Deuteronomy 13

• 1. "Suppose there are prophets among you, or those who have dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,
• 2. and the predicted signs or miracles take place. If the prophets then say, `Come, let us worship the gods of foreign nations,'
• 3. do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you love him with all your heart and soul.
• 4. Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.
• 5. The false prophets or dreamers who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of slavery in the land of Egypt. Since they try to keep you from following the LORD your God, you must execute them to remove the evil from among you.
• 6. "Suppose your brother, son, daughter, beloved wife, or closest friend comes to you secretly and says, `Let us go worship other gods'--gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.
• 7. They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.
• 8. If they do this, do not give in or listen, and have no pity. Do not spare or protect them.
• 9. You must put them to death! You must be the one to initiate the execution; then all the people must join in.
• 10. Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery.
• 11. Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and such wickedness will never again be done among you.
• 12. "Suppose you hear in one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you
• 13. that some worthless rabble among you have led their fellow citizens astray by encouraging them to worship foreign gods.
• 14. In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find it is true and can prove that such a detestable act has occurred among you,
• 15. you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
• 16. Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the street and burn it. Put the entire town to the torch as a burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt.
• 17. Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a great nation, just as he solemnly promised your ancestors.
• 18. "The LORD your God will be merciful only if you obey him and keep all the commands I am giving you today, doing what is pleasing to him.

Deuteronomy 14

• 1. "Since you are the people of the LORD your God, never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads for the sake of the dead.
• 2. You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you to be his own special treasure from all the nations of the earth.
• 3. "You must not eat animals that are ceremonially unclean.
• 4. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,
• 5. the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
• 6. "Any animal that has split hooves and chews the cud may be eaten,
• 7. but if the animal doesn't have both, it may not be eaten. So you may not eat the camel, the hare, or the rock badger. They chew the cud but do not have split hooves.
• 8. And the pig may not be eaten, for though it has split hooves, it does not chew the cud. All these animals are ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat or even touch the dead bodies of such animals.
• 9. "As for marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales.
• 10. You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. They are ceremonially unclean for you.
• 11. "You may eat any bird that is ceremonially clean.
• 12. These are the birds you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,
• 13. the buzzard, kites of all kinds,
• 14. ravens of all kinds,
• 15. the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, hawks of all kinds,
• 16. the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,
• 17. the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant,
• 18. the stork, herons of all kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat.
• 19. "All flying insects are ceremonially unclean for you and may not be eaten.
• 20. But you may eat any winged creature that is ceremonially clean.
• 21. "Do not eat anything that has died a natural death. You may give it to a foreigner living among you, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But do not eat it yourselves, for you are set apart as holy to the LORD your God. "Do not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
• 22. "You must set aside a tithe of your crops--one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year.
• 23. Bring this tithe to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored, and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the LORD your God.
• 24. Now the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored might be a long way from your home.
• 25. If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds and take the money to the place the LORD your God chooses.
• 26. When you arrive, use the money to buy anything you want--an ox, a sheep, some wine, or beer. Then feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and celebrate with your household.
• 27. And do not forget the Levites in your community, for they have no inheritance as you do.
• 28. "At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in the nearest town.
• 29. Give it to the Levites, who have no inheritance among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all your work.

Psalms 99

• 1. The LORD is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake!
• 2. The LORD sits in majesty in Jerusalem, supreme above all the nations.
• 3. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!
• 4. Mighty king, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel.
• 5. Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!
• 6. Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the LORD for help, and he answered them.
• 7. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the decrees and principles he gave them.
• 8. O LORD our God, you answered them. You were a forgiving God, but you punished them when they went wrong.
• 9. Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem, for the LORD our God is holy!

Psalms 100

• 1. Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth!
• 2. Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.
• 3. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
• 4. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
• 5. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Isaiah 41

• 1. "Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.
• 2. "Who has stirred up this king from the east, who meets victory at every step? Who, indeed, but the LORD? He gives him victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot. He puts entire armies to the sword. He scatters them in the wind with his bow.
• 3. He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.
• 4. Who has done such mighty deeds, directing the affairs of the human race as each new generation marches by? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he."
• 5. The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.
• 6. They encourage one another with the words, "Be strong!"
• 7. The craftsmen rush to make new idols. The carver hurries the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. "Good," they say. "It's coming along fine." Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over.
• 8. "But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from my friend Abraham,
• 9. I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.
• 10. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
• 11. "See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and ashamed. Anyone who opposes you will die.
• 12. You will look for them in vain. They will all be gone!
• 13. I am holding you by your right hand--I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, `Do not be afraid. I am here to help you.
• 14. Despised though you are, O Israel, don't be afraid, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.'
• 15. You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear all your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains.
• 16. You will toss them in the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. And the joy of the LORD will fill you to overflowing. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
• 17. "When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never forsake them.
• 18. I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. In the deserts they will find pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the dry, parched ground.
• 19. I will plant trees--cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine--on barren land.
• 20. Everyone will see this miracle and understand that it is the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, who did it.
• 21. "Can your idols make such claims as these? Let them come and show what they can do!" says the LORD, the King of Israel.
• 22. "Let them try to tell us what happened long ago or what the future holds.
• 23. Yes, that's it! If you are gods, tell what will occur in the days ahead. Or perform a mighty miracle that will fill us with amazement and fear. Do something, whether good or bad!
• 24. But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Anyone who chooses you becomes filthy, just like you!
• 25. "But I have stirred up a leader from the north and east. He will come against the nations and call on my name, and I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.
• 26. "Who but I have told you this would happen? Who else predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one else said a word!
• 27. I was the first to tell Jerusalem, `Look! Help is on the way!'
• 28. Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked.
• 29. See, they are all foolish, worthless things. Your idols are all as empty as the wind.

New Living Translation: 160 of 365 days.