[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY MAY 9

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY MAY 9

MEMORY SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK

Psalm 5:3 NIV
In the morning O Lord you hear my voice.  In the morning I lay my requests
before you and wait in expectation.

___

WORD OF WISDOM

Never sing in the shower! Singing leads to dancing, dancing leads to
slipping, and slipping leads to paramedics seeing you naked - so NEVER sing
in the shower!

___

DAILY DEVOTION

God's Promise of Salvation


And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a
smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the
same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I
given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river
Euphrates:
Genesis 15:17-18

There were many ways to formalize an agreement in Old Testament times. The
parties to a covenant would sometimes exchange salt, symbolizing that the
deal would last until each person's salt could be separated out. Sometimes
there would be an exchange of shoes, as we find in the story of Boaz and
Ruth. The most solemn and serious covenant was a covenant of blood. Each
person making the covenant would walk through the blood of a sacrifice,
showing their commitment to die if they broke the agreement. When God made a
covenant of blood with Abraham, Abraham did not pass through the blood.
Instead God went through twice, first as a furnace and then as a lamp. This
meant that God was covering Abraham's side of the agreement as well as His
own.
This is a beautiful picture of our salvation. Even though we are the ones
who broke God's law, it was the precious blood of His Son which was shed for
our redemption on the cross. The Lord made this provision for the salvation
of all who believe, knowing that we could never pay the price for our sins.
God's offer of salvation does not depend on any action on our part.
Salvation is His work in the lives of those who trust Jesus for salvation.
His acceptance of our plea for rescue is guaranteed. Jesus said, "All that
the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out" (John 6:37). So many people in our day are trying to gain
acceptance with God by what they do or refrain from doing. But Jesus has
already done it all.
God's promise to save those who place their faith in Jesus is backed by His
character and nature.

___

DAILY BIBLE READING

2 Chronicles 31-33 New King James Version
The Reforms of Hezekiah
31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to
the cities of Judah and broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the
wooden images, and threw down the [a]high places and the altars-from all
Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh-until they had utterly destroyed them
all. Then all the children of Israel returned to their own cities, every man
to his possession.

2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites
according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests
and Levites for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give
thanks, and to praise in the gates of the [b]camp of the Lord. 3 The king
also appointed a [c]portion of his possessions[d] for the burnt offerings:
for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the
Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as it is written in the Law
of the Lord.

4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute
support[e] for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote
themselves to the Law of the Lord.

5 As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought
in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all
the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of
everything. 6 And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities
of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the tithe of holy things
which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps.

7 In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in
the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the
heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah
questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah
the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since the
people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had
enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and
what is left is this great abundance."

11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms[f] in the house of the Lord,
and they prepared them. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings,
the tithes, and the dedicated things; Cononiah the Levite had charge of
them, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath,
Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were
overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the
commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over
the freewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the Lord and
the most holy things. 15 And under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua,
Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in the cities of
the priests, to distribute allotments to their brethren by divisions, to the
great as well as the small.

16 Besides those males from three years old and up who were written in the
genealogy, they distributed to everyone who entered the house of the Lord
his daily portion for the work of his service, by his division, 17 and to
the priests who were written in the genealogy according to their father's
house, and to the Levites from twenty years old and up according to their
work, by their divisions, 18 and to all who were written in the
genealogy-their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the
whole company of them-for in their faithfulness they [g]sanctified
themselves in holiness.

19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the
common-lands of their cities, in every single city, there were men who were
designated by name to distribute portions to all the males among the priests
and to all who were listed by genealogies among the Levites.

20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and
right and true before the Lord his God. 21 And in every work that he began
in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to
seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.

Sennacherib Boasts Against the Lord
32 After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and
entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win
them over to himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and
that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his
leaders and [h]commanders to stop the water from the springs which were
outside the city; and they helped him. 4 Thus many people gathered together
who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying,
"Why should the [i]kings of Assyria come and find much water?" 5 And he
strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to
the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired [j]the Millo in
the City of David, and made [k]weapons and shields in abundance. 6 Then he
set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the
open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, 7 "Be
strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of
Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more
with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the
Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were
strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but
he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king
of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 "Thus says
Sennacherib king of Assyria: 'In what do you trust, that you remain under
siege in Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves
over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, "The Lord our God will deliver
us from the hand of the king of Assyria"? 12 Has not the same Hezekiah taken
away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem,
saying, "You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it"? 13 Do
you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other
lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to
deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of
those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his
people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my
hand? 15 Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like
this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able
to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less
will your God deliver you from my hand?' "

16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the Lord God and against His
servant Hezekiah.

17 He also wrote letters to revile the Lord God of Israel, and to speak
against Him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not
delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver
His people from my hand." 18 Then they called out with a loud voice in
[l]Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them
and trouble them, that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke against
the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth-the
work of men's hands.

Sennacherib's Defeat and Death
20 Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of
Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 Then the Lord sent an angel who cut
down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king
of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone
into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with
the sword there.

22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the
hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others,
and [m]guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the Lord at
Jerusalem, and presents[n] to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted
in the sight of all nations thereafter.

Hezekiah Humbles Himself
24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the
Lord; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not repay
according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore
wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah
humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days
of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah's Wealth and Honor
27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries
for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for
all kinds of desirable items; 28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine,
and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and [o]folds for flocks. 29
Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds
in abundance; for God had given him very much property. 30 This same
Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and [p]brought the
water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in
all his works.

31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they
sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God
withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in
his heart.

Death of Hezekiah
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are
written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the
book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah [q]rested with his
fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and
all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then
Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

Manasseh Reigns in Judah
33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned
fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord,
according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out
before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the [r]high places which
Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and
made wooden images; and he worshiped all [s]the host of heaven and served
them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had
said, "In Jerusalem shall My name be forever." 5 And he built altars for all
the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 Also he
caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom;
he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums
and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to
anger. 7 He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the
[t]house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In
this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of
Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not again remove the foot
of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers-only if they
are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law
and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses." 9 So Manasseh
seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the
nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

Manasseh Restored After Repentance
10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not
[u]listen. 11 Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army
of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with [v]hooks, bound him with
[w]bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. 12 Now when he was in
affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before
the God of his fathers, 13 and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty,
heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

14 After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of
Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it
enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put
military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He took away the
foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars
that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem;
and he cast them out of the city. 16 He also repaired the altar of the Lord,
sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to
serve the Lord God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on
the [x]high places, but only to the Lord their God.

Death of Manasseh
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the
words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel,
indeed they are written in the [y]book of the kings of Israel. 19 Also his
prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and
the sites where he built [z]high places and set up wooden images and carved
images, before he was humbled, indeed they are written among the sayings of
[aa]Hozai. 20 So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in
his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.

Amon's Reign and Death
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two
years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his
father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which
his father Manasseh had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble
himself before the Lord, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but
Amon trespassed more and more.

24 Then his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against
King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his
place.

Footnotes
2 Chronicles 31:1 Places for pagan worship
2 Chronicles 31:2 Temple
2 Chronicles 31:3 share
2 Chronicles 31:3 property
2 Chronicles 31:4 the portion due
2 Chronicles 31:11 storerooms
2 Chronicles 31:18 consecrated
2 Chronicles 32:3 Lit. mighty men
2 Chronicles 32:4 So with MT, Vg.; Arab., LXX, Syr. king
2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit. The Landfill
2 Chronicles 32:5 javelins
2 Chronicles 32:18 Lit. Judean
2 Chronicles 32:22 LXX gave them rest; Vg. gave them treasures
2 Chronicles 32:23 Lit. precious things
2 Chronicles 32:28 So with LXX, Vg.; Arab., Syr. omit folds for flocks; MT
flocks for sheepfolds
2 Chronicles 32:30 Lit. brought it straight to (cf. 2 Kin. 20:20)
2 Chronicles 32:33 Died and joined his ancestors
2 Chronicles 33:3 Places for pagan worship
2 Chronicles 33:3 The gods of the Assyrians
2 Chronicles 33:7 Temple
2 Chronicles 33:10 obey
2 Chronicles 33:11 Nose hooks, 2 Kin. 19:28
2 Chronicles 33:11 chains
2 Chronicles 33:17 Places for pagan worship
2 Chronicles 33:18 Lit. words
2 Chronicles 33:19 Places for pagan worship
2 Chronicles 33:19 LXX the seers