Scripture Readings for the January 2005 Issue of the Newsletter
(Revised Standard Version)
1: After
the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son
of Nun, Moses' minister,
2: "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan,
you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the people
of Israel.
3: Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to
you, as I promised to Moses.
4: From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river
Euphra'tes, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going
down of the sun shall be your territory.
5: No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as
I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
6: Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit
the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7: Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all
the law which Moses my servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right
hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
8: This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all
that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then
you shall have good success.
9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened,
neither be dismayed; for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
10: Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people,
11: "Pass through the camp, and command the people, `Prepare your provisions;
for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to take possession
of the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess.'"
12: And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manas'seh Joshua
said,
13: "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded
you, saying, `The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest, and will
give you this land.'
14: Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land
which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but all the men of valor among you
shall pass over armed before your brethren and shall help them,
15: until the LORD gives rest to your brethren as well as to you, and they
also take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them; then
you shall return to the land of your possession, and shall possess it, the
land which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward
the sunrise."
16: And they answered Joshua, "All that you have commanded us we will
do, and wherever you send us we will go.
17: Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the
LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses!
18: Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever
you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage."
1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
2: looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated
at the right hand of the throne of God.
3: Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so
that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
4: In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of
shedding your blood.
5: And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? --
"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage
when you are punished by him.
6: For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom
he receives."
7: It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons;
for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8: If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then
you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9: Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected
them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10: For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines
us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
11: For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later
it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained
by it.
12: Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
13: and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be
put out of joint but rather be healed.
4: Let each
of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.