Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
JULY
4
PSALMS: 4,
34, 64, 94, 124
PROVERBS: 4
OLD
TESTAMENT: ISAIAH 41:17 - 43:13
NEW
TESTAMENT: EPHESIANS 2:1 -
22
PSALMS:
4
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of
David.
1
Answer
me when I call to you,
O
my righteous God.
Give
me relief from my distress;
be
merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2
How
long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame
A?
How
long will you love delusions and seek false gods
B?
Selah
3
Know
that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the
LORD will hear when I call to him.
4
In
your anger do not sin;
when
you are on your beds,
search
your hearts and be silent.
Selah
5
Offer
right sacrifices
and
trust in the LORD.
6
Many
are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let
the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7
You
have filled my heart with greater joy
than
when their grain and new wine abound.
8
I
will lie down and sleep in peace,
for
you alone, O LORD,
make
me dwell in safety. [1]
PSALMS: 34
Of
David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and
he left.
1
I
A will extol the LORD at all times;
his
praise will always be on my lips.
2
My
soul will boast in the LORD;
let
the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3
Glorify
the LORD with me;
let
us exalt his name together.
4
I
sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he
delivered me from all my fears.
5
Those
who look to him are radiant;
their
faces are never covered with shame.
6
This
poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he
saved him out of all his troubles.
7
The
angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and
he delivers them.
8
Taste
and see that the LORD is good;
blessed
is the man who takes refuge in him.
9
Fear
the LORD, you his saints,
for
those who fear him lack nothing.
10
The
lions may grow weak and hungry,
but
those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11
Come,
my children, listen to me;
I
will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12
Whoever
of you loves life
and
desires to see many good days, [2]
13
keep
your tongue from evil
and
your lips from speaking lies.
14
Turn
from evil and do good;
seek
peace and pursue it.
15
The
eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and
his ears are attentive to their cry;
16
the
face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to
cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17
The
righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he
delivers them from all their troubles.
18
The
LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and
saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19
A
righteous man may have many troubles,
but
the LORD delivers him from them all;
20
he
protects all his bones,
not
one of them will be broken.
21
Evil
will slay the wicked;
the
foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22
The
LORD redeems his servants;
no
one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. [3]
PSALMS: 64
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
Hear
me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect
my life from the threat of the enemy.
2
Hide
me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from
that noisy crowd of evildoers.
3
They
sharpen their tongues like swords
and
aim their words like deadly arrows.
4
They
shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they
shoot at him suddenly, without fear.
5
They
encourage each other in evil plans,
they
talk about hiding their snares;
they
say, "Who will see them A?"
6
They
plot injustice and say,
"We
have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely
the mind and heart of man are cunning.
7
But
God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly
they will be struck down.
8
He
will turn their own tongues against them
and
bring them to ruin;
all
who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9
All
mankind will fear;
they
will proclaim the works of God
and
ponder what he has done.
10
Let
the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and
take refuge in him;
let
all the upright in heart praise him![4]
PSALMS: 94
1
O
LORD, the God who avenges,
O
God who avenges, shine forth.
2
Rise
up, O Judge of the earth;
pay
back to the proud what they deserve.
3
How
long will the wicked, O LORD,
how
long will the wicked be jubilant?
4
They
pour out arrogant words;
all
the evildoers are full of boasting.
5
They
crush your people, O LORD;
they
oppress your inheritance.
6
They
slay the widow and the alien;
they
murder the fatherless.
7
They
say, "The LORD does not see;
the
God of Jacob pays no heed."
8
Take
heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you
fools, when will you become wise?
9
Does
he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does
he who formed the eye not see?
10
Does
he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does
he who teaches man lack knowledge?
11
The
LORD knows the thoughts of man;
he
knows that they are futile.
12
Blessed
is the man you discipline, O LORD,
the
man you teach from your law;
13
you
grant him relief from days of trouble,
till
a pit is dug for the wicked.
14
For
the LORD will not reject his people;
he
will never forsake his inheritance.
15
Judgment
will again be founded on righteousness,
and
all the upright in heart will follow it.[5]
16
Who
will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who
will take a stand for me against evildoers?
17
Unless
the LORD had given me help,
I
would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
18
When
I said, "My foot is slipping,"
your
love, O LORD, supported me.
19
When
anxiety was great within me,
your
consolation brought joy to my soul.
20
Can
a corrupt throne be allied with you--
one
that brings on misery by its decrees?
21
They
band together against the righteous
and
condemn the innocent to death.
22
But
the LORD has become my fortress,
and
my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
23
He
will repay them for their sins
and
destroy them for their wickedness;
the
LORD our God will destroy them. [6]
PSALMS: 124
A
song of ascents. Of David.
1
If
the LORD had not been on our side--
let
Israel say--
2
if
the LORD had not been on our side
when
men attacked us,
3
when
their anger flared against us,
they
would have swallowed us alive;
4
the
flood would have engulfed us,
the
torrent would have swept over us,
5
the
raging waters
would
have swept us away.
6
Praise
be to the LORD,
who
has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7
We
have escaped like a bird
out
of the fowler's snare;
the
snare has been broken,
and
we have escaped.
8
Our
help is in the name of the LORD,
the
Maker of heaven and earth. [7]
PROVERBS: 4
4
1
Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay
attention and gain understanding.
2
I
give you sound learning,
so
do not forsake my teaching.
3
When
I was a boy in my father's house,
still
tender, and an only child of my mother,
4
he
taught me and said,
"Lay
hold of my words with all your heart;
keep
my commands and you will live.
5
Get
wisdom, get understanding;
do
not forget my words or swerve from them.
6
Do
not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love
her, and she will watch over you.
7
Wisdom
is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though
it cost all you have, A get understanding.
8
Esteem
her, and she will exalt you;
embrace
her, and she will honor you.
9
She
will set a garland of grace on your head
and
present you with a crown of splendor."
10
Listen,
my son, accept what I say,
and
the years of your life will be many.
11
I
guide you in the way of wisdom
and
lead you along straight paths.
12
When
you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when
you run, you will not stumble.
13
Hold
on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard
it well, for it is your life.
14
Do
not set foot on the path of the wicked
or
walk in the way of evil men.
15
Avoid
it, do not travel on it;
turn
from it and go on your way.
16
For
they cannot sleep till they do evil; [8]
they
are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17
They
eat the bread of wickedness
and
drink the wine of violence.
18
The
path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining
ever brighter till the full light of day.
19
But
the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they
do not know what makes them stumble.
20
My
son, pay attention to what I say;
listen
closely to my words.
21
Do
not let them out of your sight,
keep
them within your heart;
22
for
they are life to those who find them
and
health to a man's whole body.
23
Above
all else, guard your heart,
for
it is the wellspring of life.
24
Put
away perversity from your mouth;
keep
corrupt talk far from your lips.
25
Let
your eyes look straight ahead,
fix
your gaze directly before you.
26
Make
level B paths for your feet
and
take only ways that are firm.
27
Do
not swerve to the right or the left;
keep
your foot from evil. [9]
OLD
TESTAMENT: ISAIAH 41:17 - 43:13
17
"The poor and needy search for water,
but
there is none;
their
tongues are parched with thirst.
But
I the LORD will answer them;
I,
the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18
I
will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and
springs within the valleys.
I
will turn the desert into pools of water,
and
the parched ground into springs.
19
I
will put in the desert
the
cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I
will set pines in the wasteland,
the
fir and the cypress together,
20
so
that people may see and know,
may
consider and understand,
that
the hand of the LORD has done this,
that
the Holy One of Israel has created it.
2
1"Present your case," says the LORD.
"Set forth your arguments," says Jacob's King.
22
"Bring in your idols to tell us
what
is going to happen.
Tell
us what the former things were,
so
that we may consider them
and
know their final outcome.
Or
declare to us the things to come,
23
tell us what the future holds, [10]
so
we may know that you are gods.
Do
something, whether good or bad,
so
that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.
24
But
you are less than nothing
and
your works are utterly worthless;
he
who chooses you is detestable.
25
"I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes--
one
from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He
treads on rulers as if they were mortar,
as
if he were a potter treading the clay.
26
Who
told of this from the beginning, so we could know,
or
beforehand, so we could say, `He was right'?
No
one told of this,
no
one foretold it,
no
one heard any words from you.
27
I
was the first to tell Zion, `Look, here they are!'
I
gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good tidings.
28
I
look but there is no one--
no
one among them to give counsel,
no
one to give answer when I ask them.
29
See,
they are all false!
Their
deeds amount to nothing;
their
images are but wind and confusion.
[11]
42
1
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my
chosen one in whom I delight;
I
will put my Spirit on him
and
he will bring justice to the nations.
2
He
will not shout or cry out,
or
raise his voice in the streets.
3
A
bruised reed he will not break,
and
a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In
faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4
he will not falter or be discouraged
till
he establishes justice on earth.
In
his law the islands will put their hope."
5
This
is what God the LORD says--
he
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who
spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who
gives breath to its people,
and
life to those who walk on it:
6
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I
will take hold of your hand.
I
will keep you and will make you
to
be a covenant for the people
and
a light for the Gentiles,
7
to open eyes that are blind,
to
free captives from prison
and
to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. [12]
8"I
am the LORD; that is my name!
I
will not give my glory to another
or
my praise to idols.
9
See, the former things have taken place,
and
new things I declare;
before
they spring into being
I
announce them to you."
10
Sing
to the LORD a new song,
his
praise from the ends of the earth,
you
who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you
islands, and all who live in them.
11
Let
the desert and its towns raise their voices;
let
the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice.
Let
the people of Sela sing for joy;
let
them shout from the mountaintops.
12
Let
them give glory to the LORD
and
proclaim his praise in the islands.
13
The
LORD will march out like a mighty man,
like
a warrior he will stir up his zeal;
with
a shout he will raise the battle cry
and
will triumph over his enemies.
14
"For a long time I have kept silent,
I
have been quiet and held myself back.
[13]
But
now, like a woman in childbirth,
I
cry out, I gasp and pant.
15
I
will lay waste the mountains and hills
and
dry up all their vegetation;
I
will turn rivers into islands
and
dry up the pools.
16
I
will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along
unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I
will turn the darkness into light before them
and
make the rough places smooth.
These
are the things I will do;
I
will not forsake them.
17
But
those who trust in idols,
who
say to images, `You are our gods,'
will
be turned back in utter shame.
18
"Hear, you deaf;
look,
you blind, and see!
19
Who
is blind but my servant,
and
deaf like the messenger I send?
Who
is blind like the one committed to me,
blind
like the servant of the LORD?
20
You
have seen many things, but have paid no attention;
your
ears are open, but you hear nothing."
21
It
pleased the LORD
for
the sake of his righteousness [14]
to
make his law great and glorious.
22
But
this is a people plundered and looted,
all
of them trapped in pits
or
hidden away in prisons.
They
have become plunder,
with
no one to rescue them;
they
have been made loot,
with
no one to say, "Send them back."
23
Which
of you will listen to this
or
pay close attention in time to come?
24
Who
handed Jacob over to become loot,
and
Israel to the plunderers?
Was
it not the LORD,
against
whom we have sinned?
For
they would not follow his ways;
they
did not obey his law.
25
So
he poured out on them his burning anger,
the
violence of war.
It
enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand;
it
consumed them, but they did not take it to heart. [15]
43
1
But now, this is what the LORD says--
he
who created you, O Jacob,
he
who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I
have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2
When you pass through the waters,
I
will be with you;
and
when you pass through the rivers,
they
will not sweep over you.
When
you walk through the fire,
you
will not be burned;
the
flames will not set you ablaze.
3
For I am the LORD, your God,
the
Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I
give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush
A
and Seba in your stead.
4
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and
because I love you,
I
will give men in exchange for you,
and
people in exchange for your life.
5
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I
will bring your children from the east
and
gather you from the west.
6
I will say to the north, `Give them up!'
Bring
my sons from afar
and
my daughters from the ends of the earth--
7
everyone who is called by my name,
whom
I created for my glory,
whom
I formed and made."
8
Lead
out those who have eyes but are blind,
who
have ears but are deaf.
9
All
the nations gather together
and
the peoples assemble.
Which
of them foretold this
and
proclaimed to us the former things?
Let
them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so
that others may hear and say, "It is true."
10
"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so
that you may know and believe me
and
understand that I am he.
Before
me no god was formed,
nor
will there be one after me.
11
I, even I, am the LORD,
and
apart from me there is no savior.
12
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed--
I,
and not some foreign god among you.
You
are my witnesses,"
declares the LORD, "that I am God. [17]
13
Yes, and from
ancient days I am he.
No
one can deliver out of my hand.
When
I act, who can reverse it?"
[18]
NEW
TESTAMENT: EPHESIANS 2:1 -
22
2
1
As
for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which
you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of
the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are
disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature A and following its
desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is
by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and
seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order
that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace
you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we
are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.
11
Therefore,
remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised"
by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the
hands of men)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from
Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of
the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in
Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood
of Christ.
14
For
he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier,
the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law
with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one
new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and
peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access
to the Father by one Spirit.
19
Consequently,
you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people
and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a
holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built
together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.[19]
[1]
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[2]
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[3]
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[4]
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[5]
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[6]
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[7]
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[8]
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[9]
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[10]
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[11]
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[12]
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[13]
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[14]
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[15]
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[16]
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[17]
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[18]
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[19]
Excerpted from Compton
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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever 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 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But 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
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