Formation Journal Reading Plan

17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.

17:2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

17:3 Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,

17:4 “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

17:5 Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

17:6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

17:7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.

17:8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

17:9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.

17:10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

17:11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

17:12 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed.

17:13 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

17:14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

17:15 God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.

17:16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”

17:17 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”

17:18 Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

17:19 God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.

17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

17:21 But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

17:22 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

17:23 Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.

17:24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

17:25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

17:26 In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.

17:27 All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

16:1 A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.

16:2 My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”

16:3 As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.

16:5 Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

16:6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

16:7 I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

16:8 I have set Yahweh always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

16:10 For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

16:11 You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

6:1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

6:2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

6:3 But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,

6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

6:5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

6:7 In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.

6:8 Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

6:9 Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

6:10 Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.

6:11 Give us today our daily bread.

6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

6:13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

6:15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.