The One Year Bible for Men - Flipbook - Page 99
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you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very
purpose of punishing those who do what is
wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only
to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear
conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons.
For government workers need to be paid.
They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give
to everyone what you owe them: Pay your
taxes and government fees to those who col
lect them, and give respect and honor to those
who are in authority.
8 Owe nothing to a
nyone—except for your
obligation to love one another. If you love your
neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of
God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You
must not commit adultery. You must not mur
der. You must not steal. You must not covet.”*
These—and other such commandments—
are summed up in this one commandment:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”* 10 Love does
no wrong to others, so love fulfills the require
ments of God’s law.
11 This is all the more urgent, for you know
how late it is; time is running out. Wake up,
for our salvation is nearer now than when we
first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the
day of salvation will soon be here. So remove
your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on
the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we
belong to the day, we must live decent lives for
all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of
wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual
promiscuity and immoral living, or in quar
reling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself
with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
July 31
And don’t let yourself think about ways to
indulge your evil desires.
13:9a Exod 20:13‑15, 17. 13:9b Lev 19:18.
PSALM 23:1‑6
A psalm of David.
1
2
3
4
5
6
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,*
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head
with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love
will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
23:4 Or the dark valley of death.
PROVERBS 20:11
11 Even children are known by the way
they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and
whether it is right.
FULFILLING GOD’S REQUIREMENTS || G
od is love, and he created us in his image.
It makes sense that he would put so much emphasis on our loving him and loving each
other. So it is not all that complicated to figure out the next right thing God wants us to do.
He wants us, above all else, to love—love God and love others. The starting point is that
simple. Maybe it is so simple that we miss it. We spend countless hours developing skills
or chasing other goals when the call of every man is simply to love the Lord.
07_Jul_OY_Men.indd 677
3 In the very first month of the first year of
his reign, Hezek
iah reopened the doors of the
Temple of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He
summoned the priests and Levites to meet
him at the courtyard east of the Temple. 5 He
said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Purify
yourselves, and purify the Temple of the Lord,
J u ly 3 1
2 CHRONICLES 29:1‑36
Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he
became the king of Judah, and he reigned in
Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was
Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did
what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as
his ancestor David had done.
5/19/2022 3:47:02 PM
