Friday, April 28, 2023

Proverbs 8:22–36

²²"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; ²³I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. ²⁴When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; ²⁵before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, ²⁶before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. ²⁷I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, ²⁸when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, ²⁹when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. ³⁰Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, ³¹rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

³²"Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. ³³Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. ³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. ³⁶But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

 

 

Psalm 107

¹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. ²Let the redeemed of the LORD say this-- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, ³those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. ⁴Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. ⁵They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. ⁶Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. ⁷He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. ⁸Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, ⁹for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. ¹⁰Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, ¹¹for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. ¹²So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. ¹³Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. ¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. ¹⁵Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, ¹⁶for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. ¹⁷Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. ¹⁸They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. ¹⁹Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. ²⁰He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. ²¹Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. ²²Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. ²³Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. ²⁴They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. ²⁵For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. ²⁶They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. ²⁷They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. ²⁸Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. ²⁹He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. ³⁰They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. ³¹Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. ³²Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. ³³He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, ³⁴and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. ³⁵He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; ³⁶there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. ³⁷They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; ³⁸he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. ³⁹Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; ⁴⁰he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. ⁴¹But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. ⁴²The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. ⁴³Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

 

 

Hebrews 11:1–12

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.

³By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

⁴By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

⁵By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

⁷By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

⁸By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. ¹²And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.