[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 27

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 27

WORD OF WISDOM

We can only walk in God's will when we are surrendered to walking in God's
ways.

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DAILY DEVOTION

When Life Is Unfair


Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show
you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.
(Isaiah 30:18, NIV)

	 You may feel as though you were shortchanged in life-you didn't
have a good childhood, or you're dealing with a health issue, or your boss
hasn't treated you fairly. The good news is that God saw the hurt and knows
what you're owed. He's keeping the records. He may not be able to give you
another childhood or bring back a loved one, but He can make the rest of
your life so rewarding, so fulfilling that you won't think about what didn't
work out.
The hand you've been dealt may not be fair, but it's not a surprise to God.
In the dark places of your life, you have to keep reminding yourself that
God is a God of justice. He knows exactly what's going on. He already has a
way to settle your case. Every time you're tempted to worry, just turn it
around and thank Him that payback is on the way. Thank Him that you're
coming into a place of no loss.
	 
A Prayer for Today

"Father, thank You that You are a God of justice, and You keep the records.
Thank You that the time comes when You say that it's payback time, and You
will settle my case. I believe that things are about to turn around and
blessing is on the way. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

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DAILY BIBLE READING

1 Chronicles 22-25 New King James Version
David Prepares to Build the Temple
22 Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the
altar of burnt offering for Israel." 2 So David commanded to gather the
aliens who were in the land of Israel; and he appointed masons to cut hewn
stones to build the house of God. 3 And David prepared iron in abundance for
the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints, and bronze in
abundance beyond measure, 4 and cedar trees in abundance; for the Sidonians
and those from Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

5 Now David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house
to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and
glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it." So
David made abundant preparations before his death.

6 Then he called for his son Solomon, and [a]charged him to build a house
for the Lord God of Israel. 7 And David said to Solomon: "My son, as for me,
it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; 8 but the
word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made
great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed
much blood on the earth in My sight. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you,
who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies
all around. His name shall be [b]Solomon, for I will give peace and
quietness to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for My name, and
he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the
throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.' 11 Now, my son, may the Lord be
with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the Lord your God, as
He has said to you. 12 Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding,
and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord
your God. 13 Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes
and judgments with which the Lord [c]charged Moses concerning Israel. Be
strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed. 14 Indeed I have
taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand
talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron
beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone
also, and you may add to them. 15 Moreover there are workmen with you in
abundance: woodsmen and stonecutters, and all types of skillful men for
every kind of work. 16 Of gold and silver and bronze and iron there is no
limit. Arise and begin working, and the Lord be with you."

17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son,
saying, 18 "Is not the Lord your God with you? And has He not given you rest
on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand,
and the land is subdued before the Lord and before His people. 19 Now set
your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. Therefore arise and
build the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the
Lord and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built for the
name of the Lord."

The Divisions of the Levites
23 So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over
Israel.

2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and
the Levites. 3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years
and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand. 4
Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of
the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges, 5 four thousand were
gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments,
"which I made," said David, "for giving praise."

6 Also David separated them into [d]divisions among the sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7 Of the Gershonites: [e]Laadan and Shimei. 8 The sons of Laadan: the first
Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel-three in all. 9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomith,
Haziel, and Haran-three in all. These were the heads of the fathers' houses
of Laadan. 10 And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, [f]Zina, Jeush, and Beriah.
These were the four sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the first and Zizah the
second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were
assigned as one father's house.

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel-four in all. 13 The
sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart, he and his sons
forever, that he should [g]sanctify the most holy things, to burn incense
before the Lord, to minister to Him, and to give the blessing in His name
forever. 14 Now the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe
of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were [h]Gershon and Eliezer. 16 Of the sons of
Gershon, Shebuel[i] was the first. 17 Of the descendants of Eliezer,
Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of
Rehabiah were very many. 18 Of the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the first.
19 Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel
the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20 Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the
first and Jesshiah the second.

21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar
and Kish. 22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters; and
their [j]brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives. 23 The sons of
Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth-three in all.

24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses-the heads of the
fathers' houses as they were counted individually by the number of their
names, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the
age of twenty years and above.

25 For David said, "The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people,
that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever"; 26 and also to the Levites, "They
shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its
service." 27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from
twenty years old and above; 28 because their duty was to help the sons of
Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts and in the
chambers, in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of
the house of God, 29 both with the showbread and the fine flour for the
grain offering, with the unleavened cakes and what is baked in the pan, with
what is mixed and with all kinds of measures and sizes; 30 to stand every
morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening; 31 and at
every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord on the Sabbaths and on
the New Moons and on the set[k] feasts, by number according to the ordinance
governing them, regularly before the Lord; 32 and that they should attend to
the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, the needs of the holy place, and the
needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the
Lord.

The Divisions of the Priests
24 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 And Nadab and Abihu died before their
father, and had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as
priests. 3 Then David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of
the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to the schedule of their
service.

4 There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of
Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen
heads of their fathers' houses, and eight heads of their fathers' houses
among the sons of Ithamar. 5 Thus they were divided by lot, one group as
another, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of the
house of God, from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. 6 And
the scribe, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, one of the Levites, wrote them
down before the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of
Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the priests and Levites,
one father's house taken for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.

7 Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 the third to
Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 the ninth to Jeshua, the
tenth to Shecaniah, 12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13
the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 the fifteenth to
Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth
to [l]Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to
[m]Jehezekel, 17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18
the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 This was the schedule of their service for coming into the house of the
Lord according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as the
Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

Other Levites
20 And the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, [n]Shubael; of
the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. 21 Concerning Rehabiah, of the sons of
Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. 22 Of the Izharites, [o]Shelomoth; of the
sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23 Of the sons [p]of Hebron, Jeriah was the
first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 24
Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah; of the sons of Michah, Shamir. 25 The brother
of Michah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26 The sons of Merari
were Mahli and Mushi; the son of Jaaziah, Beno. 27 The sons of Merari by
Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had
no sons. 29 Of Kish: the son of Kish, Jerahmeel.

30 Also the sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the
sons of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.

31 These also cast lots just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did, in the
presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers'
houses of the priests and Levites. The chief fathers did just as their
younger brethren.

The Musicians
25 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service
some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy
with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled
men performing their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph,
Nethaniah, and [q]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were [r]under the direction
of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun,
the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [s]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [t]Shimei, Hashabiah, and
Mattithiah, [u]six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who
prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord. 4 Of Heman,
the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [v]Uzziel, [w]Shebuel, [x]Jerimoth,
Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi,
Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in
the words of God, to [y]exalt his horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and
three daughters.

6 All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the
house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the
service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the
authority of the king. 7 So the number of them, with their brethren who were
instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful, was two hundred
and eighty-eight.

8 And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, the
teacher with the student.

9 Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah,
him with his brethren and sons, twelve; 10 the third for Zaccur, his sons
and his brethren, twelve; 11 the fourth for [z]Jizri, his sons and his
brethren, twelve; 12 the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren,
twelve; 13 the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 14 the
seventh for [aa]Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 15 the eighth
for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 16 the ninth for Mattaniah,
his sons and his brethren, twelve; 17 the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his
brethren, twelve; 18 the eleventh for [ab]Azarel, his sons and his brethren,
twelve; 19 the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 20
the thirteenth for [ac]Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 21 the
fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 22 the
fifteenth for [ad]Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 23 the
sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 24 the
seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 25 the
eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 26 the nineteenth
for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 27 the twentieth for
Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 28 the twenty-first for Hothir,
his sons and his brethren, twelve; 29 the twenty-second for Giddalti, his
sons and his brethren, twelve; 30 the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons
and his brethren, twelve; 31 the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons
and his brethren, twelve.

Footnotes
1 Chronicles 22:6 com-manded
1 Chronicles 22:9 Lit. Peaceful
1 Chronicles 22:13 commanded
1 Chronicles 23:6 groups
1 Chronicles 23:7 Libni, Ex. 6:17
1 Chronicles 23:10 LXX, Vg. Zizah and v. 11
1 Chronicles 23:13 consecrate
1 Chronicles 23:15 Heb. Gershom, 1 Chr. 6:16
1 Chronicles 23:16 Shubael, 1 Chr. 24:20
1 Chronicles 23:22 kinsmen
1 Chronicles 23:31 appointed feasts
1 Chronicles 24:15 LXX, Vg. Aphses
1 Chronicles 24:16 MT Jehezkel
1 Chronicles 24:20 Shebuel, 1 Chr. 23:16
1 Chronicles 24:22 Shelomith, 1 Chr. 23:18
1 Chronicles 24:23 Supplied from 23:19 (following some Heb. mss. and LXX
mss.)
1 Chronicles 25:2 Jesharelah, v. 14
1 Chronicles 25:2 Lit. at the hands of
1 Chronicles 25:3 Jizri, v. 11
1 Chronicles 25:3 So with one Heb. ms., LXX mss.
1 Chronicles 25:3 Shimei is the sixth, v. 17
1 Chronicles 25:4 Azarel, v. 18
1 Chronicles 25:4 Shubael, v. 20
1 Chronicles 25:4 Jeremoth, v. 22
1 Chronicles 25:5 Increase his power or influence
1 Chronicles 25:11 Zeri, v. 3
1 Chronicles 25:14 Asharelah, v. 2
1 Chronicles 25:18 Uzziel, v. 4
1 Chronicles 25:20 Shebuel, v. 4
1 Chronicles 25:22 Jerimoth, v. 4