Daily Bible CEV June 09 Scroll

Don't Criticize Others

Romans 14 Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. ²Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. ³But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. ⁴What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.

⁵Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. ⁶Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.

⁷Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. ⁸Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. ⁹This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. ¹⁰Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. ¹¹In the Scriptures God says,

"I swear by my very life

that everyone will kneel down and praise my name!"
¹²And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.

Don't Cause Problems for Others

¹³We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone's faith. ¹⁴The Lord Jesus has made it clear to me that God considers all foods fit to eat. But if you think some foods are unfit to eat, then for you they are not fit.

¹⁵If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for. ¹⁶Don't let your right to eat bring shame to Christ. ¹⁷God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people. ¹⁹We should try to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith.

²⁰Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat. ²¹It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes problems for other followers of the Lord. ²²What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts. ²³But if you do have doubts about what you eat, you are going against your beliefs. And you know that is wrong, because anything you do against your beliefs is sin.

David Again Lets Saul Live

1 Samuel 26 Once again, some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul. "David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah near Jeshimon out in the desert," they told him.

²Saul took three thousand of Israel's best soldiers and went to look for David there in Ziph Desert. ³Saul set up camp on Mount Hachilah, which is across the road from Jeshimon. But David was hiding out in the desert.

When David heard that Saul was following him, ⁴he sent some spies to find out if it was true. ⁵Then he sneaked up to Saul's camp. He noticed that Saul and his army commander Abner the son of Ner were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with soldiers sleeping all around them. ⁶David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai, "Which one of you will go with me into Saul's camp?"

"I will!" Abishai answered.

⁷That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.

⁸Abishai whispered, "This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear."

⁹"Don't kill him!" David whispered back. "The LORD will punish anyone who kills his chosen king. ¹⁰As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle. ¹¹But I pray that the LORD will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let's grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!"

¹²David took the spear and the water jar, then left the camp. None of Saul's soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up--the LORD had made all of them fall sound asleep. ¹³David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the next hill, where they were at a safe distance. ¹⁴"Abner!" David shouted toward Saul's army. "Can you hear me?"

Abner shouted back. "Who dares disturb the king?"

¹⁵"Abner, what kind of a man are you?" David replied. "Aren't you supposed to be the best soldier in Israel? Then why didn't you protect your king? Anyone who went into your camp could have killed him tonight. ¹⁶You're a complete failure! I swear by the living LORD that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the LORD's chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king's spear and the water jar that were near his head."

¹⁷Saul could tell it was David's voice, and he called out, "David, my son! Is that you?"

"Yes it is, Your Majesty. ¹⁸Why are you after me? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime? ¹⁹Please listen to what I have to say. If the LORD has turned you against me, maybe a sacrifice will make him change his mind. But if some people have turned you against me, I hope the LORD will punish them! They have forced me to leave the land that belongs to the LORD and have told me to worship foreign gods. ²⁰Don't let me die in a land far away from the LORD. I'm no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel hunt me down as if I were a bird in the mountains?"

²¹"David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn't. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I've acted like a fool, but I'll never try to harm you again. You're like a son to me, so please come back."

²²"Your Majesty, here's your spear! Have one of your soldiers come and get it. ²³The LORD put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn't harm you. The LORD rewards people who are faithful and live right. ²⁴I saved your life today, and I pray that the LORD will protect me and keep me safe."

²⁵"David, my son, I pray that the Lord will bless you and make you successful!"

Psalm 69
[By David for the music leader. To the tune "Lilies."]
God Can Be Trusted

¹Save me, God! I am about to drown.

²I am sinking deep in the mud, and my feet are slipping.

I am about to be swept under by a mighty flood.

³I am worn out from crying, and my throat is dry.

I have waited for you till my eyes are blurred.

⁴There are more people who hate me for no reason

than there are hairs on my head.

Many terrible enemies want to destroy me, God.

Am I supposed to give back something I didn't steal?

⁵You know my foolish sins. Not one is hidden from you.

⁶LORD God All-Powerful, ruler of Israel,

don't let me embarrass anyone

who trusts and worships you.

⁷It is for your sake alone

that I am insulted and blush with shame.

⁸I am like a stranger to my relatives

and like a foreigner to my own family.

⁹My love for your house burns in me like a fire,

and when others insulted you,

they insulted me as well.

¹⁰I cried and went without food,

but they still insulted me.

¹¹They sneered at me for wearing sackcloth

to show my sorrow.

¹²Rulers and judges gossip about me,

and drunkards make up songs to mock me.

¹³But I pray to you, LORD.

So when the time is right, answer me

and help me with your wonderful love.

¹⁴Don't let me sink in the mud,

but save me from my enemies

and from the deep water.

¹⁵Don't let me be swept away by a flood

or drowned in the ocean or swallowed by death.

¹⁶Answer me, LORD! You are kind and good.

Pay attention to me! You are truly merciful.

¹⁷Don't turn away from me.

I am your servant, and I am in trouble.

Please hurry and help!

¹⁸

Come and save me from my enemies.

¹⁹You know how I am insulted, mocked, and disgraced;

you know every one of my enemies.

²⁰I am crushed by insults, and I feel sick.

I had hoped for mercy and pity, but there was none.

²¹Enemies poisoned my food,

and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar.

²²Make their table a trap for them and their friends.

²³

Blind them with darkness and make them tremble.

²⁴Show them how angry you are!

Be furious and catch them.

²⁵Destroy their camp

and don't let anyone live in their tents.

²⁶They cause trouble for people you have already punished;

their gossip hurts those you have wounded.

²⁷Make them guiltier than ever and don't forgive them.

²⁸Wipe their names from the book of the living;

remove them from the list of the innocent.

²⁹I am mistreated and in pain.

Protect me, God, and keep me safe!

³⁰I will praise the LORD God

with a song and a thankful heart.

³¹This will please the LORD better than offering an ox

or a full-grown bull.

³²When those in need see this, they will be happy,

and the LORD's worshipers will be encouraged.

³³The LORD will listen when the homeless cry out,

and he will never forget his people in prison.

³⁴Heaven and earth will praise our God,

and so will the oceans and everything in them.

³⁵God will rescue Jerusalem,

and he will rebuild the towns of Judah.

His people will live there on their own land,

³⁶and when the time comes,

their children will inherit the land.

Then everyone who loves God will also settle there.

These daily Bible readings from the Contemporary English Version (CEV) are published by BibleNetUSA. The web site and BibleCard® designs are by iCreative. BibleCard® images copyright iCreative. All rights reserved.