Read To Me Daily Semester 4Sample

EZEKIEL 48:
In the chapters from Ezekiel yesterday, we heard more rules for the prince’s worship, and about temple kitchens, and the beginning part about the division of the land. Very fascinating in that part of this book is the description of the river that comes out from the east side of the temple, including trees that are for healing, bearing fruit every month. We will soon hear about this river and the trees of life in Revelation.

ISAIAH 21:
Yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah was only six verses long. It always seems very unfair to me that Isaiah had to go about naked as a sign about two countries that were not even his own. Surely it was a sign for the people of Israel’s benefit as well. I wonder if Isaiah’s being ‘naked’ was really what we call stark naked. In some cultures, if a man is wearing a loin cloth, he is still called naked. Just as the description states, a person in a loin cloth will have their buttocks exposed.

2CORINTHIANS 1:23––2:
At the beginning of chapter 2 of 2nd Corinthians, Paul is still telling about his change of plans and showing why he doesn’t want to be misunderstood in his motives concerning that. To help us pick up where we left off, let's read 23 in the NLT and 24 in my Plain English Translation:

23 (NLT) Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
24 (PET) My purpose and that of the other apostles of Christ isn’t to command how each of you in the Corinthian church is to live out your beliefs. We are certain that each of you will keep standing firm in your belief. We just want to work with you so that your joy keeps on increasing because of living according to your beliefs.

Let’s pray.
Our Lord, Christ Jesus, we pray that You would teach us through this letter in which Paul shared so intimately with the church at Corinth. Teach us to endure suffering and trouble like Paul did. Teach us to use our suffering and trouble to strengthen others as Paul did. Give us the same help and comfort that You gave to Paul through the Holy Spirit. May we learn the lesson of not trusting in ourselves, but having complete trust in God, who can raise us up from any deathly danger. Thank You Lord for the example of the apostle Paul, who modeled what it means to have a clear conscience, and who modeled open and transparent relations of a leader or pastor with his flock. Paul wanted that his life reflect You, Lord Jesus. So we also ask that we each might in some way model You, Lord, in your reliability. You are the “Yes” ratifying all God’s promises. Thank You for placing your stamp of ownership upon us in the person of the Holy Spirit, who guarantees all those plans and wonderful promises You have given us.