One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible - Flipbook - Page 70
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January 17
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns
where he had done so many of his miracles,
because they hadn’t repented of their sins and
turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Ko
razin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in
you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon,
their people would have repented of their sins
long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and
throwing ashes on their heads to show their
remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be
better off on judgment day than you.
23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you
be honored in heaven? No, you will go down
to the place of the dead.* For if the miracles I
did for you had been done in wicked Sodom,
it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even
Sodom will be better off on judgment day than
you.”
25 At that time J
esus prayed this prayer:
“O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you
for hiding these things from those who think
themselves wise and clever, and for revealing
them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased
you to do it this way!
27 “My Father has entrusted everything to
me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except
the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to
reveal him.”
28 Then J
esus said, “Come to me, all of you
who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and
I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you, because I am humble and
gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the
burden I give you is light.”
11:10 Mal 3:1. 11:12 Or the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered from
11:14 See Mal 4:5. 11:19 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus
violence.
used for himself. 11:23 Greek to Hades.
PSALM 14:1‑7
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1
Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!
2
The Lord looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.*
No one does good,
not a single one!
3
4
5
6
7
Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread
and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.
Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
The wicked frustrate the plans of the
oppressed,
but the Lord will protect his people.
Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue
Israel?
When the Lord restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will
rejoice.
14:3 Greek version reads have become useless. Compare Rom 3:12.
PROVERBS 3:19‑20
19
20
By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
by understanding he created the
heavens.
By his knowledge the deep fountains of
the earth burst forth,
and the dew settles beneath the night
sky.
ISAIAH’S PROPHECY ABOUT the coming Messiah was perfectly fulfilled
in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the hope of all the world. Hope for salvation, for
purpose, for a future stretching into a joyful eternity. Our persecuted
brothers and sisters see that hope clearly. No wonder they often risk
everything to share it with those they love. • LORD, AS PERSECUTED
BELIEVERS tell their family and friends about you, go before them
to soften hearts and open minds. May seeds sown by your faithful
followers land on fertile soil, no matter the opposition they face. Amen.
GENESIS 35:1–36:43
Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move
to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there
to the God who appeared to you when you fled
from your brother, Esau.”
JANUARY
17
2 So Jacob told everyone in his household,
“Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. 3 We are now
going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to
the God who answered my prayers when I was
