But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’”
But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the LORD see and avenge!”
2 Chronicles 24:15-22 ESV
PRAY for your PASTORS! – FormerAtheist58
Speak O Lord – Keith & Kristyn Getty
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 44, 2 Chronicles 21-22
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah.
But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom.
Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death.
And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Chronicles 22:10-12 ESV
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Being a Godly Wife, Mother, & Sister – FormerAtheist58
Your Nature – Eli Gable
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 42, 2 Chronicles 17-18
As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.”
So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; God drew them away from him. For as soon as the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate.
Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” And the battle continued that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening.
Then at sunset he died.
2 Chronicles 18:31-34 ESV
God is Sovereign. He Holds Your Life in His Hands – FormerAtheist58
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing – Grace Community Church
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 71, Judges 19
I think Judges might be my least favorite book of the Bible. 🥺 Chapter after chapter we read how vile, wicked, foolish, and inhumane people can be. This chapter must be the worst of all!
First off, why does the Levite have a concubine in the first place? Then, why was the concubine unfaithful to him and why would she leave him to live with her father? And then, why does her father keep insisting on keeping the Levite so late into the evening? But it gets much worse from there … You’ll have to read it for yourself.
This morning, though, what I’m still thinking about for myself, is that this Levite didn’t want to stay the night in Jebus because it was a city controlled by heathens. He insisted that they keep traveling to the town of Gibeah, an Israelite town, where he expected to find safety and hospitality. And yet, Gibeah is the very city where his concubine was violated and abused all night, to her death. 😫
I find myself asking questions like these:
Are Christians today so perpetually angry, bitter, and selfish that we, likewise, are unable to be places of mercy for the wounded traveler looking for help?
Are Christians today safe spaces for our brothers and sisters in Christ to get a few moments of peace in the midst of the storms of life?
Are Christians today hospitable and generous to the stranger in our midst?
Are Christians today committed to protecting the hurting and needy, or do we send them on down the street to be devoured by wolves and taken in by frauds?
Are Christians today humble and kind to the broken, or are we so busy feeding our own flesh that we can’t be bothered to take care of others who need someone to throw them a lifeline?
Let’s be faithful to inspect our own eyes for the logs that are lodged there, instead of just pointing fingers at lost people doing what lost people do.
Oh, Heavenly Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You for pursuing me and bringing me into the safety of Your fold, for hiding me under the shelter of Your wings. Help me to do likewise. Give me eyes for the needy, the helpless, the hurting. Burden my heart for them. Set the captives free, Lord! Free those chained to addictions of all kinds, pornography and gambling, alcohol and drugs, selfishness and greed, laziness and gluttony. We need Your grace, Lord. Help us, Father, by Your steadfast, powerful mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.
Psalm 71 Hymn – Psalm Musicals
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Job 13-14; Psalm 34
You can feel Job wrestling between how he feels in his heart and what he knows is true in his mind. On the one hand, Job wishes that God would go far away from him and leave him alone, yet he knows that God is good and his only hope for salvation.
Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wrestled between your mind and your emotions?
And in the middle of that wrestling Job says these nine profound words.
Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.
Job 13:15a
Can we say that with Job? Can we maintain our hope in Christ even when life is crashing down around us.
No matter what God puts us through, He is still our only hope, and what is life without hope? How can we get through the tragedies of daily life without trusting in a good and Sovereign God?
Truly He is our only hope in life and death.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the hope that we have in this life, that even our pain has purpose. Thank You for the hope that we have in eternity, that You will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will behold Your glory face to face.
We lift up our grieving brothers and sisters to You and ask You to encourage them. Please do not take Your hand from them, even when they ask You to. Hold them close in Your hand even when they’re in the fire.
We love You and worship You and thank You for giving us the book of Job that we might know that we are never alone.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 12, Genesis 24
When I read the story of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22, I noticed in verse 8 that Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering” and then in verse 14 that Abraham called the place, “the Lord will provide.”
“The Lord will provide” is the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah Jireh.”
It really clicked in my mind, though, when I was teaching an online English Beginners Bible class focusing on Matthew 6:26-33.
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Which then reminded me of Philippians 4:4-6
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Reading Genesis 24, I kept thinking about how Abraham trusted Jehoveh Jireh, the providing God. I’m Genesis 22, Abraham was willing to offer up his dearly loved son, Isaac, because he had full confidence that God would provide. And now again in Genesis 24, Abraham fully trusted that God would provide a wife for that very same son.
This, friends, is FAITH. Faith is trusting that God will provide whatever we need, whatever is best for us.
Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day together as our youngest son, our own dearly loved son, attended a scholarship competition for a Christian university not too far from home. We are praying for the Lord to provide for him. Meanwhile, our youngest granddaughter has a bad case of hand, foot, and mouth. She’s miserable, and Mommy is exhausted. Again, we are praying for the Lord to provide for them.
What do you need the Lord to provide? I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment below.
Heavenly Father,
You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are all-powerful, and You are good. You see us. You hear us. You know our every need. You are a good Father who delights in giving Your children good gifts.
Again and again you force us to rely on You. Truly, Father, this is a severe mercy. We are thankful for our neediness, so that we can recognize our desperate need to rely on Your power.
We are such a weak and needy people. We need daily bread. We need breath and food and rest. We need strength. We need wisdom. We need forgiveness. We need peace and hope and comfort and joy.
But what we need most, Father, is Your presence. Please, stay close to us, Father. Walk with us. Hold our hand. Abide with us and guide us by Your Spirit.
Thank You, Father, for providing everything that we need according to Your riches of glory in Christ Jesus.
Will you please provide for the specific needs that we each find ourselves in? I’m asking You to provide the finances, healing, and strength that my family needs. I know that You are able. Be glorified in our lives.
In the Almighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.
Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 11, Genesis 20-23
“Abraham said, ‘I did it because I thought, “There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.”‘”
– Genesis 20:11 ESV
How ironic that Abraham said “there is no fear of God at all in this place” when he deceived Abimelech! Wasn’t Abraham himself failing to fear God when he chose to deceive Abimelech and risk his own wife’s safety, saying that Sarah was only his sister, rather than confessing that she was his wife?
Fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Like Proverbs 8:13 ESV says, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” Or like we read today in Psalm 11:4-5 ESV, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”
Yet, moments later we read Abraham does indeed trust God, going so far as to obey the Lord’s command to offer Isaac, believing that “God was able even to raise him from the dead,” (Hebrews 11:19)
Just as Abraham is about to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, the Lord’s messenger says, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (Genesis 22:12 ESV)
It reminds me of Jesus’s words about proper fear,
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”
Luke 12:4-5 ESV
Followed by,
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
-Luke 12:6-7 ESV
Don’t fear man because they can only kill your body. Rather, fear God who has authority to cast you into hell, followed by …. FEAR NOT! You are way more valuable to God than many sparrows!”
Friends, God’s children don’t need to fear because He will protect them from His wrath by the blood of His Son, but whoever continues to turn away from Him better be afraid because He is a just and righteous judge.
Let us not “presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4)
Pray with me.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for sending Your Son, Your only Son, the Son You love, Christ Jesus, to be the propitation for my sins.
Let me not presume on the riches of Your kindness and patience. I humbly bow before You in reverence, seeing my need for a Savior. I was bound like Isaac, unable to escape from my sins, and Jesus was that perfect Lamb that was offered in our place.
I pray for a right fear of You, Holy God, that I would not be afraid of man nor of whatever daily circumstances that can indeed be scary. Let me not fear anything that is frightening because our trust is in You who judges justly. Help me to trust that You will provide whatever I need for today.
In the Name of my Gracious Savior and Lord Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14 ESV
America has been called the land of free and the home of the brave. So, fellow Americans, I must ask you, what are you using your freedom for? For watching more TV and playing more video games? For watching more cat videos and scrolling through more Facebook posts? For drinking more wine and sleeping later on Saturday mornings?
Or for sharing the gospel with more people and making more disciples of Christ? For honoring your parents more and loving your neighbor better? For giving more freely to the poor and being a more shining example of Christ in an increasingly dark world?
May we never forget, fellow Americans, that this freedom is a precious gift granted us through the blood of many men who sacrificed their lives for our country.
But what about those of you who don’t enjoy the privileges of freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom of religion granted by the U.S. constitution? Have you not been freed by the blood of Jesus Christ? Have your chains not been broken by the cross? Are you enslaved to sin, the devil, and an evil empire? May it never be.
Man can oppress you, but in Christ you are free. Evil men can throw you in prison, take captive your body, and threaten your life, but you still have choices. Will you speak up or stay silent? Will you live day by day with a heart filled with bitterness or love? Will your life reflect the prince of this world or the King of kings?
Heavenly Father, You are good! You have set free the captives by the sacrifice of Your Son! Whom the Son sets free is FREE indeed! Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? What can man do to me? My life is in Your hands. Make me courageous. Make me pure. Make me shine with the light of Christ burning in my heart. Amen.
I think Judges might be my least favorite book of the Bible. 🥺 Chapter after chapter we read how vile, wicked, foolish, and inhumane people can be. This chapter must be the worst of all!
First off, why does the Levite have a concubine in the first place? Then, why was the concubine unfaithful to him and why would she leave him to live with her father? And then, why does her father keep insisting on keeping the Levite so late into the evening? But it gets much worse from there … You’ll have to read it for yourself.
This morning, though, what I’m still thinking about for myself, is that this Levite didn’t want to stay the night in Jebus because it was a city controlled by heathens. He insisted that they keep traveling to the town of Gibeah, an Israelite town, where he expected to find safety and hospitality. And yet, Gibeah is the very city where his concubine was violated and abused all night, to her death. 😫
I find myself asking questions like these:
Are Christians today so perpetually angry, bitter, and selfish that we, likewise, are unable to be places of mercy for the wounded traveler looking for help?
Are Christians today safe spaces for our brothers and sisters in Christ to get a few moments of peace in the midst of the storms of life?
Are Christians today hospitable and generous to the stranger in our midst?
Are Christians today committed to protecting the hurting and needy, or do we send them on down the street to be devoured by wolves and taken in by frauds?
Are Christians today humble and kind to the broken, or are we so busy feeding our own flesh that we can’t be bothered to take care of others who need someone to throw them a lifeline?
Let’s be faithful to inspect our own eyes for the logs that are lodged there, instead of just pointing fingers at lost people doing what lost people do
Oh, Heavenly Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You for pursuing me and bringing me into the safety of Your fold, for hiding me under the shelter of Your wings. Help me to do likewise. Give me eyes for the needy, the helpless, the hurting. Burden my heart for them. Set the captives free, Lord! Free those chained to addictions of all kinds, pornography and gambling, alcohol and drugs, selfishness and greed, laziness and gluttony. We need Your grace, Lord. Help us, Father, by Your steadfast, powerful mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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