1 Samuel 12

• 1. Then Samuel addressed the people again: "I have done as you asked and given you a king.
• 2. I have selected him ahead of my own sons, and I stand here, an old, gray-haired man. I have served as your leader since I was a boy.
• 3. Now tell me as I stand before the LORD and before his anointed one--whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong."
• 4. "No," they replied, "you have never cheated or oppressed us in any way, and you have never taken even a single bribe."
• 5. "The LORD and his anointed one are my witnesses," Samuel declared, "that you can never accuse me of robbing you.Yes, it is true," they replied.
• 6. "It was the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron," Samuel continued. "He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt.
• 7. Now stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors.
• 8. "When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the LORD, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land.
• 9. But the people soon forgot about the LORD their God, so he let them be conquered by Sisera, the general of Hazor's army, and by the Philistines and the king of Moab.
• 10. "Then they cried to the LORD again and confessed, `We have sinned by turning away from the LORD and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.'
• 11. Then the LORD sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety.
• 12. "But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the LORD your God was already your king.
• 13. All right, here is the king you have chosen. Look him over. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request.
• 14. "Now if you will fear and worship the LORD and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the LORD's commands, and if you and your king follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.
• 15. But if you rebel against the LORD's commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.
• 16. "Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do.
• 17. You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the LORD to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the LORD for a king!"
• 18. So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain. And all the people were terrified of the LORD and of Samuel.
• 19. "Pray to the LORD your God for us, or we will die!" they cried out to Samuel. "For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king."
• 20. "Don't be afraid," Samuel reassured them. "You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the LORD with all your heart and that you don't turn your back on him in any way.
• 21. Don't go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you--they really are useless!
• 22. The LORD will not abandon his chosen people, for that would dishonor his great name. He made you a special nation for himself.
• 23. "As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.
• 24. But be sure to fear the LORD and sincerely worship him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.
• 25. But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be destroyed."

Romans 10

• 1. Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is that the Jewish people might be saved.
• 2. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
• 3. For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Instead, they are clinging to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. They won't go along with God's way.
• 4. For Christ has accomplished the whole purpose of the law. All who believe in him are made right with God.
• 5. For Moses wrote that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
• 6. But the way of getting right with God through faith says, "You don't need to go to heaven" (to find Christ and bring him down to help you).
• 7. And it says, "You don't need to go to the place of the dead" (to bring Christ back to life again).
• 8. Salvation that comes from trusting Christ--which is the message we preach--is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, "The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart."
• 9. For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
• 10. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
• 11. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. "
• 12. Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them.
• 13. For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
• 14. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
• 15. And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
• 16. But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
• 17. Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news--the Good News about Christ.
• 18. But what about the Jews? Have they actually heard the message? Yes, they have: "The message of God's creation has gone out to everyone, and its words to all the world."
• 19. But did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God had said, "I will rouse your jealousy by blessing other nations. I will make you angry by blessing the foolish Gentiles."
• 20. And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God: "I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."
• 21. But regarding Israel, God said, "All day long I opened my arms to them, but they kept disobeying me and arguing with me."

Jeremiah 49

• 1. This message was given concerning the Ammonites. This is what the LORD says: "What are you doing? Are there no descendants of Israel to inherit the land of Gad? Why are you, who worship Molech, living in its towns?
• 2. I will punish you for this," says the LORD, "by destroying your city of Rabbah. It will become a desolate heap, and the neighboring towns will be burned. Then Israel will come and take back the land you took from her," says the LORD.
• 3. "Cry out, O Heshbon, for the town of Ai is destroyed. Weep, O people of Rabbah! Put on your clothes of mourning. Weep and wail, hiding in the hedges, for your god Molech will be exiled along with his princes and priests.
• 4. You are proud of your fertile valleys, but they will soon be ruined. You rebellious daughter, you trusted in your wealth and thought no one could ever harm you.
• 5. But look! I will bring terror upon you," says the Lord, the LORD Almighty. "Your neighbors will chase you from your land, and no one will help your exiles as they flee.
• 6. But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites," says the LORD.
• 7. This message was given concerning Edom. This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Where are all the wise men of Teman? Is there no one left to give wise counsel?
• 8. Turn and flee! Hide in deep caves, you people of Dedan! For when I bring disaster on Edom, I will punish you, too!
• 9. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. If thieves came at night, even they would not take everything.
• 10. But I will strip bare the land of Edom, and there will be no place left to hide. Its children, its brothers, and its neighbors--all will be destroyed--and Edom itself will be no more.
• 11. But I will preserve the orphans who remain among you. Your widows, too, will be able to depend on me for help."
• 12. And this is what the LORD says: "If the innocent must suffer, how much more must you! You will not go unpunished! You must drink this cup of judgment!
• 13. For I have sworn by my own name," says the LORD, "that Bozrah will become an object of horror and a heap of rubble; it will be mocked and cursed. All its towns and villages will be desolate forever."
• 14. I have heard a message from the LORD that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, "Form a coalition against Edom, and prepare for battle!"
• 15. This is what the LORD says: "I will cut you down to size among the nations, Edom. You will be despised by all.
• 16. You are proud that you inspire fear in others. And you are proud because you live in a rock fortress and hide high in the mountains. But don't fool yourselves! Though you live among the peaks with the eagles, I will bring you crashing down," says the LORD.
• 17. "Edom will be an object of horror. All who pass by will be appalled and will gasp at the destruction they see there.
• 18. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns," says the LORD. "No one will live there anymore.
• 19. I will come like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, leaping on the sheep in the pasture. I will chase Edom from its land, and I will appoint the leader of my choice. For who is like me, and who can challenge me? What ruler can oppose my will?"
• 20. Listen to the LORD's plans for Edom and the people of Teman. Even the little children will be dragged off, and their homes will be empty.
• 21. The earth will shake with the noise of Edom's fall, and its cry of despair will be heard all the way to the Red Sea.
• 22. The enemy will come as swiftly as an eagle, and he will spread his wings against Bozrah. Even the mightiest warriors will be as frightened as a woman about to give birth.
• 23. This message was given concerning Damascus. This is what the LORD says: "The towns of Hamath and Arpad are struck with fear, for they have heard the news of their destruction. Their hearts are troubled like a wild sea in a raging storm.
• 24. Damascus has become feeble, and all her people turn to flee. Fear, anguish, and pain have gripped her as they do a woman giving birth.
• 25. That famous city, a city of joy, will be forsaken!
• 26. Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her warriors will all be killed," says the LORD Almighty.
• 27. "And I will start a fire at the edge of Damascus that will burn up the palaces of Ben-hadad."
• 28. This message was given concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which were attacked by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This is what the LORD says: "Advance against Kedar! Blot out the warriors from the East!
• 29. Their flocks and tents will be captured, and their household goods and camels will be taken away. Everywhere shouts of panic will be heard: `We are terrorized at every turn!'
• 30. Flee for your lives," says the LORD. "Hide yourselves in deep caves, you people of Hazor, for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has plotted against you and is preparing to destroy you.
• 31. "Go up and attack those self-sufficient nomadic tribes," says the LORD. "They live alone in the desert without walls or gates.
• 32. Their camels and cattle will all be yours. I will scatter to the winds these people who live in distant places. I will bring calamity upon them from every direction," says the LORD.
• 33. "Hazor will be inhabited by jackals, and it will be desolate forever. No one will live there anymore."
• 34. This message concerning Elam came to the prophet Jeremiah from the LORD at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah.
• 35. This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will destroy the archers of Elam--the best of their marksmen.
• 36. I will bring enemies from all directions, and I will scatter the people of Elam to the four winds. They will be exiled to countries around the world.
• 37. I myself will go with Elam's enemies to shatter it. My fierce anger will bring great disaster upon the people of Elam," says the LORD. "Their enemies will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely.
• 38. I will set my throne in Elam," says the LORD, "and I will destroy its king and princes.
• 39. But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam," says the LORD.

New Living Translation: 232 of 365 days.