Psalms 135; Psalms 136; 1 Corinthians 12

Psalms 135

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD's name! All you who serve the LORD, praise God!

2 All you who stand in the LORD's house— who stand in the courtyards of our God's temple—

3 praise the LORD, because the LORD is good! Sing praises to God's name because it is beautiful!

4 Because the LORD chose Jacob as his own, God chose Israel as his treasured possession.

5 Yes, I know for certain that the LORD is great— I know our Lord is greater than all other gods.

6 The LORD can do whatever he wants in heaven or on earth, in the seas and in every ocean depth.

7 God forms clouds at the far corners of the earth. God makes lightning for the rain. God releases the wind from its storeroom.

8 God struck down the Egyptians' oldest offspring— both human and animal!

9 God sent signs and wonders into the very center of Egypt— against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10 God struck down many nations and killed mighty kings:

11 Sihon the Amorite king, Og the king of Bashan, and all the Canaanite kings.

12 Then God handed their land over as an inheritance— as an inheritance to Israel, his own people.

13 LORD, your name is forever! LORD, your fame extends from one generation to the next!

14 The LORD gives justice to his people and has compassion on those who serve him.

15 The nations' idols are just silver and gold— things made by human hands.

16 They have mouths, but they can't speak. They have eyes, but they can't see.

17 They have ears, but they can't listen. No, there's no breath in their lungs!

18 Let the people who made these idols and all who trust in them become just like them!

19 House of Israel, bless the LORD! House of Aaron, bless the LORD!

20 House of Levi, bless the LORD! You who honor the LORD, bless the LORD!

21 Bless the LORD from Zion— bless the one who lives in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!

Psalms 136

1 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good. God's faithful love lasts forever!

2 Give thanks to the God of all gods— God's faithful love lasts forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of all lords— God's faithful love lasts forever.

4 Give thanks to the only one who makes great wonders— God's faithful love lasts forever.

5 Give thanks to the one who made the skies with skill— God's faithful love lasts forever.

6 Give thanks to the one who shaped the earth on the water— God's faithful love lasts forever.

7 Give thanks to the one who made the great lights— God's faithful love lasts forever.

8 The sun to rule the day— God's faithful love lasts forever.

9 The moon and the stars to rule the night— God's faithful love lasts forever!

10 Give thanks to the one who struck down the Egyptians' oldest offspring— God's faithful love lasts forever.

11 Give thanks to the one who brought Israel out of there— God's faithful love lasts forever.

12 With a strong hand and outstretched arm— God's faithful love lasts forever!

13 Give thanks to the one who split the Reed Sea in two— God's faithful love lasts forever.

14 Give thanks to the one who brought Israel through— God's faithful love lasts forever.

15 And tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Reed Sea— God's faithful love lasts forever!

16 Give thanks to the one who led his people through the desert— God's faithful love lasts forever.

17 Give thanks to the one who struck down great kings— God's faithful love lasts forever.

18 And killed powerful kings— God's faithful love lasts forever.

19 Sihon, the Amorite king— God's faithful love lasts forever.

20 Og, king of Bashan— God's faithful love lasts forever.

21 Handing their land over as an inheritance— God's faithful love lasts forever.

22 As an inheritance to Israel, his servant— God's faithful love lasts forever!

23 God remembered us when we were humiliated— God's faithful love lasts forever.

24 God rescued us from our enemies— God's faithful love lasts forever.

25 God is the one who provides food for all living things— God's faithful love lasts forever!

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven— God's faithful love lasts forever!

1 Corinthians 12

1 Brothers and sisters, I don't want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts.

2 You know that when you were Gentiles you were often misled by false gods that can't even speak.

3 So I want to make it clear to you that no one says, "Jesus is cursed!" when speaking by God's Spirit, and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;

5 and there are different ministries and the same Lord;

6 and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.

8 A word of wisdom is given by the Spirit to one person, a word of knowledge to another according to the same Spirit,

9 faith to still another by the same Spirit, gifts of healing to another in the one Spirit,

10 performance of miracles to another, prophecy to another, the ability to tell spirits apart to another, different kinds of tongues to another, and the interpretation of the tongues to another.

11 All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person.

12 Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many.

13 We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free, and we all were given one Spirit to drink.

14 Certainly the body isn't one part but many.

15 If the foot says, "I'm not part of the body because I'm not a hand," does that mean it's not part of the body?

16 If the ear says, "I'm not part of the body because I'm not an eye," does that mean it's not part of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, what would happen to the hearing? And if the whole body were an ear, what would happen to the sense of smell?

18 But as it is, God has placed each one of the parts in the body just like he wanted.

19 If all were one and the same body part, what would happen to the body?

20 But as it is, there are many parts but one body.

21 So the eye can't say to the hand, "I don't need you," or in turn, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."

22 Instead, the parts of the body that people think are the weakest are the most necessary.

23 The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we honor the most. The private parts of our body that aren't presentable are the ones that are given the most dignity.

24 The parts of our body that are presentable don't need this. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the part with less honor

25 so that there won't be division in the body and so the parts might have mutual concern for each other.

26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it.

27 You are the body of Christ and parts of each other.

28 In the church, God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, the ability to help others, leadership skills, different kinds of tongues.

29 All aren't apostles, are they? All aren't prophets, are they? All aren't teachers, are they? All don't perform miracles, do they?

30 All don't have gifts of healing, do they? All don't speak in different tongues, do they? All don't interpret, do they?

31 Use your ambition to try to get the greater gifts. And I'm going to show you an even better way.