M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

David Saves Keilah

23 Then they told David, “See, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah. They are taking the grain from the grain-floors.” ² So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and fight these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, fight the Philistines, and save Keilah.” ³ But David’s men said to him, “See, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” ⁴ Then David asked the Lord again. The Lord answered him, “Get ready and go down to Keilah. For I will give the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He killed many of them and took away their cattle. And David saved the people of Keilah.

⁶ When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ran to David at Keilah, he came with a linen vest in his hand. ⁷ When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, he said, “God has given him to me. For he has shut himself in by going into a city with iron gates.” ⁸ Saul called all the men for war, to go down to Keilah to trap David and his men. ⁹ David knew that Saul was planning against him, so he said to Abiathar the religious leader, “Bring the linen vest here.” ¹⁰ Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for sure that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah give me to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” ¹² Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah give me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will give you up.” ¹³ Then David and his men, about 600, got up and left Keilah. They went where they could go. When Saul was told that David had run away from Keilah, he gave up going there.

David Stays in the Hill Country

¹⁴ David stayed in the safe places in the desert. He stayed in the hill country in the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day, but God did not give David to him. ¹⁵ David saw that Saul had come out to try to kill him. David was in the desert of Ziph at Horesh. ¹⁶ Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and gave him strength in God. ¹⁷ He said to him, “Do not be afraid, because my father Saul will not find you. You will be king of Israel, and I will be next to you. My father Saul knows this also.” ¹⁸ So the two of them made an agreement before the Lord. And David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

¹⁹ Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding with us in the strong places at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ Now come, O king, as you desire to come. And we will give David into the king’s hand.” ²¹ Saul said, “May the Lord bring good to you. For you have had pity on me. ²² Go and make sure. See where he is, and who has seen him there. For I am told that he is very good at fooling people. ²³ Look and learn about all his hiding places, and return to me with news that is sure. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.” ²⁴ Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah, south of Jeshimon. ²⁵ Saul and his men went to look for him, and David was told about it. So he went down to the rock in the desert of Maon. ²⁶ Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was in a hurry to get away from Saul. For Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to take them. ²⁷ But a man came with news to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have come into the land by surprise to fight us.” ²⁸ So Saul returned from going after David, and went against the Philistines. So they called that place the Rock of Getting Away. ²⁹ David went from there and stayed in the strong places of Engedi.

Servants of Christ

4 Think of us as servants who are owned by Christ. It is our job to share the secrets of God. ² A servant must be faithful to his owner. This is expected of him. ³ It is not the most important thing to me what you or any other people think of me. Even what I think of myself does not mean much. ⁴ As for me, my heart tells me I am not guilty of anything. But that does not prove I am free from guilt. It is the Lord Who looks into my life and says what is wrong. ⁵ Do not be quick to say who is right or wrong. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring into the light the things that are hidden in men’s hearts. He will show why men have done these things. Every man will receive from God the thanks he should have.

⁶ Christian brothers, I have used Apollos and myself to show you what I am talking about. This is to help you so you will not think more of men than what God’s Word will allow. Never think more of one of God’s servants than another. ⁷ Who made you better than your brother? Or what do you have that has not been given to you? If God has given you everything, why do you have pride? Why do you act as if He did not give it to you? ⁸ You are full. You are rich. You live like kings and we do not. I wish you were kings and we could be leaders with you. ⁹ I think that God has made a show of us missionaries. We are the last and the least among men. We are like men waiting to be put to death. The whole world, men and angels alike, are watching us. ¹⁰ We are thought of as fools because of Christ. But you are thought of as wise Christians! We are weak. You are strong. People respect you. They have no respect for us. ¹¹ To this hour we are hungry and thirsty, and our clothes are worn out. People hurt us. We have no homes.

¹² We work with our hands to make a living. We speak kind words to those who speak against us. When people hurt us, we say nothing. ¹³ When people say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. People think of us as dirt that is worth nothing and as the worst thing on earth to this day.

Follow Paul’s Way of Life

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you. I am doing this to help you know what you should do. You are my much-loved children. ¹⁵ You may have 10,000 Christian teachers. But remember, I am the only father you have. You became Christians when I preached the Good News to you. ¹⁶ So I ask you with all my heart to follow the way I live. ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent Timothy to you. He is my much-loved child and a faithful Christian. He will tell you how I act as a Christian. This is the kind of life I teach in the churches wherever I go.

¹⁸ Some of you are full of pride. You think that I am not coming to visit you. ¹⁹ If the Lord wants me to, I will come soon. I will find out when I come if these proud people have God’s power, or if they just use a lot of big words. ²⁰ The holy nation of God is not made up of words. It is made up of power. ²¹ What do you want? Do you want me to come with a stick to whip you? Or do you want me to come with love and a gentle spirit?

God Calls Ezekiel to Speak for Him

2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” ² And when He spoke to me, the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. I heard Him speaking to me. ³ He said, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to sinful people who have turned against Me. They and their fathers have sinned against Me to this very day. ⁴ I am sending you to these strong-willed children who show no respect. And you must say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’ ⁵ If they listen or not (for they are sinful people) they will know that a man of God has been among them. ⁶ And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or of what they say, even if thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or lose strength of heart by their looks, for they will not obey Me. ⁷ You must speak My words to them if they listen or not, for they do not obey Me.

⁸ “As for you, son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Do not be sinful like these sinful people. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” ⁹ Then I looked and saw that a hand was held out to me, and there was a book in it. ¹⁰ He held it out in front of me, and it had writing on the front and back. Words of trouble and sorrow were written on it.

Prayer of a Suffering Man

38 O Lord, do not speak sharp words to me when You are angry. Do not punish me in Your burning anger. ² For Your arrows have cut deep into me. And Your hand has come down upon me. ³ My body is in pain because of Your anger. There is no strength in my bones because of my sin. ⁴ For my sins are gone over my head. Like a heavy load, they weigh too much for me. ⁵ My sores smell and grow bigger because I do foolish things. ⁶ I cannot stand straight but keep my head down. I have sorrow all day long ⁷ for my body is filled with burning pain. There is no strength in my body. ⁸ I am weak and broken. I cry because of the pain in my heart. ⁹ Lord, all my desire is before You. And my breathing deep within is not hidden from You. ¹⁰ My heart beats fast. My strength leaves me. Even the light of my eyes has gone from me. ¹¹ My loved ones and my friends stay away from me because of my sickness. My family stands far away. ¹² Those who want to take my life set their traps. And those who want to destroy me talk about ways to do it. They make their sinful plans all day long.

¹³ But like a deaf man, I do not hear. I am like one who cannot speak and does not open his mouth. ¹⁴ Yes, I am like a man who does not hear, and whose mouth does not argue. ¹⁵ For I hope in You, O Lord. You will answer, O Lord my God. ¹⁶ For I said, “Do not let them be happy and raise themselves up against me when my foot trips.” ¹⁷ For I am ready to fall. And my sorrow is always with me. ¹⁸ For I tell my wrong-doings. I am full of sorrow because of my sin. ¹⁹ But those who fight against me are full of action and strength. There are many who hate me without reason. ²⁰ They pay what is bad for what is good. They are against me because I follow what is good. ²¹ Do not leave me alone, O Lord! O my God, do not be far from me! ²² Hurry to help me, O Lord, Who saves me!