1 Samuel 28

• 1. About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, "You and your men will be expected to join me in battle."
• 2. "Very well!" David agreed. "Now you will see for yourself what we can do." Then Achish told David, "I will make you my personal bodyguard for life."
• 3. Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned all mediums and psychics from the land of Israel.
• 4. The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul and the armies of Israel camped at Gilboa.
• 5. When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.
• 6. He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
• 7. Saul then said to his advisers, "Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do." His advisers replied, "There is a medium at Endor."
• 8. So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman's home at night, accompanied by two of his men. "I have to talk to a man who has died," he said. "Will you call up his spirit for me?"
• 9. "Are you trying to get me killed?" the woman demanded. "You know that Saul has expelled all the mediums and psychics from the land. Why are you setting a trap for me?"
• 10. But Saul took an oath in the name of the LORD and promised, "As surely as the LORD lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this."
• 11. Finally, the woman said, "Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?Call up Samuel," Saul replied.
• 12. When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, "You've deceived me! You are Saul!"
• 13. "Don't be afraid!" the king told her. "What do you see?I see a god coming up out of the earth," she said.
• 14. "What does he look like?" Saul asked. "He is an old man wrapped in a robe," she replied. Saul realized that it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.
• 15. "Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" Samuel asked. "Because I am in deep trouble," Saul replied. "The Philistines are at war with us, and God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do."
• 16. But Samuel replied, "Why ask me if the LORD has left you and has become your enemy?
• 17. The LORD has done just as he said he would. He has taken the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David.
• 18. The LORD has done this because you did not obey his instructions concerning the Amalekites.
• 19. What's more, the LORD will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The LORD will bring the entire army of Israel down in defeat."
• 20. Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel's words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
• 21. When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, "Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.
• 22. Now do what I say, and let me give you something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back."
• 23. But Saul refused. The men who were with him also urged him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
• 24. The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She kneaded dough and baked unleavened bread.
• 25. She brought the meal to Saul and his men, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night.

1 Corinthians 9

• 1. Do I not have as much freedom as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn't it because of my hard work that you are in the Lord?
• 2. Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you, for you are living proof that I am the Lord's apostle.
• 3. This is my answer to those who question my authority as an apostle.
• 4. Don't we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals?
• 5. Don't we have the right to bring a Christian wife along with us as the other disciples and the Lord's brothers and Peter do?
• 6. Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?
• 7. What soldier has to pay his own expenses? And have you ever heard of a farmer who harvests his crop and doesn't have the right to eat some of it? What shepherd takes care of a flock of sheep and isn't allowed to drink some of the milk?
• 8. And this isn't merely human opinion. Doesn't God's law say the same thing?
• 9. For the law of Moses says, "Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain." Do you suppose God was thinking only about oxen when he said this?
• 10. Wasn't he also speaking to us? Of course he was. Just as farm workers who plow fields and thresh the grain expect a share of the harvest, Christian workers should be paid by those they serve.
• 11. We have planted good spiritual seed among you. Is it too much to ask, in return, for mere food and clothing?
• 12. If you support others who preach to you, shouldn't we have an even greater right to be supported? Yet we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than put an obstacle in the way of the Good News about Christ.
• 13. Don't you know that those who work in the Temple get their meals from the food brought to the Temple as offerings? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.
• 14. In the same way, the Lord gave orders that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.
• 15. Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I would like to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my distinction of preaching without charge.
• 16. For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't do it!
• 17. If I were doing this of my own free will, then I would deserve payment. But God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice.
• 18. What then is my pay? It is the satisfaction I get from preaching the Good News without expense to anyone, never demanding my rights as a preacher.
• 19. This means I am not bound to obey people just because they pay me, yet I have become a servant of everyone so that I can bring them to Christ.
• 20. When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ.
• 21. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
• 22. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ.
• 23. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings.
• 24. Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win.
• 25. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
• 26. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches.
• 27. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

Ezekiel 7

• 1. Then this message came to me from the LORD:
• 2. "Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says to Israel: The end is here! Wherever you look--east, west, north, or south--your land is finished.
• 3. No hope remains, for I will unleash my anger against you. I will call you to account for all your disgusting behavior.
• 4. I will turn my eyes away and show no pity, repaying you in full for all your evil. Then you will know that I am the LORD!
• 5. "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: With one blow after another I will bring total disaster!
• 6. The end has come! It has finally arrived! Your final doom is waiting!
• 7. O people of Israel, the day of your destruction is dawning. The time has come; the day of trouble is near. It will ring with shouts of anguish, not shouts of joy.
• 8. Soon I will pour out my fury to complete your punishment for all your disgusting behavior.
• 9. I will neither spare nor pity you. I will repay you for all your detestable practices. Then you will know that it is I, the LORD, who is striking the blow.
• 10. "The day of judgment is here; your destruction awaits! The people's wickedness and pride have reached a climax.
• 11. Their violence will fall back on them as punishment for their wickedness. None of these proud and wicked people will survive. All their wealth will be swept away.
• 12. Yes, the time has come; the day is here! There is no reason for buyers to rejoice over the bargains they find or for sellers to grieve over their losses, for all of them will fall under my terrible anger.
• 13. And if any merchants should survive, they will never return to their business. For what God has said applies to everyone--it will not be changed! Not one person whose life is twisted by sin will recover.
• 14. "The trumpets call Israel's army to mobilize, but no one listens, for my fury is against them all.
• 15. Any who leave the city walls will be killed by enemy swords. Those who stay inside will die of famine and disease.
• 16. The few who survive and escape to the mountains will moan like doves, weeping for their sins.
• 17. Everyone's hands will be feeble; their knees will be as weak as water.
• 18. They will dress themselves in sackcloth; horror and shame will cover them. They will shave their heads in sorrow and remorse.
• 19. "They will throw away their money, tossing it out like worthless trash. It won't buy their deliverance in that day of the LORD's anger. It will neither satisfy nor feed them, for their love of money made them stumble into sin.
• 20. They were proud of their gold jewelry and used it to make vile and detestable idols. That is why I will make all their wealth disgusting to them.
• 21. I will give it as plunder to foreigners from the most wicked of nations, and they will defile it.
• 22. I will hide my eyes as these robbers invade my treasured land and corrupt it.
• 23. "Prepare chains for my people, for the land is bloodied by terrible crimes. Jerusalem is filled with violence.
• 24. I will bring the most ruthless of nations to occupy their homes. I will break down their proud fortresses and defile their sanctuaries.
• 25. Terror and trembling will overcome my people. They will look for peace but will not find it.
• 26. Calamity will follow calamity; rumor will follow rumor. They will look in vain for a vision from the prophets. They will receive no teaching from the priests and no counsel from the leaders.
• 27. The king and the prince will stand helpless, weeping in despair, and the people's hands will tremble with fear. I will bring against them the evil they have done to others, and they will receive the punishment they so richly deserve. Then they will know that I am the LORD!"

New Living Translation: 247 of 365 days.