M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Elijah Prophesies a Drought
17 Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh Elohim of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”
2 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn east, and hide beside the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. 4 You can drink from the stream, and I’ve commanded ravens to feed you there.”
5 Elijah left and did what the word of Yahweh had told him. He went to live by the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. 6 Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the stream.
7 But after some time the stream dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.
Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
8 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”
10 He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her again, “Please bring me a piece of bread too.”
12 She said, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh your Elohim lives, I didn’t bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I’m gathering wood. I’m going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die.”
13 Then Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home, and do as you’ve said. But first make a small loaf and bring it to me. Then prepare something for yourself and your son. 14 This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Until Yahweh sends rain on the land, the jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always contain oil.”
15 She did what Elijah had told her. So she, Elijah, and her family had food for a long time. 16 The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as Yahweh had promised through Elijah.
17 Afterwards, the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. He got so sick that finally no life was left in him. 18 The woman asked Elijah, “What do you and I have in common, man of Elohim?[a] Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
19 He said to her, “Give me your son.” Elijah took him from her arms, carried him to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he called to Yahweh, “Yahweh my Elohim, have you brought misery on the widow I’m staying with by killing her son?” 21 Then Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times and called to Yahweh, “Yahweh my Elohim, please make this child’s life return to him.” 22 Yahweh heard Elijah’s request, and the child’s life returned to him. He was alive again.
23 Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upstairs room of the house, and gave him to his mother. He said, “Look! Your son is alive.”
24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I’m convinced that you are a man of Elohim and that the word of Yahweh from your mouth is true.”
4 Masters, be just and fair to your slaves because you know that you also have a master in heaven.
Advice for All Christians
2 Keep praying. Pay attention when you offer prayers of thanksgiving. 3 At the same time also pray for us. Pray that God will give us an opportunity to speak the word so that we may tell the mystery about Christ. It is because of this mystery that I am a prisoner. 4 Pray that I may make this mystery as clear as possible. This is what I have to do.
5 Be wise in the way you act toward those who are outside the Christian faith. Make the most of your opportunities.
6 Everything you say should be kind and well thought out so that you know how to answer everyone.
Greetings from Paul and His Coworkers
7 I’m sending Tychicus to you. He is our dear brother, trustworthy deacon,[a] and partner in the Lord’s work. He will tell you everything that is happening to me. 8 I’m sending him to you so that you may know how we are doing and so that he may encourage you. 9 I’m sending Onesimus with him. Onesimus is from your city and is our faithful and dear brother. They will tell you about everything that’s happening here.
10 Aristarchus, who is a prisoner like me, sends greetings. So does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instructions about Mark. If he comes to you, welcome him. 11 Jesus, called Justus, also greets you. They are the only converts from the Jewish religion who are working with me for God’s kingdom. They have provided me with comfort. 12 Epaphras, a servant of Christ Yeshua from your city, greets you. He always prays intensely for you. He prays that you will continue to be mature and completely convinced of everything that God wants. 13 I assure you that he works hard for you and the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 My dear friend Luke, the physician, and Demas greet you. 15 Greet our brothers and sisters in Laodicea, especially Nympha and the church that meets in her house.
16 After you have read this letter, read it in the church at Laodicea. Make sure that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus to complete all the work that he started as the Lord’s servant.
18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember that I’m a prisoner. God’s good will[b] be with you.
Water Flowing from the Temple
47 Then the man took me back to the door of the temple. I saw water flowing from under the entrance of the temple toward the east. (The temple faced east.) The water was flowing under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he led me through the north gate and around to the outer east gate. The water was flowing down the south side of the gate.
3 With a measuring line in his hand, the man went eastward. He measured off 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my knees. He measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my waist. 5 Then he measured another 1,500 feet. But the water had risen so much that it became a river which I couldn’t cross. The river was too deep to cross except by swimming. 6 Then he asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”
7 Then the man led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river. 8 Then the man said to me, “This water flows through the land to the east, down into the Jordan Valley, and into the Dead Sea. When the water flows into the Dead Sea, it will replace the salt water there with fresh water. 9 Wherever the river flows, there will be many fish and animals. The river will make the water in the Dead Sea fresh. Wherever the river flows, it will bring life. 10 From En Gedi to En Eglaim people will be standing on the shore of the sea with their fishing nets spread out. As many kinds of fish will be there as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the water in the swamps and marshes won’t become fresh. It will remain salty. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves won’t wither, and they won’t fail to produce fruit. Each month they will produce fresh fruit because this water flows from the holy place. The fruit will be good food, and the leaves will be used for healing.”
Dividing the Land for the Lord’s People
13 This is what Adonay Yahweh says: These are the borders of the land that is to be divided among the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph gets two parts. 14 Divide the land equally. I raised my hand and swore that I would give the land to your ancestors. So this land will be your inheritance.
15 This is the northern border for the land: On the north side the border will run from the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Hethlon and Hamath Pass. It will run through the city of Zedad and through 16 Berothah and Sibraim, which are between the borders of Damascus and Hamath. It will run to Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will run from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazar Enon on the border of Damascus. The border of Hamath will lie to the north. This is the north side.
18 On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus. The Jordan River will serve as the border between Gilead and the land of Israel. The border will continue from the Dead Sea down to Tamar. This is the east side.
19 On the south side the border will run from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah in Kadesh along the ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern border.
20 On the west side the Mediterranean Sea is the border up to a point opposite Hamath Pass. This is the west side.
21 Divide this land among yourselves for each of the tribes of Israel. 22 Divide it by drawing lots. This land will be for you. It will also be for the foreign residents who live among you and have given birth to children while they lived with you. Think of them as Israelites. They will draw lots with you for their inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 Foreign residents will receive their share of the inheritance with the people of the tribe among whom they are living, declares Adonay Yahweh.
Psalm 103
By David.
1 Praise Yahweh, my soul!
Praise his holy name, all that is within me.
2 Praise Yahweh, my soul,
and never forget all the good he has done:
3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,
the one who heals all your diseases,
4 the one who rescues your life from the pit,
the one who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
5 the one who fills your life with blessings
so that you become young again like an eagle.
6 Yahweh does what is right and fair
for all who are oppressed.
7 He let Moses know his ways.
He let the Israelites know the things he had done.
8 Yahweh is compassionate, merciful, patient,
and always ready to forgive.
9 He will not always accuse us of wrong
or be angry with us forever.
10 He has not treated us as we deserve for our sins
or paid us back for our wrongs.
11 As high as the heavens are above the earth—
that is how vast his mercy is toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west—
that is how far he has removed our rebellious acts from himself.
13 As a father has compassion for his children,
so Yahweh has compassion for those who fear him.
14 He certainly knows what we are made of.
He bears in mind that we are dust.
15 Human life is as short-lived as grass.
It blossoms like a flower in the field.
16 When the wind blows over the flower, it disappears,
and there is no longer any sign of it.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting,
Yahweh’s mercy is on those who fear him.
His righteousness belongs
to their children and grandchildren,
18 to those who are faithful to his promise,[a]
to those who remember to follow his guiding principles.
19 Yahweh has set his throne in heaven.
His kingdom rules everything.
20 Praise Yahweh, all his angels,
you mighty beings who carry out his orders
and are ready to obey his spoken orders.
21 Praise Yahweh, all his armies,
his servants who carry out his will.
22 Praise Yahweh, all his creatures
in all the places of his empire.
Praise Yahweh, my soul!
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.