M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Good Comes to Those Who Return to the Lord
30 “When all these things have come upon you, the good things and the curses which I have told you about, you will remember them in all the nations where the Lord your God has sent you. 2 When you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul by all I have told you today, 3 then the Lord your God will have you return from where you were held. He will have loving-pity for you. He will gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has sent you. 4 Even if you are driven to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 The Lord your God will bring you into the land your fathers lived in and it will be yours. He will bring good to you and make you more in number than your fathers. 6 The Lord your God will take away the sin from your heart and from the heart of your children. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so you may live. 7 Then the Lord your God will send all these curses upon those who hate you and upon those who made it hard for you. 8 You will obey the Lord again, and keep all His Laws which I tell you today. 9 And the Lord your God will bring much good upon all the work you do, and upon your children, and the young of your cattle, and the food of your field. For the Lord will again be happy to bring good to you, just as He was happy with your fathers. 10 But you must obey the Lord your God to keep His Laws which are written in this book of the Law. You must turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.
Life or Death
11 “For this Law I give you today is not too hard for you, or too far from you. 12 It is not in heaven. You do not need to say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to make us hear it, so we may obey it?’ 13 It is not farther than the sea. You do not need to say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and bring it to us to make us hear it, so we may obey it?’ 14 But the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.
15 “See, I have put in front of you today life and what is good, and death and what is bad. 16 I tell you today to love the Lord your God. Walk in His ways. Keep all His Laws and all that He has decided. Then you will live and become many. And the Lord your God will bring good to you in the land you are going in to take. 17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but leave to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will die for sure. You will not live long in that land across the Jordan which you are about to take for your own. 19 I call heaven and earth to speak against you today. I have put in front of you life and death, the good and the curse. So choose life so you and your children after you may live. 20 Love the Lord your God and obey His voice. Hold on to Him. For He is your life, and by Him your days will be long. You will be allowed to live in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
73 Your hands made me and put me together. Give me understanding to learn Your Law. 74 May those who fear You see me and be glad, for I have put my hope in Your Word. 75 O Lord, I know that what You decide is right and good. You punish me because You are faithful. 76 May Your loving-kindness comfort me because of Your promise to Your servant. 77 Let Your loving-pity come to me so I may live. For Your Law is my joy. 78 May the proud be ashamed, because they do wrong to me for no reason, but I will think about Your Law. 79 May those who fear You and those who know Your Law turn to me. 80 Let my heart be without blame in Your Law. Do not let me be put to shame.
81 My soul becomes weak with desire for Your saving power, but I have put my hope in Your Word. 82 My eyes become weak with desire for Your Word. I say, “When will You comfort me?” 83 I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, but I do not forget Your Law. 84 How long must Your servant wait? When will You punish those who make it hard for me? 85 The proud have dug deep holes for me. They do not obey Your Law. 86 All of Your Word is faithful. Help me! For they have made it hard for me with a lie. 87 They almost destroyed me on the earth, but I did not turn away from Your Law. 88 Give me life again by Your loving-kindness, and I will keep the Word of Your mouth.
89 Forever, O Lord, Your Word will never change in heaven. 90 You are faithful to all people for all time. You have made the earth, and it stands. 91 They stand today by Your Law, for all things serve You. 92 I would have been lost in my troubles if Your Law had not been my joy. 93 I will never forget Your Word for by it You have given me new life. 94 I am Yours. Save me, for I have looked to Your Law. 95 The sinful wait to destroy me, but I will think about Your Word. 96 I have seen that all things have an end, even if they are perfect, but Your Word is without end.
False Gods Must Be Put Away
57 “The man who is right and good dies, and no one cares. Very good men are taken away, while no one understands. But the man who is right with God is taken away from what is sinful, 2 and goes where there is peace. They have rest in their graves, each one who walked in the right way. 3 But come here, you sons of a witch, children of a man who does sex sins and a woman who sells the use of her body. 4 Against whom are you making fun? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and put out your tongue? Are you not children of sin, the young ones of lies? 5 You burn with desire with your false gods under every green tree. You put your children on the altar of your false gods in the valleys under high rocks that hang over. 6 Your part is among the smooth stones of the valley. They are what you get. You have poured out drink gifts to them and given grain gifts. Should I be pleased about these things? 7 You have made your bed on a high mountain. And you went up there to give your gifts in worship. 8 You have put up your false gods behind the door on the other side. You have turned away from Me and have taken the covering off yourself. You have gone up and made your bed wide. You have made an agreement for yourselves with them. You have loved their bed, and have looked upon their bodies. 9 You have traveled to the king with oil and much perfume. You have sent your men with gifts a very long way, and made them go down to the place of the dead. 10 You were tired because your road was so long, yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You found new strength, so you did not become weak.
11 “Of whom were you afraid, when you lied, and did not remember Me or think about Me? Have I not been quiet for a long time, so you are not afraid of Me? 12 I will make known how right you are and what you have done, but it will not help you. 13 When you cry out, let the false gods that you have take you out of trouble. The wind will carry them away. A breath will take them away. But he who comes to Me to be safe will receive the land. My holy mountain will be his.”
God’s Promise for Help
14 It will be said, “Build up, build up, make the way ready. Take everything out of the way of My people.” 15 For the high and honored One Who lives forever, Whose name is Holy, says, “I live in the high and holy place. And I also live with those who are sorry for their sins and have turned from them and are not proud. I give new strength to the spirit of those without pride, and also to those whose hearts are sorry for their sins. 16 I will keep on fighting against you, and will not always be angry, for then your spirit would become weak before Me, the ones to whom I gave life. 17 Because of the sin of his desire to get more of everything, I was angry. I punished him and hid My face in anger. He went on sinning, following the way of his own heart. 18 I have seen his ways and will heal him. I will lead him and give comfort to him and to those who have sorrow for him. 19 I will make the lips to praise. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.” 20 But the sinful are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest. Its waters throw up mud and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the sinful.”
Jesus Teaches on the Mountain (A)
5 Jesus saw many people. He went up on the mountain and sat down. His followers came to Him. 2 He began to teach them, saying, 3 “Those who know there is nothing good in themselves are happy, because the holy nation of heaven is theirs. 4 Those who have sorrow are happy, because they will be comforted. 5 Those who have no pride in their hearts are happy, because the earth will be given to them. 6 Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled. 7 Those who show loving-kindness are happy, because they will have loving-kindness shown to them. 8 Those who have a pure heart are happy, because they will see God. 9 Those who make peace are happy, because they will be called the sons of God. 10 Those who have it very hard for doing right are happy, because the holy nation of heaven is theirs. 11 You are happy when people act and talk in a bad way to you and make it very hard for you and tell bad things and lies about you because you trust in Me. 12 Be glad and full of joy because your reward will be much in heaven. They made it very hard for the early preachers who lived a long time before you.
Jesus Teaches about Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. If salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? It is no good. It is thrown away and people walk on it. 14 You are the light of the world. You cannot hide a city that is on a mountain. 15 Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. They put it on a table so it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light shine in front of men. Then they will see the good things you do and will honor your Father Who is in heaven.
Jesus Teaches about the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses or the writings of the early preachers. I have not come to do away with them but to complete them. 18 I tell you, as long as heaven and earth last, not one small mark or part of a word will pass away of the Law of Moses until it has all been done. 19 Anyone who breaks even the least of the Law of Moses and teaches people not to do what it says, will be called the least in the holy nation of heaven. He who obeys and teaches others to obey what the Law of Moses says, will be called great in the holy nation of heaven. 20 I tell you, unless you are more right with God than the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers, you will never get into the holy nation of heaven.
Jesus Teaches about Anger and Killing
21 “You have heard that men were told long ago, ‘You must not kill another person. If someone does kill, he will be guilty and will be punished for his wrong-doing.’ 22 But I tell you that whoever is angry with his brother will be guilty and have to suffer for his wrong-doing. Whoever says to his brother, ‘You have no brains,’ will have to stand in front of the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be sent to the fire of hell. 23 If you take your gift to the altar and remember your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift on the altar. Go and make right what is wrong between you and him. Then come back and give your gift. 25 Agree with the one who is against you while you are talking together, or he might take you to court. The court will hand you over to the police. You will be put in prison. 26 For sure, I tell you, you will not be let out of prison until you have paid every piece of money of the fine.
Jesus Teaches about Husband and Wife
27 “You have heard that it was said long ago, ‘You must not do sex sins.’ 28 But I tell you, anyone who even looks at a woman with a sinful desire of wanting her has already sinned in his heart. 29 If your right eye is the reason you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand is the reason you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go to hell.
Jesus Teaches about Marriage
31 “It has been said, ‘Whoever wants to divorce his wife should have it put in writing, telling her he is leaving her.’ 32 But I tell you, whoever divorces his wife except if she has not been faithful to him, makes her guilty of a sex sin. Whoever marries a woman who has been divorced is guilty of a sex sin.
Jesus Teaches about What to Say
33 “You have heard that it was said long ago, ‘You must not make a promise you cannot keep. You must carry out your promises to the Lord.’ 34 I tell you, do not use strong words when you make a promise. Do not promise by heaven. It is the place where God is. 35 Do not promise by earth. It is where He rests His feet. Do not promise by Jerusalem. It is the city of the great King. 36 Do not promise by your head. You are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 Let your yes be YES. Let your no be NO. Anything more than this comes from the devil.
Jesus Teaches about Fighting
38 “You have heard that it has been said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not fight with the man who wants to fight. Whoever hits you on the right side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also. 40 If any person takes you to court to get your shirt, give him your coat also. 41 Whoever makes you walk a short way, go with him twice as far. 42 Give to any person who asks you for something. Do not say no to the man who wants to use something of yours.
Jesus Teaches about Loving Those Who Hate You
43 “You have heard that it has been said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate those who hate you.’ 44 But I tell you, love those who hate you. (*Respect and give thanks for those who say bad things to you. Do good to those who hate you.) Pray for those who do bad things to you and who make it hard for you. 45 Then you may be the sons of your Father Who is in heaven. His sun shines on bad people and on good people. He sends rain on those who are right with God and on those who are not right with God. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward can you expect from that? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that? 47 If you say hello only to the people you like, are you doing any more than others? The people who do not know God do that much. 48 You must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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