April 16

1 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family,

2 "Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."

3 And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."

4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him.

5 And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.

6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.

7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'

9 But the olive tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?'

10 And the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and reign over us.'

11 But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?'

12 And the trees said to the vine, 'You come and reign over us.'

13 But the vine said to them, 'Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?'

14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'You come and reign over us.'

15 And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

16 "Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved-

17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian,

18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative-

19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech."

21 And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother.

22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him.

27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech.

28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, 'Increase your army, and come out.'"

30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you.

32 Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field.

33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do."

34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies.

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!" And Zebul said to him, "You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men."

37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak."

38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them."

39 And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.

41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem.

42 On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told.

43 He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them.

44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them.

45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.

46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith.

47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, "What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done."

49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it.

51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower.

52 And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull.

54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home.

56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.

57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. - Judges 9

1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 

2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you-you are my God. 

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 

4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 

7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 

9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 

10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 

11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 

12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 

13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 

17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.  - Psalms 86

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,

5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.

6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.

7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.

8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.

9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;

12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?

14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. - 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.

31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.

36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

37 But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?"

38 And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."

39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.

40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

42 And they all ate and were satisfied.

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. - Mark 6:30-44

What God Can Do

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” Proverbs 3:5-6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

A. C. Dickson, a fine expositor of the Word of God, once said:

When we depend upon organization, we get what organization can do.

When we depend upon education, we get what education can do.

When we depend on money, we get what money can do.

When we depend on singing and preaching, we get what singing and preaching can do.

But when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do.

Oh, what this world needs is what God can do! What our cities need is what God can do! What your home needs is what God can do! What our churches need is what God can do!

ACTION POINT

Are you depending on what God can do? Are you depending on prayer?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Don’t Be Like the Mule

Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. (Psalm 32:9)

Picture God’s people as a farmyard of all sorts of animals. God cares for his animals, he shows them where they need to go, and supplies a barn for their protection.

But there is one beast on this animal farm that gives God an awful time, namely, the mule. He’s stupid and he’s stubborn and you can’t tell which comes first — stubbornness or stupidity.

Now the way God likes to get his animals into the barn for their food and shelter is by teaching them that they all have a personal name and then calling them by name. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8).

But the mule will not respond to that sort of direction. He is without understanding. So God gets in his pick-up truck and goes out in the field, puts the bit and bridle in the mule’s mouth, hitches it to the truck, and drags him stiff-legged and snorting all the way into the barn.

That is not the way God wants his animals to come to him for blessing and protection.

One of these days it is going to be too late for that mule. He’s going to get clobbered with hail and struck by lightning, and when he comes running, the barn door is going to be shut.

Therefore, don’t be like the mule. “Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle.”

Instead, let everyone who is godly come to God in prayer at a time when he may be found (Psalm 32:6).

The way not to be a mule is to humble ourselves, to come to God in prayer, to confess our sins, and to accept, as needy little farmyard chicks, the direction of God into the barn of his protection and provision.

John Piper 

April 15

1 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.

2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it."

3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night.

4 And he commanded them, "Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready.

5 And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them.

6 And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, 'They are fleeing from us, just as before.' So we will flee before them.

7 Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will give it into your hand.

8 And as soon as you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire. You shall do according to the word of the LORD. See, I have commanded you."

9 So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people.

10 Joshua arose early in the morning and mustered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

11 And all the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai.

12 He took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.

13 So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rear guard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley.

14 And as soon as the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people, the men of the city, hurried and went out early to the appointed place toward the Arabah to meet Israel in battle. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them and fled in the direction of the wilderness.

16 So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city.

17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

19 And the men in the ambush rose quickly out of their place, and as soon as he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it. And they hurried to set the city on fire.

20 So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.

21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai.

22 And the others came out from the city against them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And Israel struck them down, until there was left none that survived or escaped.

23 But the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him near to Joshua.

24 When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.

25 And all who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of Ai.

26 But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction.

27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the LORD that he commanded Joshua.

28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day.

29 And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

30 At that time Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,

31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, "an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool." And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

33 And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel.

34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them. - Joshua 8

1 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah 

3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! 

5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 

6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 

7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. 

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. 

9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 

11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. 

12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 

13 Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.  - Psalms 85

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?

19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.

21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.

24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."

27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience-

29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?

30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,

33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. - 1 Corinthians 10:14-33

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."

15 But others said, "He is Elijah." And others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."

17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.

18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,

20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you."

23 And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."

24 And she went out and said to her mother, "For what should I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist."

25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.

27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison

28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. - Mark 6:14-29

Pray for His Fame

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)

Dozens of times Scripture says that God does things “for his name’s sake.”

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt. (Psalm 25:11)

He saved them for his name’s sake. (Psalm 106:8)

For my name’s sake I defer my anger. (Isaiah 48:9)

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12)

If you ask what is really moving the heart of God in all those statements (and many like them), the answer is that God delights in having his name known and honored.

The first and most important prayer that can be prayed is, “Hallowed be your name.” I used to think this is an acclamation. Like, “Hallelujah! The Lord’s name is hallowed!” But it’s not an acclamation. It’s a petition. Actually a kind of imperative or command. Lord, let it be! Cause it to be. May your name be hallowed. This is my request, my prayer. I am urging you to this: Cause people to hallow your name. Cause me to hallow your name!

God loves to have more and more people “hallow” his name. That’s why his Son teaches Christians to pray for it. In fact, Jesus makes it the very first and paramount prayer. Because this is the first and great passion of the Father.

“Lord, cause more and more people to hallow your name,” that is, esteem, admire, respect, cherish, honor, reverence, and praise your name. More and more people! So, you can see it is basically a missionary prayer.

John Piper 

Do You Observe or Look?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does”

(James 1:22-25)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

James gives this description of a person who hears the Word but doesn’t practice it. He says you’re like someone who wakes up in the morning and sees his beard grown out, his hair tousled, bags under his eyes, and soup still on his mustache from last night! He glances in the mirror, sees he needs to put everything in shape, but he just goes his way off to work! He forgets what he saw in the mirror. There’s no change—no shower, no shaving, no combing. He's just like he was! He glanced in the mirror, saw it, and forgot it.

Notice James uses two contrasting words here.

He says one person “observes”—and soon forgets.

The other “looks into” and continues—he obeys the Word of God.

“Beholding” or “observing” means a casual glance. “Looking into” means a careful gaze. It’s the same word used when the disciples raced to the empty tomb, and bending over, they looked into—they peered intently into the darkness, eyes set, searching, trying to see everything, looking steadfastly.

ACTION POINT

That's the way you're to look into the Word of God. Not just a casual glance, but a steadfast looking into the Word and a careful examination of the Word. Pick it up, read it, study it, scrutinize it.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

August 14

1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died.

2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.

3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, "Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, 'Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.

7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?"

8 Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go."

9 And she said, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,

13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon.

14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.

15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.

16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid." So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

19 And he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.

20 And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say, 'No.'"

21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died.

22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.

23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.

24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. - Judges 4

1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

2 "That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD! 

3 "Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel. 

4 "LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. 

5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel. 

6 "In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways. 

7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. 

8 When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel? 

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD. 

10 "Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. 

11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. "Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD. 

12 "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. 

13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty. 

14 From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff; 

15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 

16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 

17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. 

18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. 

19 "The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. 

20 From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 

21 The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! 

22 "Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. 

23 "Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty. 

24 "Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. 

25 He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble's bowl. 

26 She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen's mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. 

27 Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell-dead. 

28 "Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?' 

29 Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, 

30 'Have they not found and divided the spoil?- A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?' 

31 "So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might." And the land had rest for forty years.  - Judges 5

1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 

2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. 

3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 

4 They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!" 

5 For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant- 

6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 

7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 

8 Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah 

9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, 

10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. 

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 

12 who said, "Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God." 

13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. 

14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, 

15 so may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane! 

16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD. 

17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, 

18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.  - Psalms 83

13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.

21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.

22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. - 1 Corinthians 9:13-27

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

23 and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live."

24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 

25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years,

26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.

28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well."

29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?"

31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'"

32 And he looked around to see who had done it.

33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"

36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping."

40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."

42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. - Mark 5:21-43