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Friday, September 30, 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011 - Daily Encouragement

Why am I in such a big hurry?

5:00 a.m. Prayer/Devotion
'
5:50 a.m. Weights/Pure Cardio Warmup


September 30, 2011
Why Am I in Such a Hurry?
Lynn Cowell
"This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the LORD had shown Moses." Numbers 8:4 (NIV)
During the thirty-minute drive downtown, I felt nothing but irritation. Who has time for driving school? Yes, I had received two tickets in the past three years, but I was going to change. Slowing down was on my agenda!
As soon as I found a seat, my computer-like brain turned on, allowing me to multi-task while sitting in the tiny classroom. Three "mental windows" were running: my to-do list for the day; my to-do list for the upcoming holiday; and my to-do list for a home project.
Honestly, that class could not end fast enough. Finally, when I was free to leave, I rushed out of the building. Looking down at my watch, I realized I had one hour to run to the carpet store, pick out the right color and get to the bus stop before my kids did. The store was almost 30 minutes away, but I knew I could do it.
I found the perfect color carpet and was on my way home in no time. Threw the car into reverse and...BOOM! Looking in my rearview mirror, I discovered my bumper curved around a 15-foot cement store sign. All I could do was lay my head on my steering wheel and cry, "Lord, this can't be the way You want my days to go!"
I was exhausted from the mental and physical pace I'd set for myself. I knew God had a better plan. Around that same time I was reading in Numbers 8:4, and was amazed at how God took time to attend to the details of a simple lampstand. The Bible tells us it was created out of gold with blossoms at the top. God wasn't just concerned about the function of the lampstand but also its beauty.
I knew then that if God cared about these types of details, He cared about the details of my life, too. I also realized I needed to slow down enough to seek His plans for my days, instead of cramming them with everything on my own hurried agenda.
I decided that each morning I would start praying through my schedule. Sometimes He'd show me I had too much I was trying to accomplish in too little time. Other days He'd show me I needed to say "no" to some things so I could enjoy what He had called me to say "yes" to, instead of just flying through it.
Perhaps you too are caught in the frenzy of trying to get everything done. Do you ever lay awake at night wondering if you'll finish the tasks on your list? I want to encourage you to try something that has helped me. Tomorrow, before your feet hit the ground, tell the Lord: "This is Your day, not mine. Whatever You want me to do, I will do. Whatever You don't want me to do, I won't."
Throughout the day, as your desire to get more done in less time moves in, and stress tries to take over, repeat your prayer. Soon you'll discover that handing the details of your day over to God will lead you out of chaos and into His plans for peace and purpose in your life!
By no means is my life perfect now, but most of my days are surrendered to the Lord's plans rather than the busyness of my own. And, I'm learning more and more how to live according to God's beautiful timing and pattern for my life each day.
Dear Lord, every day there seems to be so much that has to get done and so little time. I know that living life stressed and frustrated is not what You created me for. Please help me each day to only do what You want me to do and not try to do more. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
His Revolutionary Love: Jesus' Radical Pursuit of You by Lynn Cowell — Purchase this phenomenal bundle of book, CD & DVD today!
I Used to Be So Organized: Help for Reclaiming Order and Peace by Glynnis Whitwer
Visit Lynn's blog where she discusses ways to slow down so we might enjoy those around, especially our children. And, she is giving away a copy of Glynnis's new book, I Used to Be So Organized
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!
Application Steps:
One a sheet of paper, create three columns. Label the first: Things No One Else Can Do. Label the second: Things I Do, but Could Delegate; and the third: Things I Choose to Do. Carefully place the things that fill your life in the appropriate column. Over the next week, use this as your prayer list, asking the Lord which of these things He wants to stay on the list, which He wants delegated and which He wants completely removed.
Reflections:
This is Your day Jesus, not mine. Whatever You want me to do, I will do. Whatever You don't, I won't.
Power Verses:
Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (NIV)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Thursday, Sept 29, 2011 - One Year Bible

5:00 a.m. Devotion, Prayer

5:40 a.m P90x Kenpo, Ab Ripper X

April 9 reading -

Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-21; Psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

New Living Translation (NLT)

Deuteronomy 33

Moses Blesses the People
 1 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the people of Israel before his death: 2 “The Lord came from Mount Sinai
      and dawned upon us[a] from Mount Seir;
   he shone forth from Mount Paran
      and came from Meribah-kadesh
      with flaming fire at his right hand.[b]
 3 Indeed, he loves his people;[c]
      all his holy ones are in his hands.
   They follow in his steps
      and accept his teaching.
 4 Moses gave us the Lord’s instruction,
      the special possession of the people of Israel.[d]
 5 The Lord became king in Israel[e]
      when the leaders of the people assembled,
      when the tribes of Israel gathered as one.”
 6 Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben:[f]
   “Let the tribe of Reuben live and not die out,
      though they are few in number.”
 7 Moses said this about the tribe of Judah:
   “O Lord, hear the cry of Judah
      and bring them together as a people.
   Give them strength to defend their cause;
      help them against their enemies!”
 8 Moses said this about the tribe of Levi:
   “O Lord, you have given your Thummim and Urim—the sacred lots—
      to your faithful servants the Levites.[g]
   You put them to the test at Massah
      and struggled with them at the waters of Meribah.
 9 The Levites obeyed your word
      and guarded your covenant.
   They were more loyal to you
      than to their own parents.
   They ignored their relatives
      and did not acknowledge their own children.
 10 They teach your regulations to Jacob;
      they give your instructions to Israel.
   They present incense before you
      and offer whole burnt offerings on the altar.
 11 Bless the ministry of the Levites, O Lord,
      and accept all the work of their hands.
   Hit their enemies where it hurts the most;
      strike down their foes so they never rise again.”
 12 Moses said this about the tribe of Benjamin:
   “The people of Benjamin are loved by the Lord
      and live in safety beside him.
   He surrounds them continuously
      and preserves them from every harm.”
 13 Moses said this about the tribes of Joseph:
   “May their land be blessed by the Lord
      with the precious gift of dew from the heavens
      and water from beneath the earth;
 14 with the rich fruit that grows in the sun,
      and the rich harvest produced each month;
 15 with the finest crops of the ancient mountains,
      and the abundance from the everlasting hills;
 16 with the best gifts of the earth and its bounty,
      and the favor of the one who appeared in the burning bush.
   May these blessings rest on Joseph’s head,
      crowning the brow of the prince among his brothers.
 17 Joseph has the majesty of a young bull;
      he has the horns of a wild ox.
   He will gore distant nations,
      driving them to the ends of the earth.
   This is my blessing for the multitudes of Ephraim
      and the thousands of Manasseh.”
 18 Moses said this about the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar[h]:
   “May the people of Zebulun prosper in their travels.
      May the people of Issachar prosper at home in their tents.
 19 They summon the people to the mountain
      to offer proper sacrifices there.
   They benefit from the riches of the sea
      and the hidden treasures in the sand.”
 20 Moses said this about the tribe of Gad:
   “Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad’s territory!
      Gad is poised there like a lion
      to tear off an arm or a head.
 21 The people of Gad took the best land for themselves;
      a leader’s share was assigned to them.
   When the leaders of the people were assembled,
      they carried out the Lord’s justice
      and obeyed his regulations for Israel.”
 22 Moses said this about the tribe of Dan:
   “Dan is a lion’s cub,
      leaping out from Bashan.”
 23 Moses said this about the tribe of Naphtali:
   “O Naphtali, you are rich in favor
      and full of the Lord’s blessings;
      may you possess the west and the south.”
 24 Moses said this about the tribe of Asher:
   “May Asher be blessed above other sons;
      may he be esteemed by his brothers;
      may he bathe his feet in olive oil.
 25 May the bolts of your gates be of iron and bronze;
      may you be secure all your days.”
 26 “There is no one like the God of Israel.[i]
      He rides across the heavens to help you,
      across the skies in majestic splendor.
 27 The eternal God is your refuge,
      and his everlasting arms are under you.
   He drives out the enemy before you;
      he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’
 28 So Israel will live in safety,
      prosperous Jacob in security,
   in a land of grain and new wine,
      while the heavens drop down dew.
 29 How blessed you are, O Israel!
      Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?
   He is your protecting shield
      and your triumphant sword!
   Your enemies will cringe before you,
      and you will stomp on their backs!”
Footnotes:
  1. Deuteronomy 33:2 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads upon them.
  2. Deuteronomy 33:2 Or came from myriads of holy ones, from the south, from his mountain slopes. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  3. Deuteronomy 33:3 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Indeed, lover of the peoples.
  4. Deuteronomy 33:4 Hebrew of Jacob. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation.
  5. Deuteronomy 33:5 Hebrew in Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
  6. Deuteronomy 33:6 Hebrew lacks Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben.
  7. Deuteronomy 33:8 As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks the Levites.
  8. Deuteronomy 33:18 Hebrew lacks and Issachar.
  9. Deuteronomy 33:26 Hebrew of Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Deuteronomy 33:1-29X
Add parallel

Luke 13:1-21

New Living Translation (NLT)

Luke 13

A Call to Repentance
 1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
 6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ 8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
 10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God! 14 But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”
 15 But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? 16 This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?”
 17 This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.
Parable of the Mustard Seed
 18 Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? 19 It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
 20 He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? 21 It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Luke 13:1-21X
Add parallel

Psalm 78:65-72

New Living Translation (NLT)
 65 Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep,
      like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor.
 66 He routed his enemies
      and sent them to eternal shame.
 67 But he rejected Joseph’s descendants;
      he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
 68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah,
      and Mount Zion, which he loved.
 69 There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens,
      as solid and enduring as the earth.
 70 He chose his servant David,
      calling him from the sheep pens.
 71 He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
      and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
      God’s own people, Israel.
 72 He cared for them with a true heart
      and led them with skillful hands.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Psalm 78:65-72X
Add parallel

Proverbs 12:25

New Living Translation (NLT)
 25 Worry weighs a person down;
      an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Wednesday, 9/28/2011 - One Year Bible - Why couldn't Moses go the promise land?

5:00 a.m. Reading, Prayer, Devotion

5:40 a.m. Weights Resistance "Total Body"/10 min warm up of Insanity "Pure Cardio"


Why couldn't Moses go to the promise land?
Deuteronomy 32:51-52

God said this to Moses

51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[a] in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

April 8 - reading
Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35:59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24

Deuteronomy 32:28-52

New Living Translation (NLT)
 28 “But Israel is a senseless nation;
      the people are foolish, without understanding.
 29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
      Oh, that they might know their fate!
 30 How could one person chase a thousand of them,
      and two people put ten thousand to flight,
   unless their Rock had sold them,
      unless the Lord had given them up?
 31 But the rock of our enemies is not like our Rock,
      as even they recognize.[a]
 32 Their vine grows from the vine of Sodom,
      from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
   Their grapes are poison,
      and their clusters are bitter.
 33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
      the deadly poison of cobras.
 34 “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things,
      sealing them away in my treasury?
 35 I will take revenge; I will pay them back.
      In due time their feet will slip.
   Their day of disaster will arrive,
      and their destiny will overtake them.’
 36 “Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people,
      and he will change his mind about[b] his servants,
   when he sees their strength is gone
      and no one is left, slave or free.
 37 Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods,
      the rocks they fled to for refuge?
 38 Where now are those gods,
      who ate the fat of their sacrifices
      and drank the wine of their offerings?
   Let those gods arise and help you!
      Let them provide you with shelter!
 39 Look now; I myself am he!
      There is no other god but me!
   I am the one who kills and gives life;
      I am the one who wounds and heals;
      no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!
 40 Now I raise my hand to heaven
      and declare, “As surely as I live,
 41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
      and begin to carry out justice,
   I will take revenge on my enemies
      and repay those who reject me.
 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
      and my sword will devour flesh—
   the blood of the slaughtered and the captives,
      and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’
 43 “Rejoice with him, you heavens,
      and let all of God’s angels worship him.[c]
   Rejoice with his people, you nations,
      and let all the angels be strengthened in him.[d]
   For he will avenge the blood of his servants;
      he will take revenge against his enemies.
   He will repay those who hate him[e]
      and cleanse the land for his people.”
 44 So Moses came with Joshua[f] son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.
 45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, 46 he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. 47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”
Moses’ Death Foretold
 48 That same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river,[g] and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession. 50 Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. 51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[h] in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Footnotes:
  1. Deuteronomy 32:31 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Greek version reads our enemies are fools.
  2. Deuteronomy 32:36 Or will take revenge for.
  3. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines. Compare Heb 1:6.
  4. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Greek version; Hebrew text lacks this line.
  5. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks this line.
  6. Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant name for Joshua.
  7. Deuteronomy 32:49 Hebrew the mountains of Abarim.
  8. Deuteronomy 32:51 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Deuteronomy 32:28-52X
Add parallel

Deuteronomy 32:28-52

New Living Translation (NLT)
 28 “But Israel is a senseless nation;
      the people are foolish, without understanding.
 29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
      Oh, that they might know their fate!
 30 How could one person chase a thousand of them,
      and two people put ten thousand to flight,
   unless their Rock had sold them,
      unless the Lord had given them up?
 31 But the rock of our enemies is not like our Rock,
      as even they recognize.[a]
 32 Their vine grows from the vine of Sodom,
      from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
   Their grapes are poison,
      and their clusters are bitter.
 33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
      the deadly poison of cobras.
 34 “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things,
      sealing them away in my treasury?
 35 I will take revenge; I will pay them back.
      In due time their feet will slip.
   Their day of disaster will arrive,
      and their destiny will overtake them.’
 36 “Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people,
      and he will change his mind about[b] his servants,
   when he sees their strength is gone
      and no one is left, slave or free.
 37 Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods,
      the rocks they fled to for refuge?
 38 Where now are those gods,
      who ate the fat of their sacrifices
      and drank the wine of their offerings?
   Let those gods arise and help you!
      Let them provide you with shelter!
 39 Look now; I myself am he!
      There is no other god but me!
   I am the one who kills and gives life;
      I am the one who wounds and heals;
      no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!
 40 Now I raise my hand to heaven
      and declare, “As surely as I live,
 41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
      and begin to carry out justice,
   I will take revenge on my enemies
      and repay those who reject me.
 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
      and my sword will devour flesh—
   the blood of the slaughtered and the captives,
      and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’
 43 “Rejoice with him, you heavens,
      and let all of God’s angels worship him.[c]
   Rejoice with his people, you nations,
      and let all the angels be strengthened in him.[d]
   For he will avenge the blood of his servants;
      he will take revenge against his enemies.
   He will repay those who hate him[e]
      and cleanse the land for his people.”
 44 So Moses came with Joshua[f] son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.
 45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, 46 he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. 47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”
Moses’ Death Foretold
 48 That same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river,[g] and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession. 50 Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. 51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[h] in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Footnotes:
  1. Deuteronomy 32:31 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Greek version reads our enemies are fools.
  2. Deuteronomy 32:36 Or will take revenge for.
  3. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines. Compare Heb 1:6.
  4. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Greek version; Hebrew text lacks this line.
  5. Deuteronomy 32:43 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks this line.
  6. Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant name for Joshua.
  7. Deuteronomy 32:49 Hebrew the mountains of Abarim.
  8. Deuteronomy 32:51 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Deuteronomy 32:28-52X
Add parallel

Psalm 78:56-64

New Living Translation (NLT)
 56 But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High.
      They did not obey his laws.
 57 They turned back and were as faithless as their parents.
      They were as undependable as a crooked bow.
 58 They angered God by building shrines to other gods;
      they made him jealous with their idols.
 59 When God heard them, he was very angry,
      and he completely rejected Israel.
 60 Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
      the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people.
 61 He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured;
      he surrendered his glory into enemy hands.
 62 He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword,
      because he was so angry with his own people—his special possession.
 63 Their young men were killed by fire;
      their young women died before singing their wedding songs.
 64 Their priests were slaughtered,
      and their widows could not mourn their deaths.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Psalm 78:56-64X
Add parallel

Proverbs 12:24

New Living Translation (NLT)
 24 Work hard and become a leader;
      be lazy and become a slave.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Tuesday, Sept 27, 2011 - One Year Bible

5:00 am Prayer/Devotion

5:40 a.m, P90x /Cardio - Abs

Reading April 7 - One Year Bible
Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23

Deuteronomy 31

Joshua Becomes Israel’s Leader
1 When Moses had finished giving these instructions[a] to all the people of Israel, 2 he said, “I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.’ 3 But the Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy the nations living there, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will lead you across the river, just as the Lord promised.

4 “The Lord will destroy the nations living in the land, just as he destroyed Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites. 5 The Lord will hand over to you the people who live there, and you must deal with them as I have commanded you. 6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

7 Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. 8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Public Reading of the Book of Instruction
9 So Moses wrote this entire body of instruction in a book and gave it to the priests, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses gave them this command: “At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters, 11 you must read this Book of Instruction to all the people of Israel when they assemble before the Lord your God at the place he chooses. 12 Call them all together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living in your towns—so they may hear this Book of Instruction and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the terms of these instructions. 13 Do this so that your children who have not known these instructions will hear them and will learn to fear the Lord your God. Do this as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.”
Israel’s Disobedience Predicted
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tabernacle,[b] so that I may commission him there.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle. 15 And the Lord appeared to them in a pillar of cloud that stood at the entrance to the sacred tent.

16 The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 17 Then my anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding my face from them, and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’ 18 At that time I will hide my face from them on account of all the evil they commit by worshiping other gods.

19 “So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them. 20 For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant. 21 And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.”

22 So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites.

23 Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished writing this entire body of instruction in a book, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant: 26 “Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, so it may remain there as a witness against the people of Israel. 27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive and am here with you, you have rebelled against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after my death!

28 “Now summon all the elders and officials of your tribes, so that I can speak to them directly and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29 I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and will turn from the way I have commanded you to follow. In the days to come, disaster will come down on you, for you will do what is evil in the Lord’s sight, making him very angry with your actions.”

The Song of Moses
30 So Moses recited this entire song publicly to the assembly of Israel:

Deuteronomy 32

1 “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!
Hear, O earth, the words that I say!
2 Let my teaching fall on you like rain;
let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass,
like gentle showers on young plants.
3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
how glorious is our God!
4 He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
how just and upright he is!

5 “But they have acted corruptly toward him;
when they act so perversely,
are they really his children?[c]
They are a deceitful and twisted generation.
6 Is this the way you repay the Lord,
you foolish and senseless people?
Isn’t he your Father who created you?
Has he not made you and established you?
7 Remember the days of long ago;
think about the generations past.
Ask your father, and he will inform you.
Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.
8 When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.[d]

9 “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
10 He found them in a desert land,
in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.[e]
11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
and hovers over her young,
so he spread his wings to take them up
and carried them safely on his pinions.
12 The Lord alone guided them;
they followed no foreign gods.
13 He let them ride over the highlands
and feast on the crops of the fields.
He nourished them with honey from the rock
and olive oil from the stony ground.
14 He fed them yogurt from the herd
and milk from the flock,
together with the fat of lambs.
He gave them choice rams from Bashan, and goats,
together with the choicest wheat.
You drank the finest wine,
made from the juice of grapes.

15 “But Israel[f] soon became fat and unruly;
the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed!
Then they abandoned the God who had made them;
they made light of the Rock of their salvation.
16 They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods;
they provoked his fury with detestable deeds.
17 They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God,
to gods they had not known before,
to new gods only recently arrived,
to gods their ancestors had never feared.
18 You neglected the Rock who had fathered you;
you forgot the God who had given you birth.

19 “The Lord saw this and drew back,
provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.
20 He said, ‘I will abandon them;
then see what becomes of them.
For they are a twisted generation,
children without integrity.
21 They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God;
they have provoked my anger with their useless idols.
Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people;
I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles.
22 For my anger blazes forth like fire
and burns to the depths of the grave.[g]
It devours the earth and all its crops
and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
23 I will heap disasters upon them
and shoot them down with my arrows.
24 I will weaken them with famine,
burning fever, and deadly disease.
I will send the fangs of wild beasts
and poisonous snakes that glide in the dust.
25 Outside, the sword will bring death,
and inside, terror will strike
both young men and young women,
both infants and the aged.
26 I would have annihilated them,
wiping out even the memory of them.
27 But I feared the taunt of Israel’s enemy,
who might misunderstand and say,
“Our own power has triumphed!
The Lord had nothing to do with this!”’

Footnotes:
  1. Deuteronomy 31:1 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads Moses went and spoke.
  2. Deuteronomy 31:14 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 31:14b.
  3. Deuteronomy 32:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. Deuteronomy 32:8 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, which read the number of the sons of God, and Greek version, which reads the number of the angels of God; Masoretic Text reads the number of the sons of Israel.
  5. Deuteronomy 32:10 Hebrew as the pupil of his eye.
  6. Deuteronomy 32:15 Hebrew Jeshurun, a term of endearment for Israel.
  7. Deuteronomy 32:22 Hebrew of Sheol.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Deuteronomy 31-32:27X
Add parallel

Luke 12:8-34

New Living Translation (NLT)

8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man[a] will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. 10 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Teaching about Money and Possessions
22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Footnotes:
  1. Luke 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Luke 12:8-34X
Add parallel

Psalm 78:32-55

New Living Translation (NLT)

32 But in spite of this, the people kept sinning.
Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
33 So he ended their lives in failure,
their years in terror.
34 When God began killing them,
they finally sought him.
They repented and took God seriously.
35 Then they remembered that God was their rock,
that God Most High[a] was their redeemer.
36 But all they gave him was lip service;
they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their hearts were not loyal to him.
They did not keep his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins
and did not destroy them all.
Many times he held back his anger
and did not unleash his fury!
39 For he remembered that they were merely mortal,
gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

40 Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland.
41 Again and again they tested God’s patience
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power
and how he rescued them from their enemies.
43 They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt,
his wonders on the plain of Zoan.
44 For he turned their rivers into blood,
so no one could drink from the streams.
45 He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them
and hordes of frogs to ruin them.
46 He gave their crops to caterpillars;
their harvest was consumed by locusts.
47 He destroyed their grapevines with hail
and shattered their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He abandoned their cattle to the hail,
their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 He loosed on them his fierce anger—
all his fury, rage, and hostility.
He dispatched against them
a band of destroying angels.
50 He turned his anger against them;
he did not spare the Egyptians’ lives
but ravaged them with the plague.
51 He killed the oldest son in each Egyptian family,
the flower of youth throughout the land of Egypt.[b]
52 But he led his own people like a flock of sheep,
guiding them safely through the wilderness.
53 He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
but the sea covered their enemies.
54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this land of hills he had won for them.
55 He drove out the nations before them;
he gave them their inheritance by lot.
He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

Footnotes:
  1. Psalm 78:35 Hebrew El-Elyon.
  2. Psalm 78:51 Hebrew in the tents of Ham.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 78:32-55X
Add parallel

Proverbs 12:21-23

New Living Translation (NLT)

21 No harm comes to the godly,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in those who tell the truth.

23 The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
but fools broadcast their foolishness.