May 29th

Morning Readings

A Mother in Israel

Judges 4:18-23

18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come, my Lord , come right in. Don't be afraid." So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him. 19 "I'm thirsty," he said. "Please give me some water." She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. 20 "Stand in the doorway of the tent," he told her. "If someone comes by and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say 'No.' " 21 But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

22 Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. "Come," she said, "I will show you the man you're looking for." So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple-dead. 23 On that day God subdued Jabin, the Canaanite king, before the Israelites.

Judges 5:1-9

1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 "When the princes in Israel take the lead,

when the people willingly offer themselves— praise the LORD!
3 "Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!

I will sing to the LORD, I will sing;

I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4 "O LORD, when you went out from Seir,

when you marched from the land of Edom,

the earth shook, the heavens poured,

the clouds poured down water.
5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai,

before the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, the roads were abandoned;

travelers took to winding paths.
7 Village life in Israel ceased,

ceased until I, Deborah, arose,

arose a mother in Israel.
8 When they chose new gods,

war came to the city gates,

and not a shield or spear was seen

among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart is with Israel's princes,

with the willing volunteers among the people.

Praise the LORD!

Evening Readings

Beware of Error

Matthew 16:1-3

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Mark 8:12-13

12 He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 "Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." 16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread." 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?

Matthew 16:11-12

11 How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Mark 8:22-27

22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."

Leaves for Plucking

Malachi 3:16-17

16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 17 "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.

"When he cometh when he cometh to take up his jewels

All his jewels precious jewels his loved and his own

Like the stars of the morning his bright crown adorning

They will shine in their beauty bright gems for his crown."