April 30 - Evening
"At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:
‘People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors…submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. …He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.’
The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. …A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley."
- Second Chronicles 30:6-14
‘People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors…submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. …He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.’
The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. …A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley."
- Second Chronicles 30:6-14
Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover
In the southern kingdom of Judah King Hezekiah was preparing to celebrate Passover tribes in Jerusalem with all twelve of the tribes for the first time since the days of Solomon before the kingdom split. The northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrian invasion and many of the people had been deported, but Hezekiah sent messengers with invitations to all the people who still remained in the land inviting them to come celebrate the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem.
Hezekiah’s messengers where scorned and rejected in Israel even though there nation had recently been overrun with war and destruction in judgment from the Lord. The scriptural text does mention that some people from the land of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem” to celebrate the Passover to the Lord. (Map)
Meanwhile in Jerusalem the foreign gods, pagan altars, and other items used in false worship where thrown into the Kidron Valley (video below) on the east side of Jerusalem to be destroyed. The city was preparing to worship the Lord as described in the Law of Moses.
Video of Galyn
walking in the
Kidron Valley
east of Jerusalem
walking in the
Kidron Valley
east of Jerusalem
Asophos (Gr) – Unwise (Eng) – asophos is Greek word that means “fool” or “unwise.” Asophos is built by adding the prefix “a-,” meaning “not” or “no,” to the word sophia, which means “wisdom.” Asophos is used only in Ephesians 5:15.
Do I invite people to seek the Lord without fear of my offer being rejected?
Do I encourage others to consider the logical benefits of serving God even at the risk of facing scorn?
I will clearly and boldly demonstrate my faith!
I will graciousness invite others to join the community of people who have faith in the Lord.
Do I encourage others to consider the logical benefits of serving God even at the risk of facing scorn?
I will clearly and boldly demonstrate my faith!
I will graciousness invite others to join the community of people who have faith in the Lord.
Bible Reading Descriptions Here
Personal
Food and healthy diet
Church
Challenging sermons
Nation
Race relations
World
Cook Islands
Someone to Quote
"The gospel was never intended to become a culture of its own."
- Galyn Wiemers
- Galyn Wiemers
Something to Ponder
The Hebrew people began to be called "Jews" after 586 BC after the land of Judah had been overthrown by Babylon and the people of Judah were taken into Babylonian captivity. The name "Jews" came from the Hebrew word Yehudi, which means "belonging to the tribe of Judah." The Bible does not use the word "Jew" or "Jews" until Esther 2:5, Ezra 4:23, Nehemiah 2:16, and Zechariah 8:23 which are all accounts written after the Babylonian captivity which ended in 539 BC.
Here’s a Fact
Copies of biblical manuscripts 1,000 years older than the ones used to form the Greek text translated into English for the KJ Bible were found in 1948 in caves near Qumran.
Proverb
"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it."
- Proverbs 30:10
- Proverbs 30:10
Coach’s Corner
Have enough power to identify your negative thoughts, then have enough freedom to dismiss them and walk away.
1 Chronicles 29
New International Version (NIV)
Gifts for Building the Temple
29 Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. 3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: 4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”
6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
David’s Prayer
10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
11
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
12
Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. 19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.
Solomon Acknowledged as King
21 The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day.
Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the Lord to be ruler and Zadok to be priest. 23 So Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.
25 The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.
The Death of David
26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 27 He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.
29 As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, 30 together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.
New International Version (NIV)
Gifts for Building the Temple
29 Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. 3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: 4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”
6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
David’s Prayer
10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
11
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
12
Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. 19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.
Solomon Acknowledged as King
21 The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day.
Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the Lord to be ruler and Zadok to be priest. 23 So Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.
25 The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.
The Death of David
26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 27 He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.
29 As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, 30 together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.
Psalm 104
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 104
1
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
2
The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
4
He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
5
He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
6
You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7
But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8
they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.
9
You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.
10
He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.
11
They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.
13
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
15
wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
16
The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17
There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers.
18
The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
19
He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
20
You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21
The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
22
The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.
23
Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.
24
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25
There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.
26
There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27
All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.
28
When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
29
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
30
When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
31
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32
he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34
May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
35
But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Praise the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 104
1
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
2
The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
4
He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
5
He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
6
You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7
But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8
they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.
9
You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.
10
He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.
11
They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.
13
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
15
wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
16
The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17
There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers.
18
The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
19
He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
20
You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21
The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
22
The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.
23
Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.
24
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25
There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.
26
There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27
All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.
28
When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
29
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
30
When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
31
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32
he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34
May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
35
But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Praise the Lord.