1 Kings 17

• 1. Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, "As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives--the God whom I worship and serve--there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I give the word!"
• 2. Then the LORD said to Elijah,
• 3. "Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook at a place east of where it enters the Jordan River.
• 4. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food."
• 5. So Elijah did as the LORD had told him and camped beside Kerith Brook.
• 6. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.
• 7. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.
• 8. Then the LORD said to Elijah,
• 9. "Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. There is a widow there who will feed you. I have given her my instructions."
• 10. So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, "Would you please bring me a cup of water?"
• 11. As she was going to get it, he called to her, "Bring me a bite of bread, too."
• 12. But she said, "I swear by the LORD your God that I don't have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die."
• 13. But Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid! Go ahead and cook that `last meal,' but bake me a little loaf of bread first. Afterward there will still be enough food for you and your son.
• 14. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There will always be plenty of flour and oil left in your containers until the time when the LORD sends rain and the crops grow again!"
• 15. So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her son continued to eat from her supply of flour and oil for many days.
• 16. For no matter how much they used, there was always enough left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.
• 17. Some time later, the woman's son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died.
• 18. She then said to Elijah, "O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to punish my sins by killing my son?"
• 19. But Elijah replied, "Give me your son." And he took the boy's body from her, carried him up to the upper room, where he lived, and laid the body on his bed.
• 20. Then Elijah cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, why have you brought tragedy on this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?"
• 21. And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, please let this child's life return to him."
• 22. The LORD heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he came back to life!
• 23. Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. "Look, your son is alive!" he said.
• 24. Then the woman told Elijah, "Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the LORD truly speaks through you."

Colossians 4

• 1. You slave owners must be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master--in heaven.
• 2. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
• 3. Don't forget to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about his secret plan--that Christ is also for you Gentiles. That is why I am here in chains.
• 4. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
• 5. Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.
• 6. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
• 7. Tychicus, a much loved brother, will tell you how I am getting along. He is a faithful helper who serves the Lord with me.
• 8. I have sent him on this special trip to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
• 9. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and much loved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will give you all the latest news.
• 10. Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas's cousin. And as you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.
• 11. Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish Christians among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
• 12. Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident of the whole will of God.
• 13. I can assure you that he has agonized for you and also for the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
• 14. Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas.
• 15. Please give my greetings to our Christian brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and those who meet in her house.
• 16. After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.
• 17. And say to Archippus, "Be sure to carry out the work the Lord gave you."
• 18. Here is my greeting in my own handwriting--PAUL. Remember my chains. May the grace of God be with you.

Ezekiel 47

• 1. Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing eastward from beneath the Temple threshold. This stream then passed to the right of the altar on its south side.
• 2. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the stream flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.
• 3. Measuring as he went, he led me along the stream for 1,750 feet and told me to go across. At that point the water was up to my ankles.
• 4. He measured off another 1,750 feet and told me to go across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist.
• 5. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to cross without swimming.
• 6. He told me to keep in mind what I had seen; then he led me back along the riverbank.
• 7. Suddenly, to my surprise, many trees were now growing on both sides of the river!
• 8. Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the Jordan Valley, where it enters the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will heal the salty waters of the Dead Sea and make them fresh and pure.
• 9. Everything that touches the water of this river will live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live.
• 10. Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea, fishing all the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim. The shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean!
• 11. But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will be sources of salt.
• 12. All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."
• 13. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Follow these instructions for dividing the land for the twelve tribes of Israel: The tribe of Joseph will be given two shares of land.
• 14. Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your inheritance.
• 15. "The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad;
• 16. then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim, which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran.
• 17. So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.
• 18. "The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs southward along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea and as far south as Tamar. This will be the eastern border.
• 19. "The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh and then follow the course of the brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.
• 20. "On the west side the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.
• 21. "Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel.
• 22. Distribute the land as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be just like native-born Israelites to you, and they will receive an inheritance among the tribes.
• 23. All these immigrants are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

New Living Translation: 287 of 365 days.