did. 13 Then I heard two of the holy ones talking to each other. One of them said, " How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven's armies be trampled on?" 14 The other replied, " It will take twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be restored." 15 As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man suddenly stood in front of me. 16 And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, " Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision." 17 As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell to the ground. " Son of man," he said, " you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end."18 While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet. 19 Then he said, " I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. 20 The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire. 22 The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four sections with four kings, none of them as great as the first. 23 " At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. 25 He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. 26 " This vision about the twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so do not tell anyone about them yet." 27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.

1 JOHN 2:1-17

My dear children, I [John] am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. 2 He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 3 And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. 4 If someone says, " I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. 5 But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the beginning. This commandment--to love one another--is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you, because the darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining. 9 If anyone says, " I am living in the light," but hates a Christian brother or sister,* that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves other Christians* is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. 11 Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness. 12 I am writing to you, my dear children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus. 13 I am writing to you who are mature because you know Christ, the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young because you have won your battle with Satan. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you who are mature because you know Christ, the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you who are young because you are strong with God's word living in your hearts, and you have won your battle with Satan.15 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.

PSALM 120:1-7

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.

1 I took my troubles to the LORD;

I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.

2 Rescue me, O LORD, from liars

and from all deceitful people.

3 O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?

How will he increase your punishment?

4 You will be pierced with sharp arrows

and burned with glowing coals.

5 How I suffer among these scoundrels of Meshech!

It pains me to live with these people from Kedar!

6 I am tired of living here

among people who hate peace.

7 As for me, I am for peace;

but when I speak, they are for war!

PROVERBS 28:25-26

Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity. Trusting oneself is foolish, but those who walk in wisdom are safe.

November 30 Reading through the Bible

 

DANIEL 7:1-28

1 JOHN 1:1-10

PSALM 119:153-176

PROVERBS 28:23-24

DANIEL 7:1-28

Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is what he saw. 2 In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. 3 Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. 4 The first beast was like a lion with eagles' wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And a human mind was given to it. 5 Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, " Get up! Devour many people!" 6 Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four wings like birds' wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.7 Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled what was left beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. 8 As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were wrenched out, roots and all, to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. 9 I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, 10 and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. 11 I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn's boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. 12 As for the other three beasts, their authority was taken from them, but they were allowed to live for a while longer. 13 As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal--it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. 15 I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. 16 So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: 17 " These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. 18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever."19 Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, and it trampled what was left beneath its feet. 20 I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast's head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This was the horn that seemed greater than the others and had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and was defeating them, 22 until the Ancient One came and judged in favor of the holy people of the Most High. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom. 23 Then he said to me, " This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. 24 Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. 25 He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time. 26 " But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. 27 Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them." 28 That was the end of the vision. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear, but I kept these things to myself.

1 JOHN 1:1-10

The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. 2 This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us. 3 We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy will be complete. 5 This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

PSALM 119:153-176

Look down upon my sorrows and rescue me,

for I have not forgotten your [the LORD's] law.

154 Argue my case; take my side!

Protect my life as you promised.

155 The wicked are far from salvation,

for they do not bother with your principles.

156 LORD, how great is your mercy;

in your justice, give me back my life.

157 Many persecute and trouble me,

yet I have not swerved from your decrees.

158 I hate these traitors

because they care nothing for your word.

159 See how I love your commandments, LORD.

Give back my life because of your unfailing love.

160 All your words are true;

all your just laws will stand forever.

161 Powerful people harass me without cause,

but my heart trembles only at your word.

162 I rejoice in your word

like one who finds a great treasure.

163 I hate and abhor all falsehood,

but I love your law.

164 I will praise you seven times a day

because all your laws are just.

165 Those who love your law have great peace

and do not stumble.

166 I long for your salvation, LORD,

so I have obeyed your commands.

167 I have obeyed your decrees,

and I love them very much.

168 Yes, I obey your commandments and decrees,

because you know everything I do.

169 O LORD, listen to my cry;

give me the discerning mind you promised.

170 Listen to my prayer;

rescue me as you promised.

171 Let my lips burst forth with praise,

for you have taught me your principles.

172 Let my tongue sing about your word,

for all your commands are right.

173 Stand ready to help me,

for I have chosen to follow your commandments.

174 O LORD, I have longed for your salvation,

and your law is my delight.

175 Let me live so I can praise you,

and may your laws sustain me.

176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;

come and find me,

for I have not forgotten your commands.

PROVERBS 28:23-24

In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery. Robbing your parents and then saying, "What's wrong with that?" is as serious as committing murder.

November 29 Reading through the Bible

DANIEL 6:1-28

2 PETER 3:1-18

PSALM 119:129-152

PROVERBS 28:21-22

DANIEL 6:1-28

Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a prince to rule over each province. 2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the princes and to watch out for the king's interests. 3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and princes. Because of his great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. 4 Then the other administrators and princes began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize. He was faithful and honest and always responsible. 5 So they concluded, " Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the requirements of his religion." 6 So the administrators and princes went to the king and said, " Long live King Darius! 7 We administrators, prefects, princes, advisers, and other officials have unanimously agreed that Your Majesty should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human--except to Your Majesty--will be thrown to the lions. 8 And let Your Majesty issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked." 9 So King Darius signed the law. 10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 The officials went together to Daniel's house and found him praying and asking for God's help. 12 So they went back to the king and reminded him about his law. " Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human--except to Your Majesty--will be thrown to the lions?" " Yes," the king replied, " that decision stands; it is a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked." 13 Then they told the king, " That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is paying no attention to you or your law. He still prays to his God three times a day." 14 Hearing this, the king was very angry with himself for signing the law, and he tried to find a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. 15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, " Your Majesty knows that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed." 16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, " May your God, whom you worship continually, rescue you." 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel from the lions. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. 19 Very early the next morning, the king hurried out to the lions' den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, " Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you worship continually, able to rescue you from the lions?" 21 Daniel answered, " Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty." 23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him because he had trusted in his God. 24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. 25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: " Peace and prosperity to you! 26 " I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God,

and he will endure forever.

His kingdom will never be destroyed,

and his rule will never end.

27 He rescues and saves his people;

he performs miraculous signs and wonders

in the heavens and on earth.

He has rescued Daniel

from the power of the lions."

28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

2 PETER 3:1-18

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I [Peter] have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember and understand what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. 3 First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. 4 This will be their argument: " Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he? Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created." 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth up from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the world with a mighty flood. 7 And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. 8 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12 You should look forward to that day and hurry it along--the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. 15 And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. This is just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him--16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other parts of Scripture--and the result is disaster for them. 17 I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your own secure footing. 18 But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be all glory and honor, both now and forevermore. Amen.

PSALM 119:129-152

Your [the LORD's] decrees are wonderful.

No wonder I obey them!

130 As your words are taught, they give light;

even the simple can understand them.

131 I open my mouth, panting expectantly,

longing for your commands.

132 Come and show me your mercy,

as you do for all who love your name.

133 Guide my steps by your word,

so I will not be overcome by any evil.

134 Rescue me from the oppression of evil people;

then I can obey your commandments.

135 Look down on me with love;

teach me all your principles.

136 Rivers of tears gush from my eyes

because people disobey your law.

137 O LORD, you are righteous,

and your decisions are fair.

138 Your decrees are perfect;

they are entirely worthy of our trust.

139 I am overwhelmed with rage,

for my enemies have disregarded your words.

140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested;

that is why I love them so much.

141 I am insignificant and despised,

but I don't forget your commandments.

142 Your justice is eternal,

and your law is perfectly true.

143 As pressure and stress bear down on me,

I find joy in your commands.

144 Your decrees are always fair;

help me to understand them, that I may live.

145 I pray with all my heart; answer me, LORD!

I will obey your principles.

146 I cry out to you; save me,

that I may obey your decrees.

147 I rise early, before the sun is up;

I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

148 I stay awake through the night,

thinking about your promise.

149 In your faithful love, O LORD, hear my cry;

in your justice, save my life.

150 Those lawless people are coming near to attack me;

they live far from your law.

151 But you are near, O LORD,

and all your commands are true.

152 I have known from my earliest days

that your decrees never change.

PROVERBS 28:21-22

Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for something as small as a piece of bread. A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty. 

November 28 Reading through the Bible

 

DANIEL 5:1-31

2 PETER 2:1-22

PSALM 119:113-128

PROVERBS 28:19-20

DANIEL 5:1-31

A number of years later, King Belshazzar gave a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem, so that he and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank toasts from them to honor their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 5 At that very moment they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king's palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, 6 and his face turned pale with fear. Such terror gripped him that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way beneath him. 7 The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, " Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will wear a gold chain around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!" 8 But when all the king's wise men came in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. 9 So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned ashen white. His nobles, too, were shaken. 10 But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, " Long live the king! Don't be so pale and afraid about this. 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar's reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom as though he himself were a god. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. 12 This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has a sharp mind and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means."13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, " Are you Daniel, who was exiled from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? 14 I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. 15 My wise men and enchanters have tried to read this writing on the wall, but they cannot. 16 I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will wear a gold chain around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom." 17 Daniel answered the king, " Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. 19 He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. 20 But when his heart and mind were hardened with pride, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of an animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them. 22 " You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. 23 For you have defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone--gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! 24 So God has sent this hand to write a message. 25 " This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. 26 This is what these words mean:Mene means ` numbered'--God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. 27 Tekel means ` weighed'--you have been weighed on the balances and have failed the test. 28 Parsin means ` divided'--your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." 29 Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

2 PETER 2:1-22

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way. 4 For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day. 5 And God did not spare the ancient world--except for Noah and his family of seven. Noah warned the world of God's righteous judgment. Then God destroyed the whole world of ungodly people with a vast flood. 6 Later, he turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into heaps of ashes and swept them off the face of the earth. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. 7 But at the same time, God rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a good man who was sick of all the immorality and wickedness around him. 8 Yes, he was a righteous man who was distressed by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while punishing the wicked right up until the day of judgment. 10 He is especially hard on those who follow their own evil, lustful desires and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at the glorious ones without so much as trembling. 11 But the angels, even though they are far greater in power and strength than these false teachers, never speak out disrespectfully against the glorious ones.12 These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, who are born to be caught and killed. They laugh at the terrifying powers they know so little about, and they will be destroyed along with them. 13 Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They revel in deceitfulness while they feast with you. 14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their lust is never satisfied. They make a game of luring unstable people into sin. They train themselves to be greedy; they are doomed and cursed. 15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. 16 But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. 17 These people are as useless as dried-up springs of water or as clouds blown away by the wind--promising much and delivering nothing. They are doomed to blackest darkness. 18 They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With lustful desire as their bait, they lure back into sin those who have just escaped from such wicked living. 19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them. 22 They make these proverbs come true: " A dog returns to its vomit," and " A washed pig returns to the mud."

PSALM 119:113-128

I hate those who are undecided about you [the LORD],

but my choice is clear--I love your law.

114 You are my refuge and my shield;

your word is my only source of hope.

115 Get out of my life, you evil-minded people,

for I intend to obey the commands of my God.

116 LORD, sustain me as you promised, that I may live!

Do not let my hope be crushed.

117 Sustain me, and I will be saved;

then I will meditate on your principles continually.

118 But you have rejected all who stray from your principles.

They are only fooling themselves.

119 All the wicked of the earth are the scum you skim off;

no wonder I love to obey your decrees!

120 I tremble in fear of you;

I fear your judgments.

121 Don't leave me to the mercy of my enemies,

for I have done what is just and right.

122 Please guarantee a blessing for me.

Don't let those who are arrogant oppress me!

123 My eyes strain to see your deliverance,

to see the truth of your promise fulfilled.

124 I am your servant;

deal with me in unfailing love,

and teach me your principles.

125 Give discernment to me, your servant;

then I will understand your decrees.

126 LORD, it is time for you to act,

for these evil people have broken your law.

127 Truly, I love your commands

more than gold, even the finest gold.

128 Truly, each of your commandments is right.

That is why I hate every false way.

PROVERBS 28:19-20

Hard workers have plenty of food; playing around brings poverty. The trustworthy will get a rich reward. But the person who wants to get rich quick will only get into trouble.

November 26 Reading through the Bible

DANIEL 2:24-3:30

1 PETER 4:7-5:14

PSALM 119:81-96

PROVERBS 28:15-16

DANIEL 2:24-3:30

Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, who had been ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, " Don't kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream." 25 Then Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, " I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream!" 26 The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), " Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?" 27 Daniel replied, " There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can tell the king such things. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed. 29 " While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. The revealer of mysteries has shown you what is going to happen. 30 And it is not because I am wiser than any living person that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking about.31 " Your Majesty, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and powerful statue of a man, shining brilliantly, frightening and awesome. 32 The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze, 33 its legs were of iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and clay. 34 But as you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain by supernatural means. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. 35 The whole statue collapsed into a heap of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. The pieces were crushed as small as chaff on a threshing floor, and the wind blew them all away without a trace. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth. 36 " That was the dream; now I will tell Your Majesty what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are a king over many kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 38 He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold. 39 " But after your kingdom comes to an end, another great kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third great kingdom, represented by the bronze belly and thighs, will rise to rule the world. 40 Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth great kingdom, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. 41 The feet and toes you saw that were a combination of iron and clay show that this kingdom will be divided. 42 Some parts of it will be as strong as iron, and others as weak as clay. 43 This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But this will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not mix. 44 " During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed; no one will ever conquer it. It will shatter all these kingdoms into nothingness, but it will stand forever. 45 That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain by supernatural means, crushing to dust the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. " The great God has shown Your Majesty what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain." 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed to the ground before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. 47 The king said to Daniel, " Truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret." 48 Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. 49 At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king's court.3:1 KING Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the princes, prefects, governors, advisers, counselors, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 When all these officials had arrived and were standing before the image King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, 4 a herald shouted out, " People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." 7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, " Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego--whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They have defied Your Majesty by refusing to serve your gods or to worship the gold statue you have set up." 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, " Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to rescue you from my power then?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, " O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." 19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully clothed. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in! 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell down into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, " Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" " Yes," they said, " we did indeed, Your Majesty."25 " Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. " I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire. They aren't even hurt by the flames! And the fourth looks like a divine being!" 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: " Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the princes, prefects, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke! 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, " Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be crushed into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!" 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

1 PETER 4:7-5:14

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10 God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you. 11 Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen. 12 Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad--because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.14 Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God's own children. And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God's Good News? 18 And " If the righteous are barely saved,

what chance will the godless and sinners have?"

19 So if you are suffering according to God's will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you. 5:1 AND now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share his glory and his honor when he returns. As a fellow elder, this is my appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly--not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example. 4 And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor. 5 You younger men, accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for " God sets himself against the proud,

but he shows favor to the humble."

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you. 8 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. 9 Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters* all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 10 In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power is his forever and ever. Amen. 12 I have written this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I consider a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that the grace of God is with you no matter what happens. 13 Your sister church here in Rome sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet each other in Christian love. Peace be to all of you who are in Christ.

PSALM 119:81-96

I faint with longing for your [the LORD's] salvation;

but I have put my hope in your word.

82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.

When will you comfort me?

83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke, exhausted with waiting.

But I cling to your principles and obey them.

84 How long must I wait?

When will you punish those who persecute me?

85 These arrogant people who hate your law

have dug deep pits for me to fall into.

86 All your commands are trustworthy.

Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.

87 They almost finished me off,

but I refused to abandon your commandments.

88 In your unfailing love, spare my life;

then I can continue to obey your decrees.

89 Forever, O LORD,

your word stands firm in heaven.

90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,

as enduring as the earth you created.

91 Your laws remain true today,

for everything serves your plans.

92 If your law hadn't sustained me with joy,

I would have died in my misery.

93 I will never forget your commandments,

for you have used them to restore my joy and health.

94 I am yours; save me!

For I have applied myself to obey your commandments.

95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,

I will quietly keep my mind on your decrees.

96 Even perfection has its limits,

but your commands have no limit.

PROVERBS 28:15-16

A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a lion or bear attacking them. Only a stupid prince will oppress his people, but a king will have a long reign if he hates dishonesty and bribes.

November 27 Reading through the Bible

 

DANIEL 4:1-37

2 PETER 1:1-21

PSALM 119:97-112

PROVERBS 28:17-18

DANIEL 4:1-37

King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: " Peace and prosperity to you! 2 " I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.3 How great are his signs,

how powerful his wonders!

His kingdom will last forever,

his rule through all generations.

4 " I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. 5 But one night I had a dream that greatly frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. 6 So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. 7 When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. 8 At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) 9 " I said to him, ` O Belteshazzar, master magician, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means. 10 " ` While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. 11 The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. 12 It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree. 13" ` Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 The messenger shouted, " Cut down the tree; lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit! Chase the animals from its shade and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live like an animal among the plants of the fields. 16 For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of an animal instead of a human. 17 For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones. The purpose of this decree is that the whole world may understand that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses--even to the lowliest of humans." 18 " ` O Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for no one else can help me. All the wisest men of my kingdom have failed me. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.' 19 "Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, aghast at the meaning of the dream. Finally, the king said to him, ` Belteshazzar, don't be alarmed by the dream and what it means.' "Belteshazzar replied, ` Oh, how I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! 20 You saw a tree growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. 21 It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. 22 That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth. 23" ` ` Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, " Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him eat grass with the animals of the field for seven periods of time." 24" ` This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to you. 25 You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. 26 But the stump and the roots were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules. 27" ` O King Nebuchadnezzar, please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past by being merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.' 28 "But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30 As he looked out across the city, he said, ` Just look at this great city of Babylon! I, by my own mighty power, have built this beautiful city as my royal resi- dence and as an expression of my royal splendor.' 31 "While he was still speaking these words, a voice called down from heaven, ` O King Nebuchad- nezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.' 33 " That very same hour the prophecy was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles' feathers and his nails were like birds' claws. 34 " After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting,

and his kingdom is eternal.

35 All the people of the earth

are nothing compared to him.

He has the power to do as he pleases

among the angels of heaven

and with those who live on earth.

No one can stop him or challenge him,

saying, ` What do you mean by doing these things?'

36 " When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and officers sought me out, and I was reestablished as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. 37 " Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble those who are proud."

2 PETER 1:1-21

This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you who share the same precious faith we have, faith given to us by Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, who makes us right with God. 2 May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. 3 As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 4 And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature. 5 So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. 6 Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7 Godliness leads to love for other Christians,* and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. 10 So, dear brothers and sisters,* work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away. 11 And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.12 I plan to keep on reminding you of these things--even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth. 13 Yes, I believe I should keep on reminding you of these things as long as I live. 14 But the Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that my days here on earth are numbered and I am soon to die. 15 So I will work hard to make these things clear to you. I want you to remember them long after I am gone. 16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes. 17 And he received honor and glory from God the Father when God's glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven, " This is my beloved Son; I am fully pleased with him." 18 We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with him on the holy mountain. 19 Because of that, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. Pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a light shining in a dark place--until the day Christ appears and his brilliant light shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves 21 or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.

PSALM 119:97-112

Oh, how I love your [the LORD's] law!

I think about it all day long.

98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,

for your commands are my constant guide.

99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,

for I am always thinking of your decrees.

100 I am even wiser than my elders,

for I have kept your commandments.

101 I have refused to walk on any path of evil,

that I may remain obedient to your word.

102 I haven't turned away from your laws,

for you have taught me well.

103 How sweet are your words to my taste;

they are sweeter than honey.

104 Your commandments give me understanding;

no wonder I hate every false way of life.

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet

and a light for my path.

106 I've promised it once, and I'll promise again:

I will obey your wonderful laws.

107 I have suffered much, O LORD;

restore my life again, just as you promised.

108 LORD, accept my grateful thanks

and teach me your laws.

109 My life constantly hangs in the balance,

but I will not stop obeying your law.

110 The wicked have set their traps for me along your path,

but I will not turn from your commandments.

111 Your decrees are my treasure;

they are truly my heart's delight.

112 I am determined to keep your principles,

even forever, to the very end.

PROVERBS 28:17-18

A murderer's tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don't protect him! The honest will be rescued from harm, but those who are crooked will be destroyed.