Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
MAY
4
PSALMS:
4, 34, 64, 94, 124
PROVERBS:
4
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 CHRONICLES 11:1 - 13:22
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 8:26 - 39
PSALMS:
4
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1
Answer
me when I call to you,
O
my righteous God.
Give
me relief from my distress;
be
merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2
How
long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame A?
How
long will you love delusions and seek false gods B?
Selah
3
Know
that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the
LORD will hear when I call to him.
4
In
your anger do not sin;
when
you are on your beds,
search
your hearts and be silent.
Selah
5
Offer
right sacrifices
and
trust in the LORD.
6
Many
are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let
the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7
You
have filled my heart with greater joy
than
when their grain and new wine abound.
8
I
will lie down and sleep in peace,
for
you alone, O LORD,
make
me dwell in safety. 1
PSALMS:
34
Of
David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him
away, and he left.
1
I
A
will extol the LORD at all times;
his
praise will always be on my lips.
2
My
soul will boast in the LORD;
let
the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3
Glorify
the LORD with me;
let
us exalt his name together.
4
I
sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he
delivered me from all my fears.
5
Those
who look to him are radiant;
their
faces are never covered with shame.
6
This
poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he
saved him out of all his troubles.
7
The
angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and
he delivers them.
8
Taste
and see that the LORD is good;
blessed
is the man who takes refuge in him.
9
Fear
the LORD, you his saints,
for
those who fear him lack nothing.
10
The
lions may grow weak and hungry,
but
those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11
Come,
my children, listen to me;
I
will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12
Whoever
of you loves life
and
desires to see many good days, 2
13
keep
your tongue from evil
and
your lips from speaking lies.
14
Turn
from evil and do good;
seek
peace and pursue it.
15
The
eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and
his ears are attentive to their cry;
16
the
face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to
cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17
The
righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he
delivers them from all their troubles.
18
The
LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and
saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19
A
righteous man may have many troubles,
but
the LORD delivers him from them all;
20
he
protects all his bones,
not
one of them will be broken.
21
Evil
will slay the wicked;
the
foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22
The
LORD redeems his servants;
no
one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. 3
PSALMS:
64
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
Hear
me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect
my life from the threat of the enemy.
2
Hide
me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from
that noisy crowd of evildoers.
3
They
sharpen their tongues like swords
and
aim their words like deadly arrows.
4
They
shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they
shoot at him suddenly, without fear.
5
They
encourage each other in evil plans,
they
talk about hiding their snares;
they
say, "Who will see them A?"
6
They
plot injustice and say,
"We
have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely
the mind and heart of man are cunning.
7
But
God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly
they will be struck down.
8
He
will turn their own tongues against them
and
bring them to ruin;
all
who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9
All
mankind will fear;
they
will proclaim the works of God
and
ponder what he has done.
10
Let
the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and
take refuge in him;
let
all the upright in heart praise him!4
PSALMS:
94
1
O
LORD, the God who avenges,
O
God who avenges, shine forth.
2
Rise
up, O Judge of the earth;
pay
back to the proud what they deserve.
3
How
long will the wicked, O LORD,
how
long will the wicked be jubilant?
4
They
pour out arrogant words;
all
the evildoers are full of boasting.
5
They
crush your people, O LORD;
they
oppress your inheritance.
6
They
slay the widow and the alien;
they
murder the fatherless.
7
They
say, "The LORD does not see;
the
God of Jacob pays no heed."
8
Take
heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you
fools, when will you become wise?
9
Does
he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does
he who formed the eye not see?
10
Does
he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does
he who teaches man lack knowledge?
11
The
LORD knows the thoughts of man;
he
knows that they are futile.
12
Blessed
is the man you discipline, O LORD,
the
man you teach from your law;
13
you
grant him relief from days of trouble,
till
a pit is dug for the wicked.
14
For
the LORD will not reject his people;
he
will never forsake his inheritance.
15
Judgment
will again be founded on righteousness,
and
all the upright in heart will follow it. 5
16
Who
will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who
will take a stand for me against evildoers?
17
Unless
the LORD had given me help,
I
would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
18
When
I said, "My foot is slipping,"
your
love, O LORD, supported me.
19
When
anxiety was great within me,
your
consolation brought joy to my soul.
20
Can
a corrupt throne be allied with you--
one
that brings on misery by its decrees?
21
They
band together against the righteous
and
condemn the innocent to death.
22
But
the LORD has become my fortress,
and
my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
23
He
will repay them for their sins
and
destroy them for their wickedness;
the
LORD our God will destroy them. 6
PSALMS:
124
A
song of ascents. Of David.
1
If
the LORD had not been on our side--
let
Israel say--
2
if
the LORD had not been on our side
when
men attacked us,
3
when
their anger flared against us,
they
would have swallowed us alive;
4
the
flood would have engulfed us,
the
torrent would have swept over us,
5
the
raging waters
would
have swept us away.
6
Praise
be to the LORD,
who
has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7
We
have escaped like a bird
out
of the fowler's snare;
the
snare has been broken,
and
we have escaped.
8
Our
help is in the name of the LORD,
the
Maker of heaven and earth. 7
PROVERBS:
4
4
1
Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay
attention and gain understanding.
2
I
give you sound learning,
so
do not forsake my teaching.
3
When
I was a boy in my father's house,
still
tender, and an only child of my mother,
4
he
taught me and said,
"Lay
hold of my words with all your heart;
keep
my commands and you will live.
5
Get
wisdom, get understanding;
do
not forget my words or swerve from them.
6
Do
not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love
her, and she will watch over you.
7
Wisdom
is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though
it cost all you have, A
get understanding.
8
Esteem
her, and she will exalt you;
embrace
her, and she will honor you.
9
She
will set a garland of grace on your head
and
present you with a crown of splendor."
10
Listen,
my son, accept what I say,
and
the years of your life will be many.
11
I
guide you in the way of wisdom
and
lead you along straight paths.
12
When
you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when
you run, you will not stumble.
13
Hold
on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard
it well, for it is your life.
14
Do
not set foot on the path of the wicked
or
walk in the way of evil men.
15
Avoid
it, do not travel on it;
turn
from it and go on your way.
they
are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17
They
eat the bread of wickedness
and
drink the wine of violence.
18
The
path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining
ever brighter till the full light of day.
19
But
the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they
do not know what makes them stumble.
20
My
son, pay attention to what I say;
listen
closely to my words.
21
Do
not let them out of your sight,
keep
them within your heart;
22
for
they are life to those who find them
and
health to a man's whole body.
23
Above
all else, guard your heart,
for
it is the wellspring of life.
24
Put
away perversity from your mouth;
keep
corrupt talk far from your lips.
25
Let
your eyes look straight ahead,
fix
your gaze directly before you.
26
Make
level B
paths for your feet
and
take only ways that are firm.
27
Do
not swerve to the right or the left;
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 CHRONICLES 11:1 - 13:22
11
1
When
Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and
Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men--to make war
against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.
2
But
this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3
"Say
to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all the Israelites in
Judah and Benjamin,
4`This
is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers.
Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'"
So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching
against Jeroboam.
5
Rehoboam
lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: 6
Bethlehem,
Etam, Tekoa, 7
Beth
Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8
Gath,
Mareshah, Ziph, 9
Adoraim,
Lachish, Azekah, 10
Zorah,
Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and
Benjamin.
11
He
strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies
of food, olive oil and wine. 12
He
put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong.
So Judah and Benjamin were his.
13
The
priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided
with him.
14
The
Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to
Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them
as priests of the LORD.
15
And
he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and
calf idols he had made. 16
Those
from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD,
the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer
sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 17
They
strengthened the kingdom of Judah 10
and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, walking in the
ways of David and Solomon during this time.
18
Rehoboam
married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of
Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. 19
She
bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20
Then
he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai,
Ziza and Shelomith. 21
Rehoboam
loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and
concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines,
twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22
Rehoboam
appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be the chief prince among his
brothers, in order to make him king. 23
He
acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of
Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them
abundant provisions and took many wives for them.
12
1
After
Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become strong,
he and all Israel A
with him abandoned the law of the LORD. 2
Because
they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked
Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam.
3
With
twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the
innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites B
that came with him from Egypt, 4
he
captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.
5
Then
the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the 11
leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak,
and he said to them, "This
is what the LORD says, `You have abandoned me; therefore, I now
abandon you to Shishak.'"
6
The
leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The
LORD is just."
7
When
the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came
to Shemaiah: "Since
they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon
give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem
through Shishak.
8
They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the
difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands."
9
When
Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the
treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal
palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had
made. 10
So
King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these
to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal
palace. 11
Whenever
the king went to the LORD's temple, the guards went with him, bearing
the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.
12
Because
Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD's anger turned from him, and he
was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.
13
King
Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as
king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all
the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. 12
His mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. 14
He
did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.
15
As
for the events of Rehoboam's reign, from beginning to end, are they
not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the
seer that deal with genealogies? There was continual warfare between
Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16
Rehoboam
rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And
Abijah his son succeeded him as king.
13
1
In
the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of
Judah,
2
and
he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah, A
a daughter B
of Uriel of Gibeah.
There
was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3
Abijah
went into battle with a force of four hundred thousand able fighting
men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight
hundred thousand able troops.
4
Abijah
stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said,
"Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5
Don't
you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of
Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
6
Yet
Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled
against his master. 7
Some
worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of
Solomon when he was 13
young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.
8
"And
now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands
of David's descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you
the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9
But
didn't you drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and
the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other
lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and
seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.
10
"As
for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The
priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist
them. 11
Every
morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense
to the LORD. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table
and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are
observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken
him. 12
God
is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will
sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against
the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."
13
Now
Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in
front of Judah the ambush was behind them. 14
Judah
turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear.
Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets 15
and
the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle
cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16
The
Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them 14
into their hands. 17
Abijah
and his men inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five
hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men. 18
The
men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah
were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their
fathers.
19
Abijah
pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and
Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20
Jeroboam
did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the LORD struck
him down and he died.
21
But
Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two
sons and sixteen daughters.
22
The
other events of Abijah's reign, what he did and what he said, are
written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo. 15
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 8:26 - 39
26
In
the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know
what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groans that words cannot express.
27
And
he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
28
And
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, J
who K
have been called according to his purpose. 29
For
those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brothers. 30
And
those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also
justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31
What,
then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be
against us?
32
He
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will
he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33
Who
will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God
who justifies. 34
Who
is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was
raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding
for us. 35
Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship
or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36
As
it is written:
we
are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
L
37
No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us.
38
For
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons, M
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39
neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 17
1
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John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H
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