One Year Pray for America Bible - Flipbook - Page 54
January 12
13
14
15
Why do the wicked get away with
despising God?
They think, “God will never call
us to account.”
But you see the trouble and grief
they cause.
You take note of it and punish
them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
Break the arms of these wicked,
evil people!
44
Go after them until the last one
is destroyed.
10:7 Greek version reads cursing and bitterness.
Compare Rom 3:14.
PROVERBS 3:78
7
8
Don’t be impressed with your own
wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn
away from evil.
Then you will have healing for
your body
and strength for your bones.
Lord, it wasn’t fair that Isaac had to keep digging wells,
but it brought peace. Thanks for his example. Bring peace
to our land, too, both within and beyond our borders.
Give our leaders—all of them—hearts and minds for
peace. Amen.
GENESIS 26:17–27:46
So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and
settled down. 18 He reopened the wells
his father had dug, which the Philis
tines had filled in after Abraham’s
death. Isaac also restored the names
Abraham had given them.
19
Isaac’s servants also dug in the
Gerar Valley and discovered a well
of fresh water. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed
the spring. “This is our water,” they
said, and they argued over it with
Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the
well Esek (which means “argument”).
21
Isaac’s men then dug another well,
but again there was a dispute over it.
So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means
“hostility”). 22 Abandoning that one,
Isaac moved on and dug another well.
This time there was no dispute over it,
so Isaac named the place R
ehoboth
(which means “open space”), for he
said, “At last the Lord has created
enough space for us to prosper in this
land.”
23 From there I
saac moved to Beer
sheba, 24 where the Lord appeared to
him on the night of his arrival. “I am
the God of your father, Abraham,” he
said. “Do not be afraid, for I am with
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JANUARY
you and will bless you. I will multiply
your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my
servant.” 25 Then Isaac built an altar
there and worshiped the Lord. He set
up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well.
26 One day King Abim
elech came
from Gerar with his adviser, Ahuzzath,
and also Phicol, his army commander.
27 “Why have you come here?”
Isaac
asked. “You obviously hate me, since
you kicked me off your land.”
28 They replied, “We can plainly see
that the Lord is with you. So we want
to enter into a sworn treaty with you.
Let’s make a covenant. 29 Swear that
you will not harm us, just as we have
never troubled you. We have always
treated you well, and we sent you
away from us in peace. And now look
how the Lord has blessed you!”
30 So
Isaac prepared a cov
enant
feast to celebrate the treaty, and they
ate and drank together. 31 Early the
next morning, they each took a solemn oath not to interfere with each
other. Then Isaac sent them home
again, and they left him in peace.
32 That very day
Isaac’s servants
came and told him about a new well
