Read To Me Daily Semester 2Sample

RUTH 1-2:
As we finished the last two chapters of Judges yesterday, we heard that the incident of the Levite and his concubine at Gibeah resulted in civil war. About 24,000 men died and many women and children as well. In certain decisions, the army inquired of the Lord, and the Lord gave answers at his sanctuary. In the way they found wives for the decimated tribe of Benjamin, the men of Israel were repeatedly so concerned that they not break their vows. Paradoxically, they did many other things without any concern whatsoever about acting according to God’s revealed will. Let’s consider that story as a warning. Beware of the human tendency of myopic obedience to a preferred list of rules, while living like a pagan in other respects. Again the theme statement is repeated in the last verse of the book, “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

And now we turn to the book of Ruth. The Talmud attributes the authorship of this book to Samuel. The story of Ruth took place during the same time as the book of Judges, but the book of Ruth is a big contrast with Judges. Ruth shows that the times were not always as dark and sinful as what is portrayed in Judges. Ruth and her second husband, Boaz, are listed in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1. 

PSALM 89a:
In today’s poem, Psalm 89, a psalmist named Ethan, praises God for the covenant the Lord made especially with David. The first three quarters of this pslam is beautiful in the recitation of wonderful promises given to Israel and to David. In our time, we can see how many of these promises were fulfillment in Jesus, the ‘Son of David’. But suddenly at verse 38, the writer claims that God has broken his promises to David. We will hear that contrast tomorrow.

1TIMOTHY 5:
In the 4th chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul showed that he considered his era as ‘the last times’. For the Jews, the coming of the Messiah signaled the beginning of the end times. Paul's advice is just as appropriate to us as to Timothy. Half of that chapter was personal advice and encouragement to Timothy in his role as a pastor, and God has passed those words on to all in church leadership today.

Let’s pray.
Our heavenly Father, be with my listener if he or she is living with despair or depression. We ask You to help us learn the same spiritual lessons Paul gave to Timothy. Give us determination like that of a good athlete to enter into spiritual training. Lord, have mercy on us, because we live in the later times Paul talked about— when many people are misled by false teachings. Guard my listener against deception from demons. It is now four times that Paul has mentioned the word conscience. Lord, increase our spiritual wisdom that we might protect our consciences. And Lord, we pray that we might know our spiritual gifts, and that we will keep them in shape by using them. May we make at least one step of progress today.