DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 12:
WORD OF WISDOM
Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored
than to anything on which it is poured.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Consistency in Prayer
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth
boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an
ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
Ephesians 6:18-20
Corrie ten Boom once asked this question: "Is prayer your steering wheel or
your spare tire?" Prayer is meant to be a constant, ongoing, continual part
of our lives day after day, yet too often we relegate it to a last resort
that we only turn to once everything else has failed. Though it is certainly
right and proper to cry out to God in moments of crisis and trouble, prayer
should simply be an extension of the normal practice and pattern of our
lives.
The instruction of Jesus that we are to pray for daily bread indicates the
normal nature of consistent praying. We are to pray about the simple and
basic things of life just as we should about the major issues. Just as our
muscles grow through continued exercise, our faith and our praying is
strengthened through repetition. Day after day as we go to God in prayer, we
are building the strength of character and belief that will see us through
the hard times when they come.
There are no men and women with powerful prayer lives who only pray in
crisis. We are to be always praying. In addition to being required for
obedience, this habit of prayer supports us in those moments when we have no
place to turn except to God. The Christian with a strong prayer life,
developed over time through daily prayer, is equipped to handle the
difficult times. Daniel did not suddenly start praying when the law was
passed forbidding it. Instead, he simply continued his habit of praying
throughout the day.
Daily, consistent prayer is the basic foundational bedrock of the successful
Christian life.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
1 Kings 19-22New King James Version (NKJV)
Elijah Escapes from Jezebel
19 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed
all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah,
saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life
as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." 3 And when he saw
that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to
Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat
down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is
enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel[a] touched
him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 Then he looked, and there by his
head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and
lay down again. 7 And the angel[b] of the Lord came back the second time,
and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great
for you." 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of
that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and
behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you
doing here, Elijah?"
10 So he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the
children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and
killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take
my life."
God's Revelation to Elijah
11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And
behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the
mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was
not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in
the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in
the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle
and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to
him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 And he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because
the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars,
and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to
take my life."
15 Then the Lord said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of
Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also
you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the
son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.
17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and
whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved
seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every
mouth that has not kissed him."
Elisha Follows Elijah
19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was
plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth.
Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the
oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my
mother, and then I will follow you."
And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"
21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered
them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the
people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his
servant.
Ahab Defeats the Syrians
20 Now Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together;
thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and
besieged Samaria, and made war against it. 2 Then he sent messengers into
the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, "Thus says Ben-Hadad: 3
'Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are
mine.'"
4 And the king of Israel answered and said, "My lord, O king, just as you
say, I and all that I have are yours."
5 Then the messengers came back and said, "Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying,
'Indeed I have sent to you, saying, "You shall deliver to me your silver and
your gold, your wives and your children"; 6 but I will send my servants to
you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the
houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your
eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it.'"
7 So the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said,
"Notice, please, and see how this man seeks trouble, for he sent to me for
my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold; and I did not deny him."
8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, "Do not listen or
consent."
9 Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, "Tell my lord the king,
'All that you sent for to your servant the first time I will do, but this
thing I cannot do.'"
And the messengers departed and brought back word to him.
10 Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, "The gods do so to me, and more
also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people
who follow me."
11 So the king of Israel answered and said, "Tell him, 'Let not the one who
puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.'"
12 And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings
were drinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, "Get
ready." And they got ready to attack the city.
13 Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, "Thus says the
Lord: 'Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it
into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'"
14 So Ahab said, "By whom?"
And he said, "Thus says the Lord: 'By the young leaders of the provinces.'"
Then he said, "Who will set the battle in order?"
And he answered, "You."
15 Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two
hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the
children of Israel-seven thousand.
16 So they went out at noon. Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings
helping him were getting drunk at the command post. 17 The young leaders of
the provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out a patrol, and they told
him, saying, "Men are coming out of Samaria!" 18 So he said, "If they have
come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take
them alive."
19 Then these young leaders of the provinces went out of the city with the
army which followed them. 20 And each one killed his man; so the Syrians
fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a
horse with the cavalry. 21 Then the king of Israel went out and attacked
the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go,
strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, for in the
spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you."
The Syrians Again Defeated
23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods
of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against
them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they. 24 So do this
thing: Dismiss the kings, each from his position, and put captains in their
places; 25 and you shall muster an army like the army that you have lost,
horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in
the plain; surely we will be stronger than they."
And he listened to their voice and did so.
26 So it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians
and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the children of Israel
were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the
children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats,
while the Syrians filled the countryside.
28 Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus
says the Lord: 'Because the Syrians have said, "The Lord is God of the
hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver all this
great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'" 29
And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the
seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one
hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. 30 But the rest
fled to Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of
the men who were left.
And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber.
Ahab's Treaty with Ben-Hadad
31 Then his servants said to him, "Look now, we have heard that the kings of
the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let us put sackcloth around
our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel;
perhaps he will spare your life." 32 So they wore sackcloth around their
waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and
said, "Your servant Ben-Hadad says, 'Please let me live.'"
And he said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."
33 Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would
come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, "Your brother
Ben-Hadad."
So he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him
come up into the chariot.
34 So Ben-Hadad said to him, "The cities which my father took from your
father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in
Damascus, as my father did in Samaria."
Then Ahab said, "I will send you away with this treaty." So he made a treaty
with him and sent him away.
Ahab Condemned
35 Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the
word of the Lord, "Strike me, please." And the man refused to strike him.
36 Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord,
surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you." And as soon
as he left him, a lion found him and killed him.
37 And he found another man, and said, "Strike me, please." So the man
struck him, inflicting a wound. 38 Then the prophet departed and waited for
the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, "Your
servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over
and brought a man to me, and said, 'Guard this man; if by any means he is
missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of
silver.' 40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone."
Then the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you
yourself have decided it."
41 And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of
Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 Then he said to him, "Thus
says the Lord: 'Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I
appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life,
and your people for his people.'"
43 So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came
to Samaria.
Naboth Is Murdered for His Vineyard
21 And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a
vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have
it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it
I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I
will give you its worth in money."
3 But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid that I should give the
inheritance of my fathers to you!"
4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word
which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not
give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed, and
turned away his face, and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to
him, and said to him, "Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?"
6 He said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to
him, 'Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will
give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my
vineyard.'"
7 Then Jezebel his wife said to him, "You now exercise authority over
Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
8 And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent
the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with
Naboth. 9 She wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10 and
seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying,
"You have blasphemed God and the king." Then take him out, and stone him,
that he may die.
11 So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his
city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters
which she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth
with high honor among the people. 13 And two men, scoundrels, came in and
sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in
the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth has blasphemed God and the
king!" Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so
that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned
and is dead."
15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and
was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard
of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth
is not alive, but dead." 16 So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was
dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of
Naboth the Jezreelite.
The Lord Condemns Ahab
17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18
"Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he
is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of
it. 19 You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord: "Have you
murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying,
'Thus says the Lord: "In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth,
dogs shall lick your blood, even yours."'"
20 So Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?"
And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do
evil in the sight of the Lord: 21 'Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I
will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in
Israel, both bond and free. 22 I will make your house like the house of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah,
because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and
made Israel sin.' 23 And concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying,
'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall[c] of Jezreel.' 24 The dogs shall
eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air
shall eat whoever dies in the field."
25 But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the
sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he
behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the
Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
27 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put
sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about
mourning.
28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 "See
how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself
before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son
I will bring the calamity on his house."
Micaiah Warns Ahab
22 Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2 Then it
came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
down to visit the king of Israel.
3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth in
Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of
Syria?" 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight at
Ramoth Gilead?"
Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your
people, my horses as your horses." 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of
Israel, "Please inquire for the word of the Lord today."
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred
men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall
I refrain?"
So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the
king."
7 And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that
we may inquire of Him?"[d]
8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man,
Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate
him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."
And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Bring Micaiah the son
of Imlah quickly!"
10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their
robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the
gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now
Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he
said, "Thus says the Lord: 'With these you shall gore the Syrians until they
are destroyed.'" 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to
Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king's
hand."
13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying,
"Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king.
Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak
encouragement."
14 And Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that
I will speak."
15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go
to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?"
And he answered him, "Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the
hand of the king!"
16 So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you
tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"
17 Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that
have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master. Let each return
to his house in peace.'"
18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you he would
not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
19 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord
sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right
hand and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go
up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and
another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood
before the Lord, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 The Lord said to him,
'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth
of all his prophets.' And the Lord said, 'You shall persuade him, and also
prevail. Go out and do so.' 23 Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying
spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has
declared disaster against you."
24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the
cheek, and said, "Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak
to you?"
25 And Micaiah said, "Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an
inner chamber to hide!"
26 So the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the
governor of the city and to Joash the king's son; 27 and say, 'Thus says
the king: "Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction
and water of affliction, until I come in peace."'"
28 But Micaiah said, "If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken
by me." And he said, "Take heed, all you people!"
Ahab Dies in Battle
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth
Gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise
myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes." So the king of Israel
disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his
chariots, saying, "Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king
of Israel." 32 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel!" Therefore
they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And
it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king
of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34 Now a certain man
drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of
his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and take me
out of the battle, for I am wounded."
35 The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his
chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the
wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36 Then, as the sun was going down, a
shout went throughout the army, saying, "Every man to his city, and every
man to his own country!"
37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in
Samaria. 38 Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the
dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed,[e] according to the word
of the Lord which He had spoken.
39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house
which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab rested with his
fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year
of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he
became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's
name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And he walked in all the ways of
his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the
eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the
people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 44 Also
Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and
how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah? 46 And the rest of the perverted persons,[f] who remained
in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 47 There was then
no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.
48 Jehoshaphat made merchant ships[g] to go to Ophir for gold; but they
never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah
the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants
in the ships." But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
Ahaziah Reigns in Israel
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the
seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over
Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of
his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53 for he served Baal and worshiped him,
and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his
father had done.
Footnotes:
a.1 Kings 19:5 Or Angel
b.1 Kings 19:7 Or Angel
c.1 Kings 21:23 Following Masoretic Text and Septuagint; some Hebrew
manuscripts, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read plot of ground (compare 2
Kings 9:36).
d.1 Kings 22:7 Or him
e.1 Kings 22:38 Syriac and Targum read they washed his armor.
f.1 Kings 22:46 Hebrew qadesh, that is, one practicing sodomy and
prostitution in religious rituals
g.1 Kings 22:48 Or ships of Tarshish
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
