11 Cheshvan 5994 / 26 October 2023
Day 299 Readings
Torah: Lech-Lecha, 5th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 14:21-15:6
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the [a]persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
Genesis 15
God’s Covenant with Abram
1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, [b]your exceedingly great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I [c]go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one[d] born in my house is my heir!”
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Bible Study Together
Judges 14
1 Then Samson went down to Timnah, and he saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he came [a]back and told his father and [b]mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; so now, get her for me as a wife.” 3 But his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all [c]our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” Yet Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, because she is right [d]for me.” 4 However, his father and mother did not know that this was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. And at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, so that he tore it apart as one tears apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. 7 So he went down and talked to the woman; and she [e]looked pleasing to Samson.
12 Then Samson said to them, “Let me now propose a riddle for you; if you actually tell me [h]the answer within the seven days of the feast, and solve it, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty outfits of clothes. 13 But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty outfits of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propose your riddle, so that we may hear it.”
14 So he said to them,
“Out of the eater came something to eat,And out of the strong came something sweet.”
But they could not tell the answer to the riddle in three days.
15 Then it came about on the [i]fourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?” 16 So Samson’s wife wept in front of him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have proposed a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?” 17 However she wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people. 18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,
“What is sweeter than honey?And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer,You would not have found out my riddle.”
John 8:12-30
Jesus Is the Light of the World
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not [a]true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is [b]true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge [c]according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is [d]true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke [e]in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.
21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that [f]I am, you will die in your sins.” 25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “[g]What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [h]I am, and I do nothing [i]on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He [j]has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Spiritual Leaders Needed!
In Paul’s instructions to Titus, he makes it clear that choosing elders and overseers is important for the churches to be spiritually and morally sound. There are certain things that they should not be doing; and certain things that should characterize them. Today, too, God is looking for holy, dedicated men and women willing to teach sound doctrine and serve wherever he leads.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for our pastors and church leaders today. May your Holy Spirit empower them and direct them. May they have integrity, humility and self-discipline. May their lives bear fruit of the Spirit, and demonstrate godliness. Furthermore, help me to have those same traits, that I may bring glory to you and bless those around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Jeremiah 47
1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh [a]conquered Gaza. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Behold, waters are going to rise from the northAnd become an overflowing torrent,And overflow the land and everything that is in it,The city and those who live in it;And the people will cry out,And every inhabitant of the land will wail.3 Because of the noise of the [b]galloping hoofs of his [c]stallions,The roar of his chariots, and the rumbling of his wheels,The fathers have not turned back for their children,Because of the debility of their hands,4 Because of the day that is comingTo destroy all the Philistines,To eliminate from Tyre and SidonEvery surviving ally;For the Lord is going to destroy the Philistines,The remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.
Jeremiah 48
10 Cursed is the one who does the Lord’s work negligently, And cursed is the one who restrains his sword from blood.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab—he is very proud— Of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance, and [u]his self-exaltation.
30 I know his fury,” declares the Lord, “But it is futile; His idle boasts have accomplished nothing.
34 From the outcry at Heshbon to Elealeh, to Jahaz they have [w]raised their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim, and to Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim will become desolate. 35 And I will put an end to Moab,” declares the Lord, “the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who [x]burns incense to his gods.
36 “Therefore My heart makes a sound like flutes for Moab; My heart also makes a sound like flutes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore they have lost the abundance it produced. 37 For every head is shaved bald, and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands, and sackcloth around the waists. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in its public squares [y]there is mourning everywhere; for I have broken Moab like an undesirable vessel,” declares the Lord. 39 “How [z]shattered it is! How they have wailed! How Moab has turned his back—he is ashamed! So Moab will become a laughingstock and an object of terror to all around him.”
42 Moab will bedestroyed frombeinga people Because he has[aa]becomearrogant toward theLord.
43 Terror, pit, and snare arecomingupon you, Inhabitant of Moab,” declares theLord.
44 “The one whoflees from the terror Will fall into the pit, And the one who climbs up out of the pit
Will be caught in the snare; For I will bring upon her, upon Moab, The year of theirpunishment,” declares theLord.
47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab In the [ac]latter days,” declares the Lord.
This is the extent of the judgment on Moab.
Titus 1
Qualified Elders
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of [b]dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a [c]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
The Elders’ Task
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [d]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Psalms 97
The Lord’s Power and Dominion.
1 The Lord [a]reigns, may the earth rejoice;May the many [b]islands be joyful.2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.3 Fire goes before HimAnd burns up His enemies all around.4 His lightning lit up the world;The earth saw it and trembled.5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.6 The heavens declare His righteousness,And all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 May all those be ashamed who serve carved images,Who boast in idols;[c]Worship Him, all you [d]gods.8 Zion [e]heard this and was joyful,And the daughters of Judah have rejoicedBecause of Your judgments, Lord.9 For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth;You are exalted far above all [f]gods.
10 Hate evil, you who love the Lord,Who watches over the souls of His godly ones;He saves them from the hand of the wicked.11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous,And gladness for the upright in heart.12 Be joyful in the Lord, you righteous ones,And praise [g]the mention of His holy name.
Psalms 98
A Call to Praise the Lord for His Righteousness.
A Psalm.
1 Sing a new song to the Lord,For He has done wonderful things,His right hand and His holy arm have [h]gained the victory for Him. 2 The Lord has made His salvation known;He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered His graciousness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,With the lyre and the [i]sound of melody.6 With trumpets and the sound of the hornShout joyfully before the King, the Lord.
7 May the sea roar and [j]all it contains,The world and those who dwell in it. 8 May the rivers clap their hands,May the mountains sing together for joy 9 Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth;He will judge the world with righteousnessAnd the peoples with fairness.
Proverbs 26:13-16
New American Standard Bible
13 A lazy one says, “There is a lion on the road!A lion is [b]in the public square!”14 As the door turns on its hinges,So does a lazy one on his bed. 15 A lazy one buries his hand in the dish;He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again. 16 A lazy one is wiser in his own eyesThan seven people who can [c]give a discreet answer.