Thursday, January 23, 2014

Proverbs 23 (NIV)


Proverbs 23 (New International Version)

Proverbs 23

1 When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what [a] is before you,

2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;

7 for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. [b] "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.

9 Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11 for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death. [c]

15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad;

16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.

18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,

21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.

24 The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.

25 May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!

26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways,

27 for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28 Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.

34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.

35 "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

Psalm 101 (NIV)


Psalm 101 (New International Version)

Psalm 101

Of David. A psalm.

1 I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart.

3 I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.

4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

8 Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.

    Wednesday, January 22, 2014

    Jonah 3 (NIV)


    Jonah 3 (New International Version)

    Jonah 3

    Jonah Goes to Nineveh

    1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
    3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

    6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."

    10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

    Proverbs 22 (NIV)


    Proverbs 22 (New International Version)

    Proverbs 22

    1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

    2 Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

    3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

    4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

    5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

    6 Train [a] a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

    7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

    8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

    9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

    10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.

    11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.

    12 The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

    13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"

    14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it.

    15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

    16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

    Sayings of the Wise

    17 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,
    18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.

    19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.

    20 Have I not written thirty [b] sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge,

    21 teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?

    22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

    23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.

    24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered,

    25 or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.

    26 Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;

    27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

    28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

    29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.

    Psalm 100 NIV


    Psalm 100 (New International Version)

    Psalm 100

    A psalm. For giving thanks.

    1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
    2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

    3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

    4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

    5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

    Tuesday, January 21, 2014

    AFWIS Joins Operation World In Prayer for the Hot Spots of the Americas

    Jan 21: The Americas, Hot Spots of the Americas

    Jonah 2 (NIV)


    Jonah 2 (New International Version)

    Jonah 2

    Jonah's Prayer

    1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave [a] I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
    3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

    4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'

    5 The engulfing waters threatened me, [b] the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

    6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.

    7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

    8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

    9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."

    10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

    Proverbs 21 (NIV)


    Proverbs 21 (New International Version)

    Proverbs 21

    1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

    2 All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

    3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

    4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!

    5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

    6 A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. [a]

    7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.

    8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

    9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

    10 The wicked man craves evil; his neighbor gets no mercy from him.

    11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.

    12 The Righteous One [b] takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

    13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

    14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.

    15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

    16 A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.

    17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

    18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.

    19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

    20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

    21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity [c] and honor.

    22 A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

    23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

    24 The proud and arrogant man-"Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.

    25 The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.

    26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.

    27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with evil intent!

    28 A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever. [d]

    29 A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

    30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

    31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

      Psalm 99 (NIV)


      Psalm 99 (New International Version)

      Psalm 99

      1 The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.

      2 Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.

      3 Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.

      4 The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.

      5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.

      6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.

      7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

      8 O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel [a] a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. [b]

      9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

      Monday, January 20, 2014

      Remember to Pray for Schools and the safty of the children.


      Jonah 1 (NIV)


      Jonah 1 (New International Version)

      Jonah 1

      Jonah Flees From the LORD

      1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."
      3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

      4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish."

      7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

      8 So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"

      9 He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."

      10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)

      11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

      12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."

      13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.

      17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

      Proverbs 20 (NIV)


      Proverbs 20 (New International Version)

      Proverbs 20

      1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

      2 A king's wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life.

      3 It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

      4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

      5 The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

      6 Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

      7 The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.

      8 When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

      9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

      10 Differing weights and differing measures— the LORD detests them both.

      11 Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.

      12 Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.

      13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

      14 "It's no good, it's no good!" says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase.

      15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

      16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

      17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

      18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

      19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

      20 If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

      21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

      22 Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

      23 The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

      24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

      25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.

      26 A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

      27 The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man [a] ; it searches out his inmost being.

      28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.

      29 The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.

      30 Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.

      Psalm 98 (NIV)


      Psalm 98 (New International Version)

      Psalm 98

      A psalm.

      1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
      2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

      3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

      4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

      5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,

      6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn— shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

      7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

      8 Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy; 9 let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

        Sunday, January 19, 2014

        THINK before you speak!


        AFWIS Joins Operation World In Prayer for The Americas, North America, Caribbean, Latin America

        Jan 19: The Americas, North America, Caribbean, Latin America

        Obadiah (NIV)


        Obadiah 1 (New International Version)

        Obadiah 1

        1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom— We have heard a message from the LORD : An envoy was sent to the nations to say, "Rise, and let us go against her for battle"-

        2 "See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised.

        3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks [a] and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?'

        4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.

        5 "If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night— Oh, what a disaster awaits you— would they not steal only as much as they wanted? If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes?

        6 But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged!

        7 All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, [b] but you will not detect it.

        8 "In that day," declares the LORD, "will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, men of understanding in the mountains of Esau?

        9 Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau's mountains will be cut down in the slaughter.

        10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever.

        11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

        12 You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.

        13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster.

        14 You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble.

        15 "The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.

        16 Just as you drank on my holy hill, so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been.

        17 But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.

        18 The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau." The LORD has spoken.

        19 People from the Negev will occupy the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.

        20 This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan will possess the land as far as Zarephath; the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the towns of the Negev.

        21 Deliverers will go up on [c] Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD's.

        Psalm 97 (NIV)


        Saturday, January 18, 2014

        Proverbs 19 (NIV)


        Proverbs 19 (New International Version)

        Proverbs 19

        1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

        2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.

        3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

        4 Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him.

        5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.

        6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

        7 A poor man is shunned by all his relatives— how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. [a]

        8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.

        9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will perish.

        10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

        11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

        12 A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

        13 A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

        14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

        15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.

        16 He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

        17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

        18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

        19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

        20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

        21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

        22 What a man desires is unfailing love [b] ; better to be poor than a liar.

        23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

        24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

        25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.

        26 He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

        27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

        28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

        29 Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

        Amos 9 (NIV)


        Amos 9 (New International Version)

        Amos 9

        Israel to Be Destroyed

        1 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: "Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Bring them down on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away, none will escape.
        2 Though they dig down to the depths of the grave, [a] from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there I will bring them down.

        3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.

        4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good."

        5 The Lord, the LORD Almighty, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn— the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt-

        6 he who builds his lofty palace [b] in the heavens and sets its foundation [c] on the earth, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the LORD is his name.

        7 "Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites [d] ?" declares the LORD . "Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor [e] and the Arameans from Kir?

        8 "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth— yet I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob," declares the LORD.

        9 "For I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.

        10 All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, 'Disaster will not overtake or meet us.'

        Israel's Restoration

        11 "In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be,
        12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name, [f] " declares the LORD, who will do these things.

        13 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.

        14 I will bring back my exiled [g] people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

        15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

        Psalm 96 (NIV)


        Psalm 96 (New International Version)

        Psalm 96

        1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

        2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.

        3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

        4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

        5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

        6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

        7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

        8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.

        9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his [a] holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

        10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.

        11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

        12 let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;

        13 they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

        Friday, January 17, 2014

        AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Major Great Commission Challenges of Africa

        Jan 17: Africa, Major Great Commission Challenges

        Amos 8 (NIV)


        Amos 8 (New International Version)

        Amos 8

        A Basket of Ripe Fruit

        1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 2 "What do you see, Amos?" he asked. "A basket of ripe fruit," I answered. Then the LORD said to me, "The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
        3 "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. [a] Many, many bodies—flung everywhere! Silence!"

        4 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,

        5 saying, "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"— skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,

        6 buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.

        7 The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: "I will never forget anything they have done.

        8 "Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt.

        9 "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.

        10 I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.

        11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.

        12 Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.

        13 "In that day "the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.

        14 They who swear by the shame [b] of Samaria, or say, 'As surely as your god lives, O Dan,' or, 'As surely as the god [c] of Beersheba lives'— they will fall, never to rise again."

        Proverbs 17 (NIV)


        Proverbs 17 (New International Version)

        Proverbs 17

        1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, [a] with strife.

        2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

        3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

        4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

        5 He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

        6 Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

        7 Arrogant [b] lips are unsuited to a fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

        8 A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

        9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

        10 A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.

        11 An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him.

        12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

        13 If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

        14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

        15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

        16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?

        17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

        18 A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

        19 He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.

        20 A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

        21 To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool.

        22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

        23 A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

        24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

        25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

        26 It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity.

        27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

        28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

        Psalm 95 (NIV)


        Psalm 95 (New International Version)

        Psalm 95

        1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

        2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

        3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

        4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

        5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

        6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

        7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,

        8 do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, [a] as you did that day at Massah [b] in the desert,

        9 where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.

        10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways."

        11 So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest."

        Thursday, January 16, 2014

        Demand pray back in school


        Proverbs 16 (NIV)


        Proverbs 16 (New International Version)

        Proverbs 16

        1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

        2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

        3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

        4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

        5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

        6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

        7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

        8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

        9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

        10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth should not betray justice.

        11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

        12 Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

        13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.

        14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.

        15 When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

        16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

        17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

        18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

        19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

        20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

        21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. [a]

        22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

        23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. [b]

        24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

        25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

        26 The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

        27 A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

        28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

        29 A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

        30 He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

        31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

        32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

        33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

        Psalm 94 (NIV)


        Psalm 94 (New International Version)

        Psalm 94

        1 O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.

        2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve.

        3 How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant?

        4 They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting.

        5 They crush your people, O LORD; they oppress your inheritance.

        6 They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless.

        7 They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed."

        8 Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?

        9 Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?

        10 Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?

        11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile.

        12 Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law;

        13 you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked.

        14 For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.

        15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

        16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?

        17 Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

        18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.

        19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

        20 Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— one that brings on misery by its decrees?

        21 They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

        22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

        23 He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.

        AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for The Unreached of Africa

        Jan 16: Africa, The Unreached of Africa

        Amos 7 (NIV)


        Amos 7 (New International Version)

        Amos 7

        Locusts, Fire and a Plumb Line

        1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"
        3 So the LORD relented. "This will not happen," the LORD said.

        4 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. 5 Then I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"

        6 So the LORD relented. "This will not happen either," the Sovereign LORD said.

        7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

        9 "The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam."

        Amos and Amaziah

        10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying: " 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.' "
        12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom."

        14 Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' 16 Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, " 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.'

        17 "Therefore this is what the LORD says: " 'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan [a] country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.' "

        Wednesday, January 15, 2014

        AFWIS Joins Operation World In Prayer for The Church in Africa

        Jan 15: Africa, The Church in Africa

        Amos 6 (NIV)


        Amos 6 (New International Version)

        Amos 6

        Woe to the Complacent

        1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!
        2 Go to Calneh and look at it; go from there to great Hamath, and then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they better off than your two kingdoms? Is their land larger than yours?

        3 You put off the evil day and bring near a reign of terror.

        4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.

        5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

        6 You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

        7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.

        The LORD Abhors the Pride of Israel

        8 The Sovereign LORD has sworn by himself—the LORD God Almighty declares: "I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it."
        9 If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. 10 And if a relative who is to burn the bodies comes to carry them out of the house and asks anyone still hiding there, "Is anyone with you?" and he says, "No," then he will say, "Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD."

        11 For the LORD has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.

        12 Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness-

        13 you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar [a] and say, "Did we not take Karnaim [b] by our own strength?"

        14 For the LORD God Almighty declares, "I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo [c] Hamath to the valley of the Arabah."

        Proverbs 15 (NIV)


        Proverbs 15 (New International Version)

        Proverbs 15

        1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

        2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

        3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

        4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

        5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

        6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

        7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

        8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

        9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

        10 Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.

        11 Death and Destruction [a] lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men!

        12 A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

        13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

        14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

        15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

        16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

        17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

        18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

        19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

        20 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

        21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.

        22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

        23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!

        24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave. [b]

        25 The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.

        26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

        27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

        28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

        29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

        30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

        31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

        32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

        33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, [c] and humility comes before honor.