29 Av 5983 / 16 August 2023
Day 228 Readings
Torah Shoftim, 4th Portion Devarim (Deuteronomy) 18:6-13
Avoid Wicked Customs
9 “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the [b]abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass[c] through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are [d]an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be [e]blameless before the Lord your God.
Bible Study Together
Psalm 53:1-6
(0) For the leader. On machalat. A maskil of David:
2 (1) A brutish fool tells himself,“There isn’t any God.”Such people are depraved, all their deeds are vile,not one of them does what is good.3 (2) God looks out from heavenupon the human raceto see if even one is wise,if even one seeks God.4 (3) Every one of them is unclean,altogether corrupt;not one of them does what is good,not a single one.
5 (4) Won’t these evildoers ever learn?They devour my peopleas if they were eating bread,and they never call on God!6 (5) They will be gripped with terror,even though now they are not afraid;for God will scatter the bones of him who is besieging you. You are putting them to shame,because God has rejected them. 7 (6) If only salvation for Isra’el would come out of Tziyon!
When God restores his people’s fortunes, what joy for Ya‘akov! what gladness for Isra’el!
Psalm 140:1-13
Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;Preserve me from violent men,2 Who plan evil things in their hearts;They continually gather together for war.3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;Preserve me from violent men,Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords;They have spread a net by the wayside;They have set traps for me. Selah
6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God;Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,You have [a]covered my head in the day of battle.8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;Do not further his wicked scheme,Lest they be exalted. Selah
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,Let the evil of their lips cover them;10 Let burning coals fall upon them;Let them be cast into the fire,Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”
12 I know that the Lord will maintainThe cause of the afflicted,And justice for the poor.13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;The upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Deuteronomy 3:1-11
1 “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and ‘Og the king of Bashan came out against us with all his people to fight at Edre‘i. 2 Adonai said to me, ‘Don’t be afraid of him; for I have handed him, all his people and his territory over to you; you will do to him as you did to Sichon king of the Emori, who lived at Heshbon.’ 3 So Adonai our God also handed over to us ‘Og the king of Bashan with all his people, and we defeated him until he had no one left.
Romans 3:21-31
21 But now apart [k]from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [l]who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all [m]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a [n]propitiation [o]in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [p]because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [q]has faith in Jesus.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Staying on Path
The definition of prudence is caution with regard to practical matters. The book of Proverbs presents to the reader two different paths and that it is always left for the individual to choose the path that they will take. Here the application is not to stray from prudence for the consequences will be fatal. Are you lacking prudence in any area of your life? The Scriptures encourage us to ask God if we lack wisdom.
Prayer: Father, I pray that you will give me the knowledge to make wise decisions in the practical matters of life. Give me prudence in handling my studies, my work, my relationships, my family, my children, my finance and my relationship with you Heavenly Father. Amen.
Scripture
Nehemiah 11
Nehemiah 12
1 Corinthians 10:1-22
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to [d]bear it.
Flee from Idolatry
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the [e]communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
Psalms 34:11-22
11 Come, you children, listen to me;I will teach you the fear of the Lord.12 Who is the man who desires life,And loves many days, that he may see good?13 Keep your tongue from evil,And your lips from speaking deceit.14 Depart from evil and do good;Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,And His ears are open to their cry.16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,To [a]cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,And delivers them out of all their troubles.18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,And saves such as [b]have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,But the Lord delivers him out of them all.20 He guards all his bones;Not one of them is broken.21 Evil shall slay the wicked,And those who hate the righteous shall be [c]condemned.22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Proverbs 21:14-16
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,And a bribe [f]behind the back, strong wrath.
15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understandingWill rest in the assembly of the dead.