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Bible reading for Nov 8 -- 9  Nov 8 -- Hosea 14 and Psalm 139 Nov 9 -- Joel 1 and Psalms 140-141  ================ "Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9)  ONE LAST APPEAL (Hos 14). "Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God..." (v 1). Hosea calls upon the nation to seek from God the forgiveness and healing that comes only from the Lord. They are to abandon their trust in idols and in other nations, and to find shelter in the Lord. God promises: "I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel..." (vv 4-5). They will blossom, and take root, and spread out, and be beautiful, and will flourish, and bear fruit (vv 5-7). And this is true of believers both then and now: "It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an...

Bible reading for July 6.  Joshua 8. "And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written." (Joshua 8:32)  ESTABLISHING GOD'S RULE. The second city to fall, one larger than Jericho, was Ai. Joshua used tactics that built upon their previous failure. Afterwards the inhabitants are put to death but the livestock spared.*  Joshua builds an altar, sacrifices are made, and God's law is copied on stone and read to the people. This signified that the pagan land, full of idols, was now to be guided by the law of God. It was the formal establishment of God's visible reign over that land. Some have felt that a good summary of the Bible story-line is that God in stages is re-establishing his visible and glorious rule over creation which was lost in the fall of man. This re-establishment of his kingdom will be consummated at the return of Christ. This is, of course, why we pray, "Our Father...