Saturday, August 11, 2012 - Site was down..posting late

AM - Gospel Skating

Am Devotion - June 29 One Year Bible

2 Kings 15:1-16:20; Acts 19:13-41; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 18:4-5

2 Kings 15-16:20

New Living Translation (NLT)

Uzziah Rules in Judah

15 Uzziah^[a] son of Amaziah began to rule over Judah in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel. ² He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.

³ He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. ⁴ But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. ⁵ The Lord struck the king with leprosy,^[b] which lasted until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house. The king’s son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.

⁶ The rest of the events in Uzziah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. ⁷ When Uzziah died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And his son Jotham became the next king.

Zechariah Rules in Israel

⁸ Zechariah son of Jeroboam II began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria six months. ⁹ Zechariah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. ¹⁰ Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, assassinated him in public,^[c] and became the next king.

¹¹ The rest of the events in Zechariah’s reign are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. ¹² So the Lord’s message to Jehu came true: “Your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.”

Shallum Rules in Israel

¹³ Shallum son of Jabesh began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. Shallum reigned in Samaria only one month. ¹⁴ Then Menahem son of Gadi went to Samaria from Tirzah and assassinated him, and he became the next king.

¹⁵ The rest of the events in Shallum’s reign, including his conspiracy, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Menahem Rules in Israel

¹⁶ At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuah^[d] and all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.

¹⁷ Menahem son of Gadi began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria ten years. ¹⁸ But Menahem did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

¹⁹ Then King Tiglath-pileser^[e] of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty-seven tons^[f] of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power. ²⁰ Menahem extorted the money from the rich of Israel, demanding that each of them pay fifty pieces^[g] of silver to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned from attacking Israel and did not stay in the land.

²¹ The rest of the events in Menahem’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. ²² When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah became the next king.

Pekahiah Rules in Israel

²³ Pekahiah son of Menahem began to rule over Israel in the fiftieth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years. ²⁴ But Pekahiah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

²⁵ Then Pekah son of Remaliah, the commander of Pekahiah’s army, conspired against him. With fifty men from Gilead, Pekah assassinated the king, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the palace at Samaria. And Pekah reigned in his place.

²⁶ The rest of the events in Pekahiah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah Rules in Israel

²⁷ Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in the fifty-second year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty years. ²⁸ But Pekah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

²⁹ During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives. ³⁰ Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah and assassinated him. He began to rule over Israel in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.

³¹ The rest of the events in Pekah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham Rules in Judah

³² Jotham son of Uzziah began to rule over Judah in the second year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel. ³³ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

³⁴ Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done. ³⁵ But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. He rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of the Lord.

³⁶ The rest of the events in Jotham’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. ³⁷ In those days the Lord began to send King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel to attack Judah. ³⁸ When Jotham died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And his son Ahaz became the next king.

Ahaz Rules in Judah

16 Ahaz son of Jotham began to rule over Judah in the seventeenth year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel. ² Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done. ³ Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire.^[h] In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.

⁵ Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel came up to attack Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. ⁶ At that time the king of Edom^[i] recovered the town of Elath for Edom.^[j] He drove out the people of Judah and sent Edomites^[k] to live there, as they do to this day.

⁷ King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria with this message: “I am your servant and your vassal.^[l] Come up and rescue me from the attacking armies of Aram and Israel.” ⁸ Then Ahaz took the silver and gold from the Temple of the Lord and the palace treasury and sent it as a payment to the Assyrian king. ⁹ So the king of Assyria attacked the Aramean capital of Damascus and led its population away as captives, resettling them in Kir. He also killed King Rezin.

¹⁰ King Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. While he was there, he took special note of the altar. Then he sent a model of the altar to Uriah the priest, along with its design in full detail. ¹¹ Uriah followed the king’s instructions and built an altar just like it, and it was ready before the king returned from Damascus. ¹² When the king returned, he inspected the altar and made offerings on it. ¹³ He presented a burnt offering and a grain offering, he poured out a liquid offering, and he sprinkled the blood of peace offerings on the altar.

¹⁴ Then King Ahaz removed the old bronze altar from its place in front of the Lord’s Temple, between the entrance and the new altar, and placed it on the north side of the new altar. ¹⁵ He told Uriah the priest, “Use the new altar^[m] for the morning sacrifices of burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offerings of all the people, as well as their grain offerings and liquid offerings. Sprinkle the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the new altar. The bronze altar will be for my personal use only.” ¹⁶ Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz commanded him.

¹⁷ Then the king removed the side panels and basins from the portable water carts. He also removed the great bronze basin called the Sea from the backs of the bronze oxen and placed it on the stone pavement. ¹⁸ In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Sabbath day,^[n] as well as the king’s outer entrance to the Temple of the Lord.

¹⁹ The rest of the events in Ahaz’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. ²⁰ When Ahaz died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Hezekiah became the next king.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Kings 15:1 Hebrew Azariah, a variant spelling of Uzziah; also in 15:6, 7, 8, 17, 23, 27.
2. 2 Kings 15:5 Or with a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here and throughout this passage can describe various skin diseases.
3. 2 Kings 15:10 Or at Ibleam.
4. 2 Kings 15:16 As in some Greek manuscripts; other Greek manuscripts read at Ibleam. Hebrew reads Tiphsah.
5. 2 Kings 15:19 Hebrew Pul, another name for Tiglath-pileser.
6. 2 Kings 15:19 Hebrew 1,000 talents [34 metric tons].
7. 2 Kings 15:20 Hebrew 50 shekels [20 ounces, or 570 grams].
8. 2 Kings 16:3 Or even making his son pass through the fire.
9. 2 Kings 16:6 As in Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads Rezin king of Aram.
10. 2 Kings 16:6 As in Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads Aram.
11. 2 Kings 16:6 As in Greek version, Latin Vulgate, and an alternate reading of the Masoretic Text; the other alternate reads Arameans.
12. 2 Kings 16:7 Hebrew your son.
13. 2 Kings 16:15 Hebrew the great altar.
14. 2 Kings 16:18 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

Acts 19:13-41

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹³ A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

¹⁷ The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. ¹⁸ Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. ¹⁹ A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.^{[a] 20} So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

²¹ Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit^[b] to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” ²² He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

The Riot in Ephesus

²³ About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. ²⁴ It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis.^[c] He kept many craftsmen busy. ²⁵ He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. ²⁶ But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! ²⁷ Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

²⁸ At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. ³⁰ Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. ³¹ Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

³² Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. ³⁴ But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. ³⁶ Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

³⁸ “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. ³⁹ And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” ^41 [d]Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.

Footnotes:

1. Acts 19:19 Greek 50,000 pieces of silver, each of which was the equivalent of a day’s wage.
2. Acts 19:21 Or decided in his spirit.
3. Acts 19:24 Artemis is otherwise known as Diana.
4. Acts 19:41 Some translations include verse 41 as part of verse 40.

Psalm 147:1-20

New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 147

¹ Praise the Lord!

How good to sing praises to our God!
    How delightful and how fitting!
² The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem
    and bringing the exiles back to Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted
    and bandages their wounds.
⁴ He counts the stars
    and calls them all by name.
⁵ How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
    His understanding is beyond comprehension!
⁶ The Lord supports the humble,
    but he brings the wicked down into the dust.

⁷ Sing out your thanks to the Lord;
    sing praises to our God with a harp.
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds,
    provides rain for the earth,
    and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.
⁹ He gives food to the wild animals
    and feeds the young ravens when they cry.
¹⁰ He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse
    or in human might.
¹¹ No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him,
    those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

¹² Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
¹³ For he has strengthened the bars of your gates
    and blessed your children within your walls.
¹⁴ He sends peace across your nation
    and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat.
¹⁵ He sends his orders to the world—
    how swiftly his word flies!
¹⁶ He sends the snow like white wool;
    he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.
¹⁷ He hurls the hail like stones.^[a]
    Who can stand against his freezing cold?
¹⁸ Then, at his command, it all melts.
    He sends his winds, and the ice thaws.
¹⁹ He has revealed his words to Jacob,
    his decrees and regulations to Israel.
²⁰ He has not done this for any other nation;
    they do not know his regulations.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 147:17 Hebrew like bread crumbs.

Proverbs 18:4-5

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ Wise words are like deep waters;
    wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

⁵ It is not right to acquit the guilty
    or deny justice to the innocent.

****** MY SUMMARY ******

2 Kings 15

·         16yrs old King Uzziah is new king and rebuilt the town of Elath – He did what was Good in God’s eyes..BUT..he didn’t destroy pagan shrines..now he has leprosy from the Lord.

·         After he died with leprosy, his son Jotham became the next King.

·         King Zechariah (Israel) – did what was evil in the Lord- He refused to turn from sins of idolatry

·         Shallum (son of Jabesh) conspired to kill Zechariah (Israel) and did so in public and because the next king

-          King Shallum (for 1 month)

·         Menahem son of Gadi assassinated him (King Shallum of Israel), he is new King – King Menahem – evil L

·         When King Menahem died, his son Pekahiah – became next king of Israel King Pekahia

·         next king of Israel King Pekahia L Evil; Pekah son of Remaliah, command of King Pekahia’s army assassinated him

·         King Pekah – Is next king – evil L,

·         King Uzziah (of Judah) died and his son King Jotham (Judah) became next king (which was 2^nd year of King Pekah of Israel)

Hoshea son of Elah assassinated King Pekah and became next king

·         King Hoshea – is next King (King Jotham of Judah was king 20 years by this time)

·         King Jotham (20^th year) – Did was pleasing J - But he did not destroy the pagan shrines

·          

– King Menahem – evil L	King Uzziah (39th yr)
-          next king of Israel King Pekahia L Evil; Pekah son of Remaliah, command of King Pekahia’s army assassinated him	King Uzziah (50th yr)
King Pekah – Is next king – evil L,	King Uzziah (52nd)
King Pekah (2nd year)	his son King Jotham became the next King.
Hoshea son of Elah assassinated King Pekah and became next king King Hoshea – is next King	King Jotham (20th year) – Did was pleasing J - But he did not destroy the pagan shrines

Friday, August 10, 2012 - One Year Bible

Morning - Prayer

Exercise: Jogging 30 min
PM Exercise: {don't know but something..lol}

Scriptures - June 28 Reading

Acts 18:23-19:12; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 18:2-3;

Acts 18:23-19:12

New Living Translation (NLT)

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.^[a]

Apollos Instructed at Ephesus

²⁴ Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. ²⁵ He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit^[b] and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. ²⁶ When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.

²⁷ Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. ²⁸ He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.^{[c] 2} “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.

“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
³ “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
⁵ As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues^[d] and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

⁸ Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. ⁹ But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.

¹¹ God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. ¹² When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

Footnotes:

1. Acts 18:23 Greek disciples; also in 18:27.
2. Acts 18:25 Or with enthusiasm in the Spirit.
3. Acts 19:1 Greek disciples; also in 19:9, 30.
4. Acts 19:6 Or in other languages.

Psalm 146:1-10

New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 146

¹ Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.
²     I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
    I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

³ Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
⁴ When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them.
⁵ But joyful are those who have the God of Israel^[a] as their helper,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
⁶ He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
⁷ He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
⁸     The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The Lord loves the godly.
⁹ The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

¹⁰ The Lord will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem,^[b] throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 146:5 Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 44:4.
2. Psalm 146:10 Hebrew Zion.

Proverbs 18:2-3

New Living Translation (NLT)

² Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

³ Doing wrong leads to disgrace,
    and scandalous behavior brings contempt.

Thursday, August 9, 2012 - One Year Bible

Morning Devotion

2 Kings 13:1-14:29
June 28 Reading


Lunch: P90x Plyometrics

2 Kings 13-14:29

New International Version (NIV)

Jehoahaz King of Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. ² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. ³ So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. ⁵ The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. ⁶ But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole^[a] remained standing in Samaria.
⁷ Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
⁸ As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ⁹ Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash^[b] his son succeeded him as king.

Jehoash King of Israel

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. ¹¹ He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.
¹² As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ¹³ Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
¹⁴ Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
¹⁵ Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. ¹⁶ “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
¹⁷ “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”
¹⁸ Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. ¹⁹ The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
²⁰ Elisha died and was buried.
Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. ²¹ Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
²² Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. ²³ But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
²⁴ Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. ²⁵ Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.

Amaziah King of Judah

14 In the second year of Jehoash^[c] son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. ⁴ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁵ After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. ⁶ Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”^[d]
7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.
⁸ Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”
⁹ But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. ¹⁰ You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”
¹¹ Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. ¹² Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. ¹³ Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate —a section about four hundred cubits long.^{[e] 14} He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
¹⁵ As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ¹⁶ Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.
¹⁷ Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. ¹⁸ As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
¹⁹ They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁰ He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.
²¹ Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,^[f] who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²² He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.

Jeroboam II King of Israel

²³ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. ²⁴ He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. ²⁵ He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea,^[g] in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.
²⁶ The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering;^[h] there was no one to help them. ²⁷ And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
²⁸ As for the other events of Jeroboam’s reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ²⁹ Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.

RECAP OF THE KINGS:

Israel split into two Kingdoms : Israel vs Judah

Edom	Moab	ISRAEL	JUDAH	Aram
		JEROBOAM	REHOBOAM
		JEROBOAM (18TH YEAR AS KING)	ABIJAM
		JEROBOAM (20th year as king)	ASA – did was was right beforeGod (1 King 15:8) – Good King J
		NADAB	ASA (2nd Year as King)
		BAASHA	ASA (3RD YEAR AS KING)
		ELAH	ASA (26TH YEAR)
		ZIMRI	ASA (27th year)
		OMRI	ASA (31ST YEAR)
		AHAB (ruled over Israel 22 yrs)	ASA (38th YEAR)	**King Ben-hadad of Aram
		Ahab (1 King 15) – 4th yr	King Jehoshaphat (1 King 15:24; when Asa died)	King Benhadad of Aram
		God told Elijah to anoint Jehu (grandson of Nimshi) to be king of Israel (1 King 19)	King Jehoshaphat  (of Judah)	God told Elijah to anoint Hazel to be king of Aram (1 King 19)
		Ahaziah (Ahab’s son) Kings 22:40 – Ahab died	Jehoshaphat –(17th year)	King Benhadad of Aram
	King of Mesha of Moab rebelled against King of Israel	Joram (Ahaziah’sbrother) –Ahaziah died 2 King 1:17 -  Kings 1 [2 Kings 3 (Joram* reign in Samaria 12 yrs, he was evil in God’s sight)]	Jehoshaphat – (18th year)	King Benhadad of Aram (2  King 6) Besieges Samaria
		King Joram (5th year)	King Jehoram (is king now) 2 King 8:16 - evil
			Jehoram (1 King 22) (2nd year)
		King Joram (12th year) in Israel Note: Jehu son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi formed a conspiracy against King Joram	2 Kings 8 (King Ahaziah son of Jehoram) rule over Judah	King Hazel (of Aram)
		Jehu kills King Joram(2 Kings 9)	Jehu kills King Jehoram(2 Kings 9)
		Jehu died – son Jehoahaz  became King (2 Kings 10)	Queen Athaliah rules Judah (mother of King Ahaziah) – she set out to destroy the royal family -
		Jehu ruled 27 years when (King Joash becomes King)	Athaliah is killed – Ahaziah’s infant son (Joash is 7 years old when he becomes King) is the new King – 2 Kings 10 – Good King J	King Hazael of Aram wars against Gath and captures it.
		King Jehoahaz became king (Jehu’s son – after Jehu died) | evil King L	23 yr of King Joash
		King Jehoahaz – did was evil..then prayed..God heard him bless him, Israel prosper..then sin again..so King Hazael of Aram crushed Israel (2 King 13)	King Joash
		King Jehoash (son of Jehoahaz is king after his dad died) – evil king L	37th yr of King Joash
		King Jehoash (2nd Year)(King Amaziah of Judah became King)	King Amaziah (Joash’s son became King after he was assassinated by his trusted advisors) – Good King J
		King Jehoash died –King Jeroboam II became next King – evil king L	King Amaziah (Judah) died 15 years after King Jehoash (Israel)	King Ben-hadad (is next King when his dad King Hazael of Aram died)
		King Zechariah is next king after his dad King Jeroboam died	16yrs old King Uzziah is new king and rebuilt the town of Elath

Place Your Life before the Lord as an Offering - Romans 12:2

Place Your Life Before God

 ^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

StrongHolds (cont). - Part III - Renouncing Spiritual StrongHolds

Andrea's Disclaimer:
Please note: This study and most of this information was researched and organized by First Lady Gail Twymon of The Blessed Hope Missionary Baptist Church

I by no means am taking any credit for this information:  I am simply blogging it so I and others can have access to it via an online medium:

RENOUNCING SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLDS

Nearly all of us struggle to some degree with spiritual strongholds.  But God does not want us to continue to be ruled by them or to impose them upon anyone else.  If you recognize that you are operating under the influence of a stronghold, renounce it in prayer, repent for what you've done, ask God's forgiveness and the forgiveness of others, and resist the return of the spirit or stronghold.  Receive God's power to forsake it and ask Him to make you sensitive to the times when you are tempted to act in a wrong spirit.  Move into freedom by asking God to fill you afresh with the power of His Holy Spirit.

When you encounter a person who is influenced by a stronghold, let your first response be prayer.  Ask God for wisdom and love and for Him to set the person free.  If the person has offended you, forgive him or her and don't let that person's actions or attitudes keep a grip on you.  Let your life be based on a genuine faith rooted in Jesus' life and example.

Most of all, continually become transformed by the renewing of your mind, as we are told to do in Romans 12:2.  This is your best insurance against any spiritual influences that do not come from God.  As you develope a strong relationship with God through the power of His Spirit, not only will you become empowered to bring the Kingdom to those around you at work, but also you will be able to resist Satan's sabotage.

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE TO RENOUNCE STRONGHOLDS

We must gain freedom by renouncing and repenting of the influence of strongholds.

Father in heaven, I come before you in the Name of Jesus.  I recognized the power You have given me by the shed blood of Jesus to demolish spiritual strongholds in my life.  I confess that I have given a foothold to the sin(s) of ____ (list them).  I renounced the stronghold of _________ by the authority of the Name of Jesus Christ according to Your Word.  I take back through Your power that ground that I surrendered to the enemy.  I pray that You will fill me with trust-grounded obedience to Your Holy Spirit so that this area of my life will be in conformity to the image of Christ.  Amen