Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Proverbs 11:1–15

¹The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.

²When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

⁴Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

⁷When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing.

⁸The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.

⁹With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

¹⁰When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

¹²A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

¹³A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

¹⁴For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

¹⁵He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.





Psalm 111

¹Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. ²Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. ³Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. ⁴He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. ⁵He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. ⁶He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. ⁷The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. ⁸They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. ⁹He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever-- holy and awesome is his name. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.





Hebrews 12:7–17

⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

¹²Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

¹⁴Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. ¹⁷Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.