AME Zion Universal Reading June 6th 2021

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(6) What’s in Your Wallet? (1)Shepherd’s Bag (6) First Portion

Numbers Chapter 13

1The Lord spoke to Moses saying,2"Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel. You shall send one man each for his father's tribe; each one shall be a chieftain in their midst."3So Moses sent them from the desert of Paran by the word of the Lord. All of them were men of distinction; they were the heads of the children of Israel.4These are their names: For the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zakkur.5For the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.6For the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jepphunneh.7For the tribe of Issachar, Yigal the son of Joseph.8For the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun.9For the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.10For the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.11For the tribe of Joseph, the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.12For the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.13For the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.14For the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.15For the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.16These are the names of the men Moses sent to scout the Land, and Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.17Moses sent them to scout the Land of Canaan, and he said to them, "Go up this way in the south and climb up the mountain.18You shall see what [kind of] land it is, and the people who inhabit it; are they strong or weak? Are there few or many?19And what of the land they inhabit? Is it good or bad? And what of the cities in which they reside are they in camps or in fortresses?20What is the soil like is it fat or lean? Are there any trees in it or not? You shall be courageous and take from the fruit of the land." It was the season when the first grapes begin to ripen.

Sunday

Matthew 6:25–34 (NLT):

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Second Portion

Numbers Chapter 13

21So they went up and explored the land, from the desert of Zin until Rehov, at the entrance to Hamath.22They went up in, the south, and he came to Hebron, and there were Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of the giant. Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan of Egypt.23They came to the Valley of Eshkol and they cut a branch with a cluster of grapes. They carried it on a pole between two [people] and [they also took] some pomegranates and figs.24They called that place the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster [eshkol] the children of Israel cut from there.25They returned from scouting the Land at the end of forty days.26They went, and they came to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the desert of Paran, to Kadesh. They brought them back a report, as well as to the entire congregation, and they showed them the fruit of the land.27They told him and said, "We came to the land to which you sent us, and it is flowing with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.28However, the people who inhabit the land are mighty, and the cities are extremely huge and fortified, and there we saw even the offspring of the giant.29The Amalekites dwell in the south land, while the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountainous region. The Canaanites dwell on the coast and alongside the Jordan."30Caleb silenced the people to [hear about] Moses, and he said, "We can surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed overcome it."31But the men who went up with him said, "We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.32They spread an [evil] report about the land which they had scouted, telling the children of Israel, "The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature.33There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.

Numbers Chapter 14

1The entire community raised their voices and shouted, and the people wept on that night.2All the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the entire congregation said, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this desert.3Why does the Lord bring us to this land to fall by the sword; our wives and children will be as spoils. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?"4They said to each other, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt!"5Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the entire congregation of the children of Israel.6Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had scouted the land, tore their clothes.7They spoke to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "The land we passed through to scout is an exceedingly good land.

Monday

1 Samuel 9:5–10 (NLT):

5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”

6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”

7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”

8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)

10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.

Third Portion

Numbers Chapter 14

8If the Lord desires us, He will bring us to this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.9But you shall not rebel against the Lord, and you will not fear the people of that land for they are [as] our bread. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."10The entire congregation threatened to pelt them with stones, but the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel.11The Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people provoke Me? How much longer will they not believe in Me after all the signs I have performed in their midst?12I will strike them with a plague and annihilate them; then I will make you into a nation, greater and stronger than they."13Moses said to the Lord, "But the Egyptians will hear that You have brought this nation out from its midst with great power.14They will say about the inhabitants of this land, who have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people; that You, the Lord, appear to them eye to eye and that Your cloud rests over them. And You go before them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night,15and if You kill this nation like one man, the nations who have heard of Your reputation will say as follows:16'Since the Lord lacked the ability to bring this nation to the Land which He swore to them, He slaughtered them in the desert.'17Now, please, let the strength of the Lord be increased, as You spoke, saying.18'The Lord is slow to anger and abundantly kind, forgiving iniquity and transgression, Who cleanses [some] and does not cleanse [others], Who visits the iniquities of parents on children, even to the third and fourth generations.'19Please forgive the iniquity of this nation in accordance with your abounding kindness, as You have borne this people from Egypt until now."20And the Lord said, "I have forgiven them in accordance with your word.21However, as surely as I live, and as the glory of the Lord fills the earth...22that all the people who perceived My glory, and the signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert, yet they have tested me these ten times and not listened to My voice,23if they will see the Land that I swore to their fathers, and all who provoked Me will not see it.24But as for My servant Caleb, since he was possessed by another spirit, and he followed Me, I will bring him to the land to which he came, and his descendants will drive it[s inhabitants] out.25The Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley. Tomorrow, turn back and journey into the desert toward the Red Sea."

Tuesday

Ezekiel 34:11–16 (NLT): The Good Shepherd

11 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!

Fourth Portion

Numbers Chapter 14

26The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,27"How much longer will this evil congregation who are causing to complain against Me [exist]? The complaints of the children of Israel which they caused them to complain against Me, I have heard.28Say to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'if not as you have spoken in My ears, so will I do to you.29In this desert, your corpses shall fall; your entire number, all those from the age of twenty and up, who were counted, because you complained against Me.30You shall [not] come into the Land concerning which I raised My hand that you would settle in it, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.31As for your infants, of whom you said that they will be as spoils, I will bring them [there], and they will come to know the Land which You despised.32But as for you, your corpses shall fall in this desert.33Your children shall wander in the desert for forty years and bear your defection until the last of your corpses has fallen in the desert.34According to the number of days which you toured the Land forty days, a day for each year, you will [thus] bear your iniquities for forty years; thus you will come to know My alienation.35I, the Lord, have spoken if I will not do this to the entire evil congregation who have assembled against me; in this desert they will end, and there they will die.36As for the men whom Moses had sent to scout the Land, who returned and caused the entire congregation to complain against him by spreading [a slanderous] report about the Land"37the men who spread an evil report about the Land died in the plague, before the Lord.38But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive of the men who went to tour the Land.39Moses related all these words to the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly.40They arose early in the morning and ascended to the mountain top, saying, "We are ready to go up to the place of which the Lord spoke, for we have sinned. "41Moses said, "Why do you transgress the word of the Lord? It will not succeed.42Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, [so that] you will not be beaten by your enemies.43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. For you have turned away from the Lord, and the Lord will not be with you.44They defiantly ascended to the mountain top, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses did not move from the camp.45The Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived on the mountain came down and smote them and crushed them [pursuing them] until Hormah.

Numbers Chapter 15

1The Lord spoke to Moses saying:2Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you arrive in the Land of your dwelling place, which I am giving you,3and you make a fire offering to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice [namely a peace offering], for an expressed vow or for a voluntary offering or on your festivals, to provide a pleasing fragrance for the Lord, from the cattle or from the sheep.4The one who brings his offering to the Lord shall present a meal offering containing one tenth fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil.5And a quarter of a hin of wine for a libation, you shall prepare with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.6Or for a ram, you shall present a meal offering containing two tenths fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil.7And a third of a hin of wine for a libation; you shall offer up, a pleasing fragrance to the Lord.

Wednesday

1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NLT):

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

Fifth Portion

Numbers Chapter 15

8If you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice by expressing a vow, or for a peace offering for the Lord,9with the young bull he shall offer up a meal offering consisting of three tenths fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil.10And you shall offer half a hin of wine for a libation, a fire offering of pleasing fragrance to the Lord.11So shall it be done for each ox or ram, or for a young sheep or young goat.12In accordance with the number you offer up, so shall you present for each one, according to their numbers.13Every native born shall do it in this manner, to offer up a fire offering of pleasing fragrance to the Lord.14If a proselyte resides with you, or those among you in future generations, and he offers up a fire offering of pleasing fragrance to the Lord, as you make it, so shall he make it.15One rule applies to the assembly, for yourselves and for the proselyte who resides [with you]; one rule applies throughout your generations just as [it is] for you, so [it is] for the proselyte, before the Lord.16There shall be one law and one ordinance for you and the proselyte who resides [with you].

Thursday

Matthew 17:14–20 (NLT): Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Sixth Portion

Numbers Chapter 15

17The Lord spoke to Moses saying:18Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them, When you arrive in the Land to which I am bringing you,19and you eat from the bread of the Land, you shall set aside a gift for the Lord.20The first portion of your dough, you shall separate a loaf for a gift; as in the case of the gift of the threshing floor, so shall you separate it.21From the first portion of your dough you shall give a gift to the Lord in [all] your generations.22And if you should err and not fulfill all these commandments, which the Lord spoke to Moses.23All that the Lord commanded you through Moses, from the day on which the Lord commanded and from then on, for all generations.24If because of the eyes of the congregation it was committed inadvertently, the entire congregation shall prepare a young bull as a burnt offering for a pleasing fragrance for the Lord, with its prescribed meal offering and libation, and one young he goat for a sin offering.25The kohen shall atone on behalf of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was an error, and they have brought their offering as a fire offering to the Lord and their sin offering before the Lord because of their error.26The entire congregation of the children of Israel and the proselyte who resides with them shall be forgiven, for all the people were in error.

Friday

Luke 12:22–34 (NLT): Teaching about Money and Possessions

22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Seventh Portion

Numbers Chapter 15

27But if an individual sins inadvertently, he shall offer up a she goat in its first year as a sin offering.28And the kohen shall atone for the erring soul which sinned inadvertently before the Lord, so as to atone on his behalf, and it shall be forgiven him.29One law shall apply to anyone who sins inadvertently from the native born of the children of Israel and the proselyte who resides among them.30But if a person should act highhandedly, whether he is a native born or a proselyte, he is blaspheming the Lord, and that soul shall be cut off from among its people.31For he has scorned the word of the Lord and violated His commandment; that soul shall be utterly cut off for its iniquity is upon it.32When the children of Israel were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.33Those who found him gathering wood presented him before Moses and Aaron and before the entire congregation.34They put him under guard, since it was not specified what was to be done to him.35The Lord said to Moses, The man shall be put to death; the entire congregation shall pelt him with stones outside the camp.36So the entire congregation took him outside the camp, and they pelted him to death with stones, as the Lord had commanded Moses.37The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:38Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall affix a thread of sky blue [wool] on the fringe of each corner.39This shall be fringes for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord to perform them, and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray.40So that you shall remember and perform all My commandments and you shall be holy to your God.41I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord, your God.

Saturday

Matthew 6:19–24 (NLT): Teaching about Money and Possessions

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Maftir Portion

Numbers Chapter 15

37The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:38Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall affix a thread of sky blue [wool] on the fringe of each corner.39This shall be fringes for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord to perform them, and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray.40So that you shall remember and perform all My commandments and you shall be holy to your God.41I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord, your God.

Haftarah

Joshua Chapter 2

1And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men out of Shittim to spy secretly, saying, Go see the land and Jericho. And they went, and came to the house of an innkeeper named Rahab, and they lay there.2And it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men have come here this night from the children of Israel to search the land.3And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who have come to you, that have entered your house, for they have come to search out the entire land.4Now the woman had taken the two men, and had hidden them, and she said, Indeed the men came to me, but I did not know from where they were.5And it was time to close the gate, at darkness, that the men went out. I do not know where they went. Pursue after them quickly, for you will overtake them.6And she had brought them up to the roof, and she hid them with the stalks of flax, that she had laid arranged upon the roof.7And the men pursued them in the direction of the Jordan, to the fords; and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, they shut the gate.8And before they were asleep, she came up to them upon the roof.9And she said to the men, I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away because of you.10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.11And as soon as we heard, our hearts melted, nor did there remain anymore spirit in any man because of you, for the Lord your God He is God in heaven above and on the earth below.12And now, I pray, swear to me by the Lord, since I have showed you kindness, that you will also show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token.13And you shall preserve alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all that they have, and you shall deliver our lives from death.14And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if you will not tell this our discussion. And it shall be, when the Lord gives us the land, that we will deal with you with kindness and truth.15And she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was in the town wall and she dwelt in the wall.16And she said to them, Go to the mountain lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days until the pursuers return, and afterwards you will go your way.17And the men said to her, we will be blameless of this your oath which you made us swear;18Behold when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window by which you let us down; and you shall bring your father and your mother, and your brothers and all your father's household home to you.19And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of your house outside, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be blameless, and that whosoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be upon our head if any hand be upon him.20And if you tell this our discussion, then we will be blameless of your oath which you have made us swear.21And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed; and she bound the scarlet line in the window.22And they went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned; and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but they did not find them.23And the two men returned and descended from the mountain, and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had happened to them.24And they said to Joshua, -For the Lord has delivered into our hands all the land; and also the inhabitants of the country have melted away because of us.