MARCH
26
PSALMS: 26, 56, 86, 116,
146
PROVERBS: 26
OLD
TESTAMENT: 1 KINGS 14:1 - 15:24
NEW
TESTAMENT: ACTS 10:1 - 23
PSALMS: 26
Of
David.
1
Vindicate
me, O LORD,
for
I have led a blameless life;
I
have trusted in the LORD
without
wavering.
2
Test
me, O LORD, and try me,
examine
my heart and my mind;
3
for
your love is ever before me,
and
I walk continually in your truth.
4
I
do not sit with deceitful men,
nor
do I consort with hypocrites;
5
I
abhor the assembly of evildoers
and
refuse to sit with the wicked.
6
I
wash my hands in innocence,
and
go about your altar, O LORD,
7
proclaiming
aloud your praise
and
telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8
I
love the house where you live, O LORD,
the
place where your glory dwells.
9
Do
not take away my soul along with sinners,
my
life with bloodthirsty men,
10
in
whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose
right hands are full of bribes.
11
But
I lead a blameless life;
redeem
me and be merciful to me.
12
My
feet stand on level ground;
in
the great assembly I will praise the LORD. [1]
PSALMS: 56
For
the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A
miktam. A When the Philistines had seized him in
Gath.
1
Be
merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all
day long they press their attack.
2
My
slanderers pursue me all day long;
many
are attacking me in their pride.
3
When
I am afraid,
I
will trust in you.
4
In
God, whose word I praise,
in
God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What
can mortal man do to me?
5
All
day long they twist my words;
they
are always plotting to harm me.
6
They
conspire, they lurk,
they
watch my steps,
eager
to take my life.
7
On
no account let them escape;
in
your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
8
Record
my lament;
list
my tears on your scroll B--
are
they not in your record?
9
Then
my enemies will turn back
when
I call for help.
By
this I will know that God is for me.
10
In
God, whose word I praise,
in
the LORD, whose word I praise--
11
in
God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What
can man do to me? [2]
12
I
am under vows to you, O God;
I
will present my thank offerings to you.
13
For
you have delivered me C from death
and
my feet from stumbling,
that
I may walk before God
in
the light of life. D [3]
PSALMS: 86
A
prayer of David.
1
Hear,
O LORD, and answer me,
for
I am poor and needy.
2
Guard
my life, for I am devoted to you.
You
are my God; save your servant
who
trusts in you.
3
Have
mercy on me, O Lord,
for
I call to you all day long.
4
Bring
joy to your servant,
for
to you, O Lord,
I
lift up my soul.
5
You
are forgiving and good, O Lord,
abounding
in love to all who call to you.
6
Hear
my prayer, O LORD;
listen
to my cry for mercy.
7
In
the day of my trouble I will call to you,
for
you will answer me.
8
Among
the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
no
deeds can compare with yours.
9
All
the nations you have made
will
come and worship before you, O Lord;
they
will bring glory to your name.
10
For
you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you
alone are God. [4]
11
Teach
me your way, O LORD,
and
I will walk in your truth;
give
me an undivided heart,
that
I may fear your name.
12
I
will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I
will glorify your name forever.
13
For
great is your love toward me;
you
have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
A
14
The
arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a
band of ruthless men seeks my life--
men
without regard for you.
15
But
you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16
Turn
to me and have mercy on me;
grant
your strength to your servant
and
save the son of your maidservant. B
17
Give
me a sign of your goodness,
that
my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for
you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me. [5]
PSALMS: 116
1
I
love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he
heard my cry for mercy.
2
Because
he turned his ear to me,
I
will call on him as long as I live.
3
The
cords of death entangled me,
the
anguish of the grave A came upon me;
I
was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4
Then
I called on the name of the LORD:
"O
LORD, save me!"
5
The
LORD is gracious and righteous;
our
God is full of compassion.
6
The
LORD protects the simplehearted;
when
I was in great need, he saved me.
7
Be
at rest once more, O my soul,
for
the LORD has been good to you.
8
For
you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my
eyes from tears,
my
feet from stumbling,
9
that
I may walk before the LORD
in
the land of the living.
10
I
believed; therefore B I said,
"I
am greatly afflicted."
11
And
in my dismay I said,
"All
men are liars."
12
How
can I repay the LORD
for
all his goodness to me?
13
I
will lift up the cup of salvation
and
call on the name of the LORD.
14
I
will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in
the presence of all his people. [6]
15
Precious
in the sight of the LORD
is
the death of his saints.
16
O
LORD, truly I am your servant;
I
am your servant, the son of your maidservant C;
you
have freed me from my chains.
17
I
will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and
call on the name of the LORD.
18
I
will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in
the presence of all his people,
19
in
the courts of the house of the LORD--
in
your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise
the LORD. D [7]
PSALMS: 146
1
Praise
the LORD. A
Praise
the LORD, O my soul.
2
I
will praise the LORD all my life;
I
will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3
Do
not put your trust in princes,
in
mortal men, who cannot save.
4
When
their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on
that very day their plans come to nothing.
5
Blessed
is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose
hope is in the LORD his God,
6the
Maker of heaven and earth,
the
sea, and everything in them--
the
LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7
He
upholds the cause of the oppressed
and
gives food to the hungry.
The
LORD sets prisoners free,
8
the
LORD gives sight to the blind,
the
LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the
LORD loves the righteous.
9
The
LORD watches over the alien
and
sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but
he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10
The
LORD reigns forever,
your
God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise
the LORD. [8]
PROVERBS: 26
26
1
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor
is not fitting for a fool.
2
Like
a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an
undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3
A
whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey,
and
a rod for the backs of fools!
4
Do
not answer a fool according to his folly,
or
you will be like him yourself.
5
Answer
a fool according to his folly,
or
he will be wise in his own eyes.
6
Like
cutting off one's feet or drinking violence
is
the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7
Like
a lame man's legs that hang limp
is
a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8
Like
tying a stone in a sling
is
the giving of honor to a fool.
9
Like
a thornbush in a drunkard's hand
is
a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10
Like
an archer who wounds at random
is
he who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11
As
a dog returns to its vomit,
so
a fool repeats his folly.
There
is more hope for a fool than for him.
13
The
sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road,
a
fierce lion roaming the streets!"
14
As
a door turns on its hinges,
so
a sluggard turns on his bed.
15
The
sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he
is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16
The
sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than
seven men who answer discreetly.
17
Like
one who seizes a dog by the ears
is
a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18
Like
a madman shooting
firebrands
or deadly arrows
19
is
a man who deceives his neighbor
and
says, "I was only joking!"
20
Without
wood a fire goes out;
without
gossip a quarrel dies down.
21
As
charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so
is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. [10]
22
The
words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they
go down to a man's inmost parts.
23
Like
a coating of glaze A over earthenware
are
fervent lips with an evil heart.
24
A
malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but
in his heart he harbors deceit.
25
Though
his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for
seven abominations fill his heart.
26
His
malice may be concealed by deception,
but
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27
If
a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if
a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
28
A
lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and
a flattering mouth works ruin. [11]
OLD
TESTAMENT: 1 KINGS 14:1 - 15:24
14
1
At
that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, 2 and Jeroboam said to
his wife, "Go, disguise yourself, so you won't be recognized as the wife of
Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there--the one who told me I
would be king over this people. 3 Take ten loaves of bread with you,
some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen
to the boy." 4 So Jeroboam's wife did what he said and went to
Ahijah's house in Shiloh.
Now
Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. 5 But
the LORD had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming
to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such
an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else."
6
So
when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, "Come in,
wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news.
7 Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel,
says: `I raised you up from among the people and
made you a leader over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave
it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and
followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.
9 You have done more evil than all who
lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal;
you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back.
10"`Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house
of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel--slave or
free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one [12] burns dung, until it is all gone. 11 Dogs will eat those
belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on
those who die in the country. The LORD has spoken!'
12
"As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city,
the boy will die. 13 All Israel will
mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be
buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD,
the God of Israel, has found anything good.
14
"The LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who
will cut off the family of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Yes, even now.
A
15
And the LORD will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the
water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their
forefathers and scatter them beyond the River, B
because they provoked the LORD to anger by making Asherah poles.
C
16 And he will give Israel up because of
the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit."
17
Then
Jeroboam's wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over
the threshold of the house, the boy died. 18 They buried him, and all
Israel mourned for him, as the LORD had said through his servant the prophet
Ahijah.
19
The
other events of Jeroboam's reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the
book of the annals of the kings of Israel. 20 He reigned for
twenty-two years and then rested with his fathers. And Nadab his son succeeded
him as king.
21
Rehoboam
son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became
king, and he reigned seventeen [13]
years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel
in which to put his Name. His mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.
22
Judah
did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his
jealous anger more than their fathers had done. 23 They also set up
for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill
and under every spreading tree. 24 There were even male shrine
prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of
the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
25
In
the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.
26 He carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the
treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold
shields Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to
replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the
entrance to the royal palace.
28
Whenever
the king went to the LORD's temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterward
they returned them to the guardroom.
29
As
for the other events of Rehoboam's reign, and all he did, are they not written
in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 30 There was
continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 31 And Rehoboam
rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. His
mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. And Abijah D his son
succeeded him as king. [14]
15
1
In
the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah A
became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His
mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. B
3
He
committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully
devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.
4
Nevertheless,
for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a
son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. 5 For David had
done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of
the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the
Hittite.
6
There
was war between Rehoboam C and Jeroboam throughout Abijah's lifetime.
7 As for the other events of Abijah's reign, and all he did, are they
not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war
between Abijah and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijah rested with his fathers and
was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.
9
In
the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10
and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother's name was
Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
11
Asa
did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.
12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid
of all the idols his fathers had made. 13 He even deposed his
grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a
repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron
Valley. 14 Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart
was fully committed to the [15]
LORD all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the LORD the
silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
16
There
was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
17
Baasha
king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from
leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
18
Asa
then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD's
temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to
Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling
in Damascus. 19 "Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said,
"as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of
silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will
withdraw from me."
20
Ben-Hadad
agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of
Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and all Kinnereth in addition
to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and
withdrew to Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah--no
one was exempt--and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha
had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also
Mizpah.
23
As
for all the other events of Asa's reign, all his achievements, all he did and
the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings
of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then
Asa rested with his fathers and was [16]
buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son
succeeded him as king. [17]
NEW
TESTAMENT: ACTS 10:1 - 23
10
1
At
Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the
Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and
God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He
distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4
Cornelius
stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The
angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor
have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who
is called Peter. 6 He is staying
with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
7
When
the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a
devout soldier who was one of his attendants.
8
He
told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9
About
noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city,
Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted
something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let
down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of
four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter.
Kill and eat."
14
"Surely
not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." [18]
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
16
This
happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17
While
Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius
found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They
called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19
While
Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three A
men are looking for you. 20 So get
up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent
them."
21
Peter
went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you
come?"
22
The
men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the
centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the
Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he
could hear what you have to say." 23 Then Peter invited the
men into the house to be his guests. [19]
[1]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[2]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[3]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[4]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[5]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[6]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[7]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[8]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[9]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[10]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[11]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[12]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[13]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[14]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[15]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[16]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[17]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[18]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
[19]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment