Wednesday, 01 May

1.   And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2.   "Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses––twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. 3.   "And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. 4.   "Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you. 5.   "And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you." 6.   So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7.   And Moses placed the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 8.   Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds. 9.   Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. 10.   And the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die." 11.   Thus did Moses; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did. 12.   So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! 13.   "Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD must die. Shall we all utterly die?"

1.   <> Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness. 0.   2Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous. 3.   For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead. 4.   Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed. 5.   I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. 6.   I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah 7.   Answer me speedily, O LORD; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit. 8.   Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. 9.   Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; In You I take shelter. 10.   Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11.   Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12.   In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.

1.   << A Psalm of David.>> Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle–– 2.   My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. 3.   LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? 4.   Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. 5.   Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6.   Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. 7.   Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, 8.   Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9.   I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, 10.   The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword. 11.   Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood–– 12.   That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style; 13.   That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; 14.   That our oxen may be well–laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. 15.   Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

1.   Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2.   And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3.   But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. 4.   Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5.   For even if there are so–called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6.   yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live . 7.   However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8.   But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9.   But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10.   For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11.   And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12.   But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13.   Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.