THEINC-HIM DAILY BIBLE MEDITATION: April 9

Saturday, October 24, 2009

April 9

Genesis 1:1 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

APRIL 9

PSALMS: 9, 39, 69, 99, 129

PROVERBS: 9

OLD TESTAMENT

2 KINGS 15:1 - 16:20

NEW TESTAMENT

ACTS 19:13 - 41

PSALMS: 9

ForA the director of music. To the tune of "The Death of the Son." A psalm of David.

1I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonders.

2I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3My enemies turn back;

they stumble and perish before you.

4For you have upheld my right and my cause;

you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.

5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;

you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,

you have uprooted their cities;

even the memory of them has perished.

7The LORD reigns forever;

he has established his throne for judgment.

8He will judge the world in righteousness;

he will govern the peoples with justice.

9The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

10Those who know your name will trust in you,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;

proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12For he who avenges blood remembers;

he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. [1]

13O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!

Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14that I may declare your praises

in the gates of the Daughter of Zion

and there rejoice in your salvation.

15The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;

their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

16The LORD is known by his justice;

the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

Higgaion.B Selah

17The wicked return to the grave,C

all the nations that forget God.

18But the needy will not always be forgotten,

nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

19Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;

let the nations be judged in your presence.

20Strike them with terror, O LORD;

let the nations know they are but men.

Selah[2]

PSALMS: 39

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1I said, "I will watch my ways

and keep my tongue from sin;

I will put a muzzle on my mouth

as long as the wicked are in my presence."

2But when I was silent and still,

not even saying anything good,

my anguish increased.

3My heart grew hot within me,

and as I meditated, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

4"Show me, O LORD, my life's end

and the number of my days;

let me know how fleeting is my life.

5You have made my days a mere handbreadth;

the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Each man's life is but a breath.

Selah

6Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:

He bustles about, but only in vain;

he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

7"But now, Lord, what do I look for?

My hope is in you.

8Save me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the scorn of fools.

9I was silent; I would not open my mouth, [3]

for you are the one who has done this.

10Remove your scourge from me;

I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;

you consume their wealth like a moth--

each man is but a breath.

Selah

12"Hear my prayer, O LORD,

listen to my cry for help;

be not deaf to my weeping.

For I dwell with you as an alien,

a stranger, as all my fathers were.

13Look away from me, that I may rejoice again

before I depart and am no more." [4]

PSALMS: 69

For the director of music. To the tune of "Lilies." Of David.

1Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.

2I sink in the miry depths,

where there is no foothold.

I have come into the deep waters;

the floods engulf me.

3I am worn out calling for help;

my throat is parched.

My eyes fail,

looking for my God.

4Those who hate me without reason

outnumber the hairs of my head;

many are my enemies without cause,

those who seek to destroy me.

I am forced to restore

what I did not steal.

5You know my folly, O God;

my guilt is not hidden from you.

6May those who hope in you

not be disgraced because of me,

O Lord, the LORD Almighty;

may those who seek you

not be put to shame because of me,

O God of Israel.

7For I endure scorn for your sake,

and shame covers my face.

8I am a stranger to my brothers, [5]

an alien to my own mother's sons;

9for zeal for your house consumes me,

and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

10When I weep and fast,

I must endure scorn;

11when I put on sackcloth,

people make sport of me.

12Those who sit at the gate mock me,

and I am the song of the drunkards.

13But I pray to you, O LORD,

in the time of your favor;

in your great love, O God,

answer me with your sure salvation.

14Rescue me from the mire,

do not let me sink;

deliver me from those who hate me,

from the deep waters.

15Do not let the floodwaters engulf me

or the depths swallow me up

or the pit close its mouth over me.

16Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;

in your great mercy turn to me.

17Do not hide your face from your servant;

answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

18Come near and rescue me;

redeem me because of my foes.

19You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;

all my enemies are before you.

20Scorn has broken my heart [6]

and has left me helpless;

I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

for comforters, but I found none.

21They put gall in my food

and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

22May the table set before them become a snare;

may it become retribution andA a trap.

23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.

24Pour out your wrath on them;

let your fierce anger overtake them.

25May their place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26For they persecute those you wound

and talk about the pain of those you hurt.

27Charge them with crime upon crime;

do not let them share in your salvation.

28May they be blotted out of the book of life

and not be listed with the righteous.

29I am in pain and distress;

may your salvation, O God, protect me.

30I will praise God's name in song

and glorify him with thanksgiving.

31This will please the LORD more than an ox,

more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.

32The poor will see and be glad--

you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33The LORD hears the needy

and does not despise his captive people. [7]

34Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and all that move in them,

35for God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah.

Then people will settle there and possess it;

36the children of his servants will inherit it,

and those who love his name will dwell there. [8]

PSALMS: 99

1The LORD reigns,

let the nations tremble;

he sits enthroned between the cherubim,

let the earth shake.

2Great is the LORD in Zion;

he is exalted over all the nations.

3Let them praise your great and awesome name--

he is holy.

4The King is mighty, he loves justice--

you have established equity;

in Jacob you have done

what is just and right.

5Exalt the LORD our God

and worship at his footstool;

he is holy.

6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel was among those who called on his name;

they called on the LORD

and he answered them.

7He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;

they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

8O LORD our God,

you answered them;

you were to IsraelA a forgiving God,

though you punished their misdeeds.B

9Exalt the LORD our God

and worship at his holy mountain,

for the LORD our God is holy. [9]

PSALMS: 129

A song of ascents.

1They have greatly oppressed me from my youth--

let Israel say--

2they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,

but they have not gained the victory over me.

3Plowmen have plowed my back

and made their furrows long.

4But the LORD is righteous;

he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

5May all who hate Zion

be turned back in shame.

6May they be like grass on the roof,

which withers before it can grow;

7with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,

nor the one who gathers fill his arms.

8May those who pass by not say,

"The blessing of the LORD be upon you;

we bless you in the name of the LORD." [10]

PROVERBS: 9

91 Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn out its seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maids, and she calls

from the highest point of the city.

4"Let all who are simple come in here!"

she says to those who lack judgment.

5"Come, eat my food

and drink the wine I have mixed.

6Leave your simple ways and you will live;

walk in the way of understanding.

7"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;

whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.

8Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;

rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

9Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;

teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

10"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For through me your days will be many,

and years will be added to your life.

12If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;

if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

13The woman Folly is loud;

she is undisciplined and without knowledge.

14She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

15calling out to those who pass by,

who go straight on their way.

16"Let all who are simple come in here!" [11]

she says to those who lack judgment.

17"Stolen water is sweet;

food eaten in secret is delicious!"

18But little do they know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of the grave.A [12]

OLD TESTAMENT

2 KINGS 15:1 - 16:20

151In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. 2He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 3He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

5The LORD afflicted the king with leprosyA until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house.B Jotham the king's son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

6As for the other events of Azariah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 7Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.

8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months. 9He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people,C assassinated him and succeeded him as king. 11The other events of Zechariah's reign are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel. 12So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: "Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."D [13]13Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month. 14Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.

15The other events of Shallum's reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

16At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

17In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years. 18He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

19Then PulE king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talentsF of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. 20Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy man had to contribute fifty shekelsG of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer.

21As for the other events of Menahem's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the

kings of Israel? 22Menahem rested with his fathers. And Pekahiah his son succeeded him as king. [14]23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. 25One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.

26The other events of Pekahiah's reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

27In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

29In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria. 30Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

31As for the other events of Pekah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

32In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, [15]23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. 25One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.

26The other events of Pekahiah's reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.

31As for the other events of Pekah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

32In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, [16]Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.

33He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 34He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD.

36As for the other events of Jotham's reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 37(In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.) 38Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

161In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 3He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son inA the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 4He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree. [17]5Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. 6At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram by driving out the men of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day.

7Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, "I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me." 8And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.

10Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. 11So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. 12When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offeringsB on it. 13He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offeringsC on the altar. 14The bronze altar that stood before the LORD he brought from the front of the temple--from between the new altar and the temple of the LORD--and put it on the north side of the new altar.

15King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest: "On the [18]large new altar, offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, the king's burnt offering and his grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offering. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt

offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance." 16And Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered.

17King Ahaz took away the side panels and removed the basins from the movable stands. He removed the Sea from the bronze bulls that supported it and set it on a stone base. 18He took away the Sabbath canopyD that had been built at the temple and removed the royal entryway outside the temple of the LORD, in deference to the king of Assyria.

19As for the other events of the reign of Ahaz, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.[19]

NEW TESTAMENT

ACTS 19:13 - 41

13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 19A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.D 20In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

21After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." 22He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25He called [20]them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. 27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and

the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."

28When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. 30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

35The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men of Ephesus, [21]doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.[22]

John 3:16-21 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."H

THEINC-HIM DAILY BIBLE MEDITATION

Saturday, October 24, 2009

April 9

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John 3:16-21