1 Samuel 29

• 1. The entire Philistine army now mobilized at Aphek, and the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel.
• 2. As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of one hundred and one thousand, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish.
• 3. But the Philistine commanders demanded, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish told them, "This is David, the man who ran away from King Saul of Israel. He's been with me for years, and I've never found a single fault in him since he defected to me."
• 4. But the Philistine commanders were angry. "Send him back!" they demanded. "He can't go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by turning on us in battle?
• 5. Isn't this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances, `Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
• 6. So Achish finally summoned David and his men. "I swear by the LORD," he told them, "you are some of the finest men I've ever met. I think you should go with us, but the other Philistine rulers won't hear of it.
• 7. Please don't upset them, but go back quietly."
• 8. "What have I done to deserve this treatment?" David demanded. "Why can't I fight the enemies of my lord, the king?"
• 9. But Achish insisted, "As far as I'm concerned, you're as perfect as an angel of God. But my commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle.
• 10. Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light."
• 11. So David headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.

1 Samuel 30

• 1. Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and had burned Ziklag to the ground.
• 2. They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
• 3. When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families,
• 4. they wept until they could weep no more.
• 5. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel, were among those captured.
• 6. David was now in serious trouble because his men were very bitter about losing their wives and children, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
• 7. Then he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring me the ephod!" So Abiathar brought it.
• 8. Then David asked the LORD, "Should I chase them? Will I catch them?" And the LORD told him, "Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!"
• 9. So David and his six hundred men set out, and they soon came to Besor Brook.
• 10. But two hundred of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with his four hundred remaining troops.
• 11. Some of David's troops found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and some water to drink.
• 12. They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins because he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. It wasn't long before his strength returned.
• 13. "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" David asked him. "I am an Egyptian--the slave of an Amalekite," he replied. "My master left me behind three days ago because I was sick.
• 14. We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag."
• 15. "Will you lead me to them?" David asked. The young man replied, "If you swear by God's name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them."
• 16. So the Egyptian led them to the Amalekite encampment. When David and his men arrived, the Amalekites were spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah.
• 17. David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except four hundred young men who fled on camels.
• 18. David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
• 19. Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back.
• 20. His troops rounded up all the flocks and herds and drove them on ahead. "These all belong to David as his reward!" they said.
• 21. When they reached Besor Brook and met the two hundred men who had been too tired to go with them, David greeted them joyfully.
• 22. But some troublemakers among David's men said, "They didn't go with us, so they can't have any of the plunder. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone."
• 23. But David said, "No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the enemy.
• 24. Do you think anyone will listen to you when you talk like this? We share and share alike--those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment."
• 25. From then on David made this a law for all of Israel, and it is still followed.
• 26. When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the leaders of Judah, who were his friends. "Here is a present for you, taken from the LORD's enemies," he said.
• 27. The gifts were sent to the leaders of the following towns where David and his men had been: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir,
• 28. Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,
• 29. Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites,
• 30. Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,
• 31. Hebron, and all the other places they had visited.

1 Corinthians 10

• 1. I don't want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, what happened to our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. God guided all of them by sending a cloud that moved along ahead of them, and he brought them all safely through the waters of the sea on dry ground.
• 2. As followers of Moses, they were all baptized in the cloud and the sea.
• 3. And all of them ate the same miraculous food,
• 4. and all of them drank the same miraculous water. For they all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
• 5. Yet after all this, God was not pleased with most of them, and he destroyed them in the wilderness.
• 6. These events happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did
• 7. or worship idols as some of them did. For the Scriptures say, "The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged themselves in pagan revelry."
• 8. And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
• 9. Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.
• 10. And don't grumble as some of them did, for that is why God sent his angel of death to destroy them.
• 11. All these events happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us, who live at the time when this age is drawing to a close.
• 12. If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.
• 13. But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.
• 14. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.
• 15. You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am about to say is true.
• 16. When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the blood of Christ? And when we break the loaf of bread, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the body of Christ?
• 17. And we all eat from one loaf, showing that we are one body.
• 18. And think about the nation of Israel; all who eat the sacrifices are united by that act.
• 19. What am I trying to say? Am I saying that the idols to whom the pagans bring sacrifices are real gods and that these sacrifices are of some value?
• 20. No, not at all. What I am saying is that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don't want any of you to be partners with demons.
• 21. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord's Table and at the table of demons, too.
• 22. What? Do you dare to rouse the Lord's jealousy as Israel did? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
• 23. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is helpful. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial.
• 24. Don't think only of your own good. Think of other Christians and what is best for them.
• 25. Here's what you should do. You may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace. Don't ask whether or not it was offered to idols, and then your conscience won't be bothered.
• 26. For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
• 27. If someone who isn't a Christian asks you home for dinner, go ahead; accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you and don't ask any questions about it. Your conscience should not be bothered by this.
• 28. But suppose someone warns you that this meat has been offered to an idol. Don't eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.
• 29. It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person. Now, why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?
• 30. If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
• 31. Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God.
• 32. Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
• 33. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them so they may be saved.

Ezekiel 8

• 1. Then on September 17, during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, while the leaders of Judah were in my home, the Sovereign LORD took hold of me.
• 2. I saw a figure that appeared to be a man. From the waist down he looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked like gleaming amber.
• 3. He put out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. Then the Spirit lifted me up into the sky and transported me in a vision of God to Jerusalem. I was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple, where there is a large idol that has made the LORD very angry.
• 4. Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley.
• 5. Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate of the altar, stood the idol that had made the LORD so angry.
• 6. "Son of man," he said, "do you see what they are doing? Do you see the great sins the people of Israel are doing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even greater sins than these!"
• 7. Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see an opening in the wall.
• 8. He said to me, "Now, son of man, dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and uncovered a door to a hidden room.
• 9. "Go in," he said, "and see the unspeakable wickedness going on in there!"
• 10. So I went in and saw the walls engraved with all kinds of snakes, lizards, and hideous creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel.
• 11. Seventy leaders of Israel were standing there with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in the middle. Each of them held an incense burner, so there was a thick cloud of incense above their heads.
• 12. Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, `The LORD doesn't see us; he has deserted our land!'"
• 13. Then he added, "Come, and I will show you greater sins than these!"
• 14. He brought me to the north gate of the LORD's Temple, and some women were sitting there, weeping for the god Tammuz.
• 15. "Have you seen this?" he asked. "But I will show you even greater sins than these!"
• 16. Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of the LORD's Temple. At the entrance, between the foyer and the bronze altar, about twenty-five men were standing with their backs to the LORD's Temple. They were facing eastward, worshiping the sun!
• 17. "Have you seen this, son of man?" he asked. "Is it nothing to the people of Judah that they commit these terrible sins, leading the whole nation into violence, thumbing their noses at me, and rousing my fury against them?
• 18. Therefore, I will deal with them in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them. And though they scream for mercy, I will not listen."

New Living Translation: 248 of 365 days.