Thursday, August 16, 2012 - One Year Bible

Am - Prayer
Pm - Devotion

Summary 2 Kings 17 & 18 with Chart

2 KINGS 17, 18 & 19 – high lights




A NEW ROW HAS BEEN ADDED FOR THE KING OF ASSYRIA – WHO BASICALLY TAKES OVER ISRAEL

GOD allows Israel to be Exiled because of their sin

HIGH LIGHTS 2 KINGS 17



SAMARIA RESETTLED

• The King of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthlah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites.

• Israel still disobeyed, even after King Asssyria sent a priest to teach them how to worship

• KING HEZEKIAH becomes the next King of Judah

• King Hezekiah is a Good King  in the eyes of God – He rebels against the King of Assyria and did not server him

• KING SHALMANESER discovered that King Hoshea (son of Elah) was a traitor

• King Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison

• King of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for 3 years.

• In 9th year of King Hoshea’s regin - King of Assyria capture Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria





2 KINGS 18



ASSYRIA INVADES JUDAH

• 14TH YEAR OF King Hezekiah’s reign - King Sennacherib of Assyria attack towns of Judah and conquered them



• King Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem



• King of Assyrian Chief of staff gave a msg to Hezekiah: Asking him why is he trusting in God when no other kingdom has survived Assyria.



• Hezekiah sees the Lords Help



• Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia[h] was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:

• “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria

• Isaiah Predicts Judah’s Deliverance

• That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians[j] woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere


**** SCRIPTURES FROM MSG VERSION ****
2 Kings 18:13-19:37


The Message (MSG)

13-14 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the outlying fortress cities of Judah and captured them. King Hezekiah sent a message to the king of Assyria at his headquarters in Lachish: "I've done wrong; I admit it. Pull back your army; I'll pay whatever tribute you set."

14-16 The king of Assyria demanded tribute from Hezekiah king of Judah— eleven tons of silver and a ton of gold. Hezekiah turned over all the silver he could find in The Temple of God and in the palace treasuries. Hezekiah even took down the doors of The Temple of God and the doorposts that he had overlaid with gold and gave them to the king of Assyria.

17 So the king of Assyria sent his top three military chiefs (the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh) from Lachish with a strong military force to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the laundry commons.

18 They called loudly for the king. Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the royal secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the court historian went out to meet them.

19-22 The third officer, the Rabshakeh, was spokesman. He said, "Tell Hezekiah: A message from The Great King, the king of Assyria: You're living in a world of make-believe, of pious fantasy. Do you think that mere words are any substitute for military strategy and troops? Now that you've revolted against me, who can you expect to help you? You thought Egypt would, but Egypt's nothing but a paper tiger—one puff of wind and she collapses; Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluff and bluster. Or are you going to tell me, 'We rely on God'? But Hezekiah has just eliminated most of the people's access to God by getting rid of all the local God-shrines, ordering everyone in Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship at the Jerusalem altar only.'

23-24 "So be reasonable. Make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I'll give you two thousand horses if you think you can provide riders for them. You can't do it? Well, then, how do you think you're going to turn back even one raw buck private from my master's troops? How long are you going to hold on to that figment of your imagination, these hoped-for Egyptian chariots and horses?

25 "Do you think I've come up here to destroy this country without the express approval of God? The fact is that God expressly ordered me, 'Attack and destroy this country!'"
26 Eliakim son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please, speak to us in the Aramaic language. We understand Aramaic. Don't speak in Hebrew—everyone crowded on the city wall can hear you."

27 But the Rabshakeh said, "We weren't sent with a private message to your master and you; this is public—a message to everyone within earshot. After all, they're involved in this as well as you; if you don't come to terms, they'll be eating their own turds and drinking their own pee right along with you."

28-32 Then he stepped forward and spoke in Hebrew loud enough for everyone to hear, "Listen carefully to the words of The Great King, the king of Assyria: Don't let Hezekiah fool you; he can't save you. And don't let Hezekiah give you that line about trusting in God, telling you, 'God will save us—this city will never be abandoned to the king of Assyria.' Don't listen to Hezekiah—he doesn't know what he's talking about. Listen to the king of Assyria—deal with me and live the good life; I'll guarantee everyone your own plot of ground—a garden and a well! I'll take you to a land sweeter by far than this one, a land of grain and wine, bread and vineyards, olive orchards and honey. You only live once—so live, really live!
32-35 "No. Don't listen to Hezekiah. Don't listen to his lies, telling you 'God will save us.' Has there ever been a god anywhere who delivered anyone from the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? And Samaria—did their gods save them? Can you name a god who saved anyone anywhere from me, the king of Assyria? So what makes you think that God can save Jerusalem from me?"

36 The people were silent. No one spoke a word for the king had ordered, "Don't anyone say a word—not one word!"
37 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, and Shebna the royal secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the court historian went back to Hezekiah. They had ripped their robes in despair; they reported to Hezekiah the speech of the Rabshakeh.

2 Kings 19

1-3 When Hezekiah heard it all, he too ripped his robes apart and dressed himself in rough burlap. Then he went into The Temple of God. He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, all of them dressed in rough burlap, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They said to him, "A message from Hezekiah: 'This is a black day, a terrible day—doomsday!

Babies poised to be born, No strength to birth them.

4 "'Maybe God, your God, has been listening to the blasphemous speech of the Rabshakeh who was sent by the king of Assyria, his master, to humiliate the living God; maybe God, your God, won't let him get by with such talk; and you, maybe you will lift up prayers for what's left of these people.'"
5 That's the message King Hezekiah's servants delivered to Isaiah.
6-7 Isaiah answered them, "Tell your master, 'God's word: Don't be at all concerned about what you've heard from the king of Assyria's bootlicking errand boys—these outrageous blasphemies. Here's what I'm going to do: Afflict him with self-doubt. He's going to hear a rumor and, frightened for his life, retreat to his own country. Once there, I'll see to it that he gets killed.'"
8-13 The Rabshakeh left and found that the king of Assyria had pulled up stakes from Lachish and was now fighting against Libnah. Then Sennacherib heard that Tirhakah king of Cush was on his way to fight against him. So he sent another envoy with orders to deliver this message to Hezekiah king of Judah: "Don't let that god that you think so much of keep stringing you along with the line, 'Jerusalem will never fall to the king of Assyria.' That's a barefaced lie. You know the track record of the kings of Assyria—country after country laid waste, devastated. And what makes you think you'll be an exception? Take a good look at these wasted nations, destroyed by my ancestors; did their gods do them any good? Look at Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, the people of Eden at Tel Assar. Ruins. And what's left of the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of Sepharvaim, of Hena, of Ivvah? Bones."
14-15 Hezekiah took the letter from the envoy and read it. He went to The Temple of God and spread it out before God. And Hezekiah prayed—oh, how he prayed!

God, God of Israel, seated
in majesty on the cherubim-throne.
You are the one and only God,
sovereign over all kingdoms on earth,
Maker of heaven,
maker of earth.
16 Open your ears, God, and listen, open your eyes and look.
Look at this letter Sennacherib has sent,
a brazen insult to the living God!
17 The facts are true, O God: The kings of Assyria
have laid waste countries and kingdoms.
18 Huge bonfires they made of their gods, their
no-gods hand-made from wood and stone.
19 But now O God, our God,
save us from raw Assyrian power;
Make all the kingdoms on earth know
that you are God, the one and only God.
20-21 It wasn't long before Isaiah son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah:
God's word: You've prayed to me regarding Sennacherib king of Assyria; I've heard your prayer. This is my response to him:
The Virgin Daughter of Zion
holds you in utter contempt;
Daughter Jerusalem
thinks you're nothing but scum.
22 Who do you think it is you've insulted?
Who do you think you've been bad-mouthing?
Before whom do you suppose you've been strutting?
The Holy One of Israel, that's who!
23 You dispatched your errand boys
to humiliate the Master.
You bragged, "With my army of chariots
I've climbed the highest mountains,
snow-peaked alpine Lebanon mountains!
I've cut down its giant cedars,
chopped down its prize pine trees.
I've traveled the world,
visited the finest forest retreats.
24 I've dug wells in faraway places and drunk their exotic waters; I've waded and splashed barefoot
in the rivers of Egypt."
25 Did it never occur to you
that I'm behind all this?
Long, long ago I drew up the plans,
and now I've gone into action,
Using you as a doomsday weapon,
reducing proud cities to piles of rubble,
26 Leaving their people dispirited,
slumped shoulders, limp souls.
Useless as weeds, fragile as grass,
insubstantial as wind-blown chaff.
27 I know when you sit down, when you come
and when you go;
And, yes, I've marked every one
of your temper tantrums against me.
28 It's because of your temper,
your blasphemous foul temper,
That I'm putting my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth
And turning you back
to where you came from.
29 And this, Hezekiah, will be for you the confirming sign:
This year you'll eat the gleanings, next year
whatever you can beg, borrow, or steal;
But the third year you'll sow and harvest,

plant vineyards and eat grapes.



30 A remnant of the family of Judah yet again

will sink down roots and raise up fruit.



31 The remnant will come from Jerusalem,

the survivors from Mount Zion.

The Zeal of God

will make it happen.

32 To sum up, this is what God says regarding the king of Assyria:

He won't enter this city,

nor shoot so much as a single arrow there;

Won't brandish a shield,

won't even begin to set siege;



33 He'll go home by the same road he came;

he won't enter this city. God's word!



34 I'll shield this city, I'll save this city,

for my sake and for David's sake.



35 And it so happened that that very night an angel of God came and massacred 185,000 Assyrians. When the people of Jerusalem got up next morning, there it was—a whole camp of corpses!



36-37 Sennacherib king of Assyria got out of there fast, headed straight home for Nineveh, and stayed put. One day when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer murdered him and then escaped to the land of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon became the next king.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - July 1 - One Year Bible

Morning Devotion/ Prayer

Song "Lord, I love you more today"

July 1- One Year Bible

2 Kings 18:13-19:37; Acts 21:1-17; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 18:8 (New Living Translation)

 Lunch Time: P90x - Workout

 

2 Kings 18:13-19:37

New Living Translation (NLT)

Assyria Invades Judah

¹³ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign,^[a] King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them. ¹⁴ King Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong. I will pay whatever tribute money you demand if you will only withdraw.” The king of Assyria then demanded a settlement of more than eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold.^{[b] 15} To gather this amount, King Hezekiah used all the silver stored in the Temple of the Lord and in the palace treasury. ¹⁶ Hezekiah even stripped the gold from the doors of the Lord’s Temple and from the doorposts he had overlaid with gold, and he gave it all to the Assyrian king.

¹⁷ Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his field commander, and his chief of staff^[c] from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.^{[d] 18} They summoned King Hezekiah, but the king sent these officials to meet with them: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

¹⁹ Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah:

“This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? ²⁰ Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? ²¹ On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

²² “But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?

²³ “I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! ²⁴ With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers? ²⁵ What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the Lord’s direction? The Lord himself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’”

²⁶ Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew,^[e] for the people on the wall will hear.”

²⁷ But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, “Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.”
²⁸ Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, “Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria! ²⁹ This is what the king says: Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you from my power. ³⁰ Don’t let him fool you into trusting in the Lord by saying, ‘The Lord will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!’
³¹ “Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well. ³² Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death!
“Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, ‘The Lord will rescue us!’ ³³ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? ³⁴ What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? ³⁵ What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”
³⁶ But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”
³⁷ Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.

Hezekiah Seeks the Lord’s Help

19 When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord. ² And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in burlap, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. ³ They told him, “This is what King Hezekiah says: Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver the baby. ⁴ But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff,^[f] sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!”

⁵ After King Hezekiah’s officials delivered the king’s message to Isaiah, ⁶ the prophet replied, “Say to your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers. ⁷ Listen! I myself will move against him,^[g] and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.’”
⁸ Meanwhile, the Assyrian chief of staff left Jerusalem and went to consult the king of Assyria, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah.
⁹ Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia^[h] was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:

¹⁰ “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. ¹¹ You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? ¹² Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all! ¹³ What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?”

¹⁴ After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: “O Lord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. ¹⁶ Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.

¹⁷ “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. ¹⁸ And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. ¹⁹ Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”

Isaiah Predicts Judah’s Deliverance

²⁰ Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria. ²¹ And the Lord has spoken this word against him:

“The virgin daughter of Zion
    despises you and laughs at you.
The daughter of Jerusalem
    shakes her head in derision as you flee.

²² “Whom have you been defying and ridiculing?
    Against whom did you raise your voice?
At whom did you look with such haughty eyes?
    It was the Holy One of Israel!
²³ By your messengers you have defied the Lord.
    You have said, ‘With my many chariots
I have conquered the highest mountains—
    yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon.
I have cut down its tallest cedars
    and its finest cypress trees.
I have reached its farthest corners
    and explored its deepest forests.
²⁴ I have dug wells in many foreign lands
    and refreshed myself with their water.
With the sole of my foot
    I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!’

²⁵ “But have you not heard?
    I decided this long ago.
Long ago I planned it,
    and now I am making it happen.
I planned for you to crush fortified cities
    into heaps of rubble.
²⁶ That is why their people have so little power
    and are so frightened and confused.
They are as weak as grass,
    as easily trampled as tender green shoots.
They are like grass sprouting on a housetop,
    scorched before it can grow lush and tall.

²⁷ “But I know you well—
    where you stay
and when you come and go.
    I know the way you have raged against me.
²⁸ And because of your raging against me
    and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself,
I will put my hook in your nose
    and my bit in your mouth.
I will make you return
    by the same road on which you came.”

²⁹ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Here is the proof that what I say is true:

“This year you will eat only what grows up by itself,
    and next year you will eat what springs up from that.
But in the third year you will plant crops and harvest them;
    you will tend vineyards and eat their fruit.
³⁰ And you who are left in Judah,
    who have escaped the ravages of the siege,
will put roots down in your own soil
    and will grow up and flourish.
³¹ For a remnant of my people will spread out from Jerusalem,
    a group of survivors from Mount Zion.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies^[i]
    will make this happen!

³² “And this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:

“His armies will not enter Jerusalem.
    They will not even shoot an arrow at it.
They will not march outside its gates with their shields
    nor build banks of earth against its walls.
³³ The king will return to his own country
    by the same road on which he came.
He will not enter this city,
    says the Lord.
³⁴ For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David,
    I will defend this city and protect it.”

³⁵ That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians^[j] woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. ³⁶ Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.

³⁷ One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons^[k] Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Kings 18:13 The fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign was 701 b.c.
2. 2 Kings 18:14 Hebrew 300 talents [10 metric tons] of silver and 30 talents [1 metric ton] of gold.
3. 2 Kings 18:17 Or the rabshakeh; also in 18:19, 26, 27, 28, 37.
4. 2 Kings 18:17 Or bleached.
5. 2 Kings 18:26 Hebrew in the dialect of Judah; also in 18:28.
6. 2 Kings 19:4 Or the rabshakeh; also in 19:8.
7. 2 Kings 19:7 Hebrew I will put a spirit in him.
8. 2 Kings 19:9 Hebrew of Cush.
9. 2 Kings 19:31 As in Greek and Syriac versions, Latin Vulgate, and an alternate reading of the Masoretic Text (see also Isa 37:32); the other alternate reads the Lord.
10. 2 Kings 19:35 Hebrew When they.
11. 2 Kings 19:37 As in Greek version and an alternate reading of the Masoretic Text (see also Isa 37:38); the other alternate reading lacks his sons.

Acts 21:1-17

New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21 After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. ² There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. ³ We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

⁴ We went ashore, found the local believers,^[a] and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. ⁵ When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women^[b] and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, ⁶ and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
⁷ The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters^[c] and stayed for one day. ⁸ The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. ⁹ He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
¹⁰ Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. ¹¹ He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” ¹² When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
¹³ But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Paul Arrives at Jerusalem

¹⁵ After this we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early believers. ¹⁷ When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.

Psalm 149:1-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 149

¹ Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.
    Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

² O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.
    O people of Jerusalem,^[a] exult in your King.
³ Praise his name with dancing,
    accompanied by tambourine and harp.
⁴ For the Lord delights in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.
⁵ Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
    Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

⁶ Let the praises of God be in their mouths,
    and a sharp sword in their hands—
⁷ to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishment on the peoples,
⁸ to bind their kings with shackles
    and their leaders with iron chains,
⁹ to execute the judgment written against them.
    This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 149:2 Hebrew Zion.

When God seems like he is not answering your prayers or saying 'No' or 'Wait'

August 14, 2012 Dear God, Where Are You? Lysa TerKeurst

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

"Mom, I didn't make it. Please pray for me. I just feel confused about God."

I felt my daughter's deep hurt as clearly as if it were my own. I know what it feels like to want something so badly and have that dream shut down. That door closed. That opportunity slipped away.

She had been talking about trying for this special achievement at summer camp for 3 years. But she wasn't old enough to try until this year, her 4th year at camp.

She met every challenge and could see the goal in sight ... until it was time for her to light a large campfire with only three matches, one small square of newspaper, and a few sticks of wood.

She struck the first match and held it to the newspaper but it didn't ignite. She struck the second match and held it to the newspaper. It still didn't ignite.

She stared at the third and final match. Knowing a big part of the challenge was teaching the kids how to communicate with God and fully rely on Him, she'd been praying through every stage. But now, she didn't just pray—she cried out to God.

"Please help me, God. Please," she mouthed as she struck the third match. She held the flame to the paper and watched in complete disbelief. The matchstick burned but the paper did not.

As the final match burned out, she lowered her head in defeat.

Nine girls tried for this highest honor of finishing the challenge. Three girls didn't make it, including my daughter.

When I picked her up a week later, she asked if we could process this situation. What bothered her most wasn't not getting the camp honor. What bothered her most was not experiencing God's power like the other girls.

They all had stories of God answering their cries for help in amazing ways through the challenge.

"Mom, I didn't get that with God. Why?"

It was one of those questions you don't want to mess up in answering.

I asked her to recall every step of her challenge so we could intentionally look for God's hand. I listened intently for anything unusual and unexplainable.

When she got to the fire, I found it. There was no reason her newspaper shouldn't light. None at all. Everyone else's paper lit.

"Honey, that can only be explained by God intervening. He was there. He was listening. And we just have to trust there was some reason you shouldn't have continued that challenge. We may not know that reason, but we can certainly trust God was protecting you ... loving you ... revealing His power to you."

She put her head on my shoulder, "You really think so Mom?"

I whispered, "I know so."

I know so because I trust the truth God has given me. Truths like these are anchors that hold me to the reality of who God is.

He is the One in whom I find comfort and reassurance: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

He is right here with me in the midst of my trouble, I am not alone: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

He is the One who can use my tears to water the soil of my heart so that it can one day be a harvest of joy: "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy." Psalm 126:5 (NIV)

Yes, I know deep hurt. But I also know deep hope. So, I whispered it again, "Yes, sweetheart, I know so."

Sometimes God's power is shown as much in preventing things as it is in making them happen. We may never know the why. But we can always know and trust the Who.

Dear Lord, thank You for knowing what I need and what I don't—even when I don't agree. Teach me to trust You and look for Your hand in every situation. Help me see Your 'yes' and 'no' as protection and guidance. Today, I choose to trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Sometimes it's hard to understand why God prevents something when we want Him to provide it. If you're looking for a friend to help you process your emotions in the hard times, Lysa does this in her gut-honest new book, Unglued. Click here to order your copy.

Nothing changes us like Scripture. The accompanying Unglued Bible Study is a great resource to get us into the Word of God and help us choose emotionally healthy, Godly reactions. To order your copy, click here.

We would love for you to join us for the Unglued Bible Study. Proverbs 31 Ministries is starting an Unglued online Bible Study hosted by Melissa Taylor and Lysa TerKeurst on Sunday, September 23rd. Don't worry, this Bible Study won't require you to leave your house, change out of your pajamas, or even put on makeup! Click here to sign up.

Reflect and Respond:
Look back at a situation where you felt God didn't answer your prayers. Can you see His power in not allowing your prayer to be answered? Be specific. It's important to acknowledge God's provision and protection.

Write out your prayers today. Focus on trusting who God is and not why He is choosing not to answer or delaying His response. Remind yourself, "God's power is shown as much in preventing things as it is in making them happen."

Power Verse:
Psalm 145:18, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (NIV 1984)

Saturday -August 11, 2012 - One Year Bible

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 ******