Joshua 2:1-14

[1]Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. [2]The king of Jericho was told, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land." [3]Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land." [4]But the woman took the two men and hid them.

Then she said, "True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from. [5]And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out.

Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them." [6]She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof. [7]So the men pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

[8]Before they went to sleep, she came up to them on the roof [9]and said to the men: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you. [10]For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. [11]As soon as we heard it, our hearts failed, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The LORD your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below. [12]Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the LORD that you in turn will deal kindly with my family.

Give me a sign of good faith [13]that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death." [14]The men said to her, "Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the LORD gives us the land."

Mark 1:21-27

[21]They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. [22]They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. [23]Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, [24]and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." [25]But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" [26]And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. [27]They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

Psalm 63:1-4

[1]   O God, you are my God, I seek you,  

          my soul thirsts for you;  

     my flesh faints for you,  

          as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  

[2]   So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,  

          beholding your power and glory.  

[3]   Because your steadfast love is better than life,  

          my lips will praise you.  

[4]   So I will bless you as long as I live;  

          I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

Psalm 84

[1] How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
[2] My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

[3] Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
[4] Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. Selah

[5] Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
[6] As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
[7] They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

[8] O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
[9] Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.

[10] For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
[11] For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
[12] O LORD of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Psalm 116:1-7

[1]   I love the LORD, because he has heard  

          my voice and my supplications.  

[2]   Because he inclined his ear to me,  

          therefore I will call on him as long as I live.  

[3]   The snares of death encompassed me;  

          the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;  

          I suffered distress and anguish.  

[4]   Then I called on the name of the LORD:  

          "O LORD, I pray, save my life!"

[5]   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;  

          our God is merciful.  

[6]   The LORD protects the simple;  

          when I was brought low, he saved me.  

[7]   Return, O my soul, to your rest,  

          for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Romans 8:31-39

[31]What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? [32]He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? [33]Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [34]Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. [35]Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36]As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." [37]No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38]For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, [39]nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 62

[1]   For God alone my soul waits in silence;  

          from him comes my salvation.  

[2]   He alone is my rock and my salvation,  

          my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

[3]   How long will you assail a person,  

          will you batter your victim, all of you,  

          as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?  

[4]   Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.  

          They take pleasure in falsehood;  

     they bless with their mouths,  

          but inwardly they curse.                                           

Selah

[5]   For God alone my soul waits in silence,  

          for my hope is from him.  

[6]   He alone is my rock and my salvation,  

          my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  

[7]   On God rests my deliverance and my honor;  

          my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

[8]   Trust in him at all times, O people;  

          pour out your heart before him;  

          God is a refuge for us.                                             

      Selah

[9]   Those of low estate are but a breath,  

          those of high estate are a delusion;  

     in the balances they go up;  

          they are together lighter than a breath.  

[10]  Put no confidence in extortion,  

          and set no vain hopes on robbery;  

          if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

[11]  Once God has spoken;  

          twice have I heard this:  

     that power belongs to God,  

[12]       and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.  

     For you repay to all  

          according to their work.