[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 4

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 4

WORD OF WISDOM

First grade is wild. You're learning how to be a human, how to write things
down, how to manage friendships and follow rules, and all the while
everybody's teeth are falling out all over the place!

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DAILY DEVOTION

Don't Chase the Blessing


Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his
brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.
(1 Samuel 16:13, NKJV)

	 David's life was set on a new course by just one person. When
Samuel came to his house and anointed him to be king, his whole world
changed. What's interesting is that David didn't go after Samuel. Samuel
came after David. You don't have to go after the blessing. Keep honoring
God, and the blessing will come to you. The right person, the healing, the
promotion will find you. We spend too much time trying to make things
happen. Then we get frustrated because it's taking so long. But you can't
make things happen that are out of God's timing. You can't make people like
you who are not supposed to like you. You can't open a door that God has
closed.
Quit focusing on who's not for you, and start focusing on who is for you.
The Most High God is breathing in your direction. He has you in the palms of
His hands. His plans for you are for good. His being for you is more than
the world being against you.
	 
A Prayer for Today

"Father, thank You that just one person, just one promotion, just one touch
of Your favor can set my life on a brand-new course. Thank You that You open
and close doors and make the right things happen for me on Your timetable. I
believe that You are working out Your plan for my life. In Jesus' Name,
Amen."

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DAILY BIBLE READING

2 Chronicles 16-18 New King James Version
Asa's Treaty with Syria
16 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came
up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in
to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries
of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king
of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, 3 "Let there be a treaty between
you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent
you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so
that he will withdraw from me."

4 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against
the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the
storage cities of Naphtali. 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he
stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah,
and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used
for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani's Message to Asa
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to
him: "Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on
the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from
your hand. 8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very
many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He
delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose
heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now
on you shall have wars." 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in
prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of
the people at that time.

Illness and Death of Asa
11 Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book
of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his
reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in
his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.

13 So Asa [a]rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his
reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had [b]made for himself
in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with
spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made
a very great burning for him.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
17 Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself
against Israel. 2 And he placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah,
and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which
Asa his father had taken. 3 Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he
walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, 4
but sought [c]the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not
according to the acts of Israel. 5 Therefore the Lord established the
kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had
riches and honor in abundance. 6 And his heart took delight in the ways of
the Lord; moreover he removed the [d]high places and wooden images from
Judah.

7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his leaders, Ben-Hail,
Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
8 And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel,
Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah-the Levites; and
with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 So they taught in Judah, and
had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went throughout all the
cities of Judah and taught the people.

10 And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were
around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Also
some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver as tribute;
and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and
seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

12 So Jehoshaphat became increasingly powerful, and he built fortresses and
storage cities in Judah. 13 He had much property in the cities of Judah; and
the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem.

14 These are their numbers, according to their fathers' houses. Of Judah,
the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred
thousand mighty men of valor; 15 and next to him was Jehohanan the captain,
and with him two hundred and eighty thousand; 16 and next to him was Amasiah
the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord, and with him
two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17 Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty
man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand men armed with bow and
shield; 18 and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and
eighty thousand prepared for war. 19 These served the king, besides those
the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Micaiah Warns Ahab
18 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied
himself with Ahab. 2 After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria;
and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were
with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 So Ahab
king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me
against Ramoth Gilead?"

And he answered him, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will
be with you in the war."

4 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire for the word
of the Lord today."

5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men,
and said to them, "Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I
refrain?"

So they said, "Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand."

6 But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that
we may inquire of Him?"[e]

7 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man by whom
we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good
concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla."

And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"

8 Then the king of Israel called one of his officers and said, "Bring
Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!"

9 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed in their robes,
sat each on his throne; and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of
the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 10 Now
Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he
said, "Thus says the Lord: 'With these you shall gore the Syrians until they
are destroyed.' "

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and
prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand."

12 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying,
"Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king.
Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak
encouragement."

13 And Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will
speak."

14 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go
to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?"

And he said, "Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!"

15 So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you
tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"

16 Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that
have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master. Let each return
to his house in peace.' "

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you he would
not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"

18 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord
sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand
and His left. 19 And the Lord said, 'Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel
to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner,
and another spoke in that manner. 20 Then a spirit came forward and stood
before the Lord, and said, 'I will persuade him.' The Lord said to him, 'In
what way?' 21 So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth
of all his prophets.' And the Lord said, 'You shall persuade him and also
prevail; go out and do so.' 22 Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying
spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared
disaster against you."

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the
cheek, and said, "Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak
to you?"

24 And Micaiah said, "Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an
inner chamber to hide!"

25 Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the
governor of the city and to Joash the king's son; 26 and say, 'Thus says the
king: "Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and
water of affliction, until I return in peace." ' "

27 But Micaiah said, "If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken
by me." And he said, "Take heed, all you people!"

Ahab Dies in Battle
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth
Gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise
myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes." So the king of Israel
disguised himself, and they went into battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots who were
with him, saying, "Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king
of Israel."

31 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they
said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they surrounded him to attack;
but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them
from him. 32 For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it
was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33 Now
a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between
the [f]joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn
around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded." 34 The battle
increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot
facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died.

Footnotes
2 Chronicles 16:13 Died and joined his ancestors
2 Chronicles 16:14 Lit. dug
2 Chronicles 17:4 LXX the Lord God
2 Chronicles 17:6 Places for pagan worship
2 Chronicles 18:6 Or him
2 Chronicles 18:33 Or scale armor and the breastplate