Daily Bible CEV December 01 Scroll

Christ Gives Freedom

Galatians 5 Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.

²I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised. ³If you do, you must obey the whole Law. ⁴And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness. ⁵But the Spirit makes us sure that God will accept us because of our faith in Christ. ⁶If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.

⁷You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. ⁸And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. ⁹A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, ¹⁰but you belong to the Lord. That makes me certain that you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished.

¹¹My friends, if I still preach that people need to be circumcised, why am I in so much trouble? The message about the cross would no longer be a problem, if I told people to be circumcised. ¹²I wish that everyone who is upsetting you would not only get circumcised, but would cut off much more!

¹³My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. ¹⁴All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself. ¹⁵But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals, you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves.

A Prayer for Mercy

The People of Jerusalem Pray:
Lamentations 5 Our LORD, don't forget how we have suffered

and been disgraced.

²Foreigners and strangers have taken our land

and our homes.

³We are like children whose mothers are widows.

⁴The water we drink and the wood we burn

cost far too much.

⁵We are terribly mistreated;

we are worn out and can find no rest.

⁶We had to surrender to Egypt and Assyria

because we were hungry.

⁷Our ancestors sinned, but they are dead,

and we are left to pay for their sins.

⁸Slaves are now our rulers,

and there is no one to set us free.

⁹We are in danger from brutal desert tribes;

we must risk our lives just to bring in our crops.

¹⁰

Our skin is scorched from fever and hunger.

¹¹On Zion and everywhere in Judah

our wives and daughters are being raped.

¹²Our rulers are strung up by their arms,

and our nation's advisors are treated shamefully.

¹³Young men are forced to do the work of slaves;

boys must carry heavy loads of wood.

¹⁴Our leaders are not allowed to decide cases in court,

and young people no longer play music.

¹⁵Our hearts are sad; instead of dancing, we mourn.

¹⁶Zion's glory has disappeared!

And we are doomed because of our sins.

¹⁷We feel sick all over and can't even see straight;

¹⁸

our city is in ruins, overrun by wild dogs.

¹⁹You will rule forever, LORD! You are King for all time.

²⁰

Why have you forgotten us for so long?

²¹Bring us back to you! Give us a fresh start.

²²

Or do you despise us so much that you don't want us?

Psalm 147
Sing and Praise the LORD

¹Shout praises to the LORD! Our God is kind,

and it is right and good to sing praises to him.

²The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem

and brings the people of Israel back home again.

³He renews our hopes and heals our bodies.

⁴He decided how many stars there would be in the sky

and gave each one a name.

⁵Our LORD is great and powerful!

He understands everything.

⁶The LORD helps the poor,

but he smears the wicked in the dirt.

⁷Celebrate and sing!

Play your harps for the LORD our God.

⁸He fills the sky with clouds and sends rain to the earth,

so that the hills will be green with grass.

⁹He provides food for cattle

and for the young ravens, when they cry out.

¹⁰The LORD doesn't care about the strength of horses

or powerful armies.

¹¹The LORD is pleased only with those who worship him

and trust his love.

¹²Everyone in Jerusalem,

come and praise the LORD your God!

¹³He makes your city gates strong

and blesses your people by giving them children.

¹⁴God lets you live in peace,

and he gives you the very best wheat.

¹⁵As soon as God speaks, the earth obeys.

¹⁶He covers the ground with snow like a blanket of wool,

and he scatters frost like ashes on the ground.

¹⁷God sends down hailstones like chips of rocks.

Who can stand the cold?

¹⁸At his command the ice melts, the wind blows,

and streams begin to flow.

¹⁹God gave his laws and teachings

to the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel.

²⁰But he has not given his laws to any other nation.

Shout praises to the LORD!

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.