[Jehoshaphat] sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments. —2 Chronicles 17:4 (Our Daily Bread)
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2 Chronicles 17:1-10
New International Version (NIV)
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
17 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat.
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
------------------A Father To Follow
from: http://odb.org/
When I think of my father, I think of this saying: “He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and he let me watch him do it.” During my youth, I watched my dad walk with God. He participated in Sunday morning church services, taught an adult Bible-study class, helped with counting the offering, and served as a deacon. Outside of church, he faithfully defended the gospel and read his Bible. I saw him express his love for the Lord through outward actions.
Asa, king of Judah, modeled devotion to God for a season in his life (2 Chron. 14:2). He removed the idols from his kingdom, restored the altar of the Lord, and led the people into a covenant with God (15:8-12). Asa’s son Jehoshaphat carried on this legacy by seeking “the God of his father and walk[ing] in His commandments” (17:4). Jehoshaphat purged the land of idol worship (v.6) and sent out priests and Levites to teach God’s law in all of the cities of Judah (vv.7-9).
Jehoshaphat’s reign resembled that of his father; he faithfully honored Asa’s godly example. Yet even more important, Jehoshaphat’s “heart took delight in the ways of the Lord” (v.6). Today, if you’re looking for a father to follow, remember your heavenly Father and take delight in His ways.
We magnify our Father God
With songs of thoughtful praise;
As grateful children we confess
How perfect are His ways. —Ball
With songs of thoughtful praise;
As grateful children we confess
How perfect are His ways. —Ball
We honor God’s name when we call Him our Father and live like His Son.
Bible Reading
Proverbs 16-18
New International Version (NIV)
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
and he will establish your plans.
4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
8 Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
than much gain with injustice.
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
but the Lord establishes their steps.
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
and his mouth does not betray justice.
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
they value the one who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
but the wise will appease it.
15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
to get insight rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
than to share plunder with the proud.
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
but folly brings punishment to fools.
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
but in the end it leads to death.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
their hunger drives them on.
27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
and a gossip separates close friends.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
and leads them down a path that is not good.
30 Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
but its every decision is from the Lord.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.
they think success will come at every turn.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.
than a fool bent on folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.
of one who pays back evil for good.
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.
the Lord detests them both.
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?
when they are not able to understand it?
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.
and puts up security for a neighbor.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.
to pervert the course of justice.
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
but delight in airing their own opinions.
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
and so deprive the innocent of justice.
and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.
and their mouths invite a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
they go down to the inmost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.
is brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.
the righteous run to it and are safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
but humility comes before honor.
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.
that is folly and shame.
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.
and receives favor from the Lord.
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
but the rich answer harshly.
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version (NIV)
6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.
Warning Against Idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:17 Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d]
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d]
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[e]
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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