The One Year Bible for Men - Flipbook - Page 79
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You gave me victory over my accusers.
You appointed me ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
foreign nations cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their
strongholds.
43
46
47
48
The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted!
He is the God who pays back those who
harm me;
he subdues the nations under me
and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my
enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
July 25
49
50
For this, O Lord, I will praise you among
the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your
anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.
PROVERBS 19:27‑29
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will turn your back on knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of
justice;
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29 Punishment is made for mockers,
and the backs of fools are made to be
beaten.
AN INSEPARABLE FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE || S
ince God is love, and God
never changes, God’s love for us is the same even when we don’t feel it. Maybe a wound
or addiction or disobedience is preventing us from feeling God’s love. But whatever
forces are in our lives, they cannot separate us from the unchanging reality of the most
powerful force in the universe. Death, life, angels, demons, fears, worries, powers of hell,
and powers in the sky or on earth cannot separate us from God’s love. Nothing is sepa
rating us from God’s love right now.
07_Jul_OY_Men.indd 657
8 King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors
from the tribe of Judah, armed with large
shields and spears. He also had an army of
280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin,
armed with small shields and bows. Both
armies were composed of w
ell-trained fight
ing men.
9 Once an E
thiopian* named Zerah attacked
Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men* and
300 chariots. They advanced to the town of
Mareshah, 10 so Asa deployed his armies for
battle in the valley north of Mareshah.* 11 Then
Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “O Lord, no
one but you can help the powerless against
the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we
trust in you alone. It is in your name that we
have come against this vast horde. O Lord,
you are our God; do not let mere men prevail
against you!”
12 So the Lord defeated the Ethiop
ians* in the
presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the
enemy fled. 13 Asa and his army pursued them
as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell
that they were unable to rally. They were de
stroyed by the Lord and his army, and the army
of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder.
J u ly 2 5
2 CHRONICLES 14:1–16:14
1* When Abi
jah died, he was buried in the
City of David. Then his son Asa became the
next king. There was peace in the land for ten
years. 2* Asa did what was pleasing and good
in the sight of the Lord his God. 3 He removed
the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He
smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the
Asherah poles. 4 He commanded the people of
Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ances
tors, and to obey his law and his commands.
5 Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well
as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s
towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of
peace. 6 During those peaceful years, he was
able to build up the fortified towns through
out Judah. No one tried to make war against
him at this time, for the Lord was giving him
rest from his enemies.
7 Asa told the people of Judah, “Let us build
towns and fortify them with walls, towers,
gates, and bars. The land is still ours because
we sought the Lord our God, and he has given
us peace on e very side.” So they went ahead
with these projects and brought them to
completion.
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