M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Crossing the Jordan River
3 Joshua got up early the next morning. He and all the Israelites left Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.
2 Three days later the officers went through the camp. 3 They told the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the promise of the Lord your God and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them. 4 However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.”
6 Joshua also told the priests, “Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people.” They did as they were told.
7 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, ‘When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.’ ”
9 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here, and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 Joshua continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way. 11 Watch the ark of the promise of the Lord of the whole earth as it goes ahead of you into the Jordan River. 12 Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. 13 The priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam.”
14 So they broke camp to cross the Jordan River. The priests who carried the ark of the promise went ahead of the people. 15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) [a] When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side ⌞of the Jordan River⌟ directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.
A song for going up to worship.
126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
it was as if we were dreaming.
2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter
and our tongues with joyful songs.
Then the nations said,
“The Lord has done spectacular things for them.”
3 The Lord has done spectacular things for us.
We are overjoyed.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
as you restore streams ⌞to dry riverbeds⌟ in the Negev.
5 Those who cry while they plant
will joyfully sing while they harvest.
6 The person who goes out weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
will come home singing, carrying his bundles of grain.
A song by Solomon for going up to worship.
127 If the Lord does not build the house,
it is useless for the builders to work on it.
If the Lord does not protect a city,
it is useless for the guard to stay alert.
2 It is useless to work hard for the food you eat
by getting up early and going to bed late.
The Lord gives ⌞food⌟ to those he loves while they sleep.
3 Children are an inheritance from the Lord.
They are a reward from him.
4 The children born to a man when he is young
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
5 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
He will not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the city gate.
A song for going up to worship.
128 Blessed are all who fear the Lord
and live his way.
2 You will certainly eat what your own hands have provided.
Blessings to you!
May things go well for you!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine inside your home.
Your children will be like young olive trees around your table.
4 This is how the Lord will bless the person who fears him.
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion
so that you may see Jerusalem prospering
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children.
Let there be peace in Israel!
The Lord Alone Wins His Victory
63 Who is this coming from Bozrah in Edom
with his clothes stained bright red?
Who is this dressed in splendor,
going forward with great strength?
“It is I, the Lord. I am coming to announce my victory.
I am powerful enough to save ⌞you⌟.”
2 Why are your clothes red
and your garments like those who trample grapes in a winepress?
3 “I have trampled alone in the winepress.
No one was with me.
In my anger I trampled on people.
In my wrath I stomped on them.
Their blood splattered my clothes
so all my clothing has been stained.
4 I planned the day of vengeance.
The year for my reclaiming ⌞you⌟ has come.
5 I looked, but there was no help.
I was astounded that there was no ⌞outside⌟ support.
So with my own power I won a victory.
My anger supported me.
6 In my anger I trampled on people.
In my wrath I made them drunk
and poured their blood on the ground.”
The Lord’s People Pray for His Help
7 I will acknowledge the Lord’s acts of mercy,
and ⌞sing⌟ the praises of the Lord,
because of everything that the Lord has done for us.
He has done many good things for the nation of Israel
because of his compassion and his unlimited mercy.
8 He said, “They are my people,
children who will not lie to me.”
So he became their Savior.
9 In all their troubles he was troubled,
and he was the Messenger who saved them.
In his love and compassion he reclaimed them.
He always held them and carried them in the past.
10 But they rebelled and offended his Holy Spirit.
So he turned against them as their enemy; he fought against them.
11 Then his people remembered Moses and the distant past.
Where is the one who brought them out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit in them?
12 Where is the one who sent his powerful arm
to support the right hand of Moses?
Where is the one who divided the water in front of them
to make an everlasting name for himself?
13 Where is the one who led them through the deep water?
Like horses in the wilderness,
they didn’t stumble.
14 Like animals going down into a valley,
they were given rest by the Lord’s Spirit.
In this way you guided your people
to make an honored name for yourself.
15 Look down and see from heaven, from your holy and beautiful dwelling.
Where is your determination and might?
Where is the longing of your heart and your compassion?
Don’t hold back.
16 You are our Father.
Even though Abraham doesn’t know us
and Israel doesn’t pay attention to us,
O Lord, you are our Father.
Your name is our Defender From Everlasting.
17 O Lord, why do you let us wander from your ways
and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you?
Return for the sake of your servants.
They are the tribes that belong to you.
18 Your holy people possessed the land for a little while.
Our enemies have trampled on your holy place.
19 We have become like those whom you never ruled,
like those who are not called by your name.
11 After Jesus finished giving his twelve disciples these instructions, he moved on from there to teach his message in their cities.
John Sends Two Disciples(A)
2 When John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ had done. So he sent his disciples 3 to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”
4 Jesus answered John’s disciples, “Go back, and tell John what you hear and see: 5 Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. 6 Whoever doesn’t lose his faith in me is indeed blessed.”
Jesus Speaks about John(B)
7 As they were leaving, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? 8 Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear fine clothes are in royal palaces.
9 “Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. 10 John is the one about whom Scripture says,
‘I’m sending my messenger ahead of you
to prepare the way in front of you.’
11 “I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. 12 From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it. 13 All the Prophets and Moses’ Teachings prophesied up to the time of John. 14 If you are willing to accept their message, John is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Let the person who has ears listen!
16 “How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children,
17 ‘We played music for you,
but you didn’t dance.
We sang a funeral song,
but you didn’t show any sadness.’
18 “John came neither eating nor drinking, and people say, ‘There’s a demon in him!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
“Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions.”
Jesus Warns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum
20 Then Jesus denounced the cities where he had worked most of his miracles because they had not changed the way they thought and acted. 21 “How horrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How horrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there today. 24 I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Sodom than for you.”
Jesus Praises the Father and Invites Disciples to Come to Him
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
27 “My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke [a] over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves 30 because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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