2 Chronicles 12-13121 When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned Yahweh’s law, and all Israel with him. 2 In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. 4 He took the fortified cities which belonged to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Yahweh says, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.’ ” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “Yahweh is righteous.” 7 When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath won’t be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 10 King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 11 As often as the king entered into Yahweh’s house, the guard came and bore them, then brought them back into the guard room. 12 When he humbled himself, Yahweh’s wrath turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether. Moreover, there were good things found in Judah. 13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 14 He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, in the genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city; and Abijah his son reigned in his place. 131 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor. 4 Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. 7 Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them. 8 “Now you intend to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you. 9 Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves according to the ways of the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of those who are no gods. 10 “But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests serving Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work; 11 and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in order on the pure table; and the lamp stand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken him. 12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don’t fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you will not prosper.” 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them; so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout. As the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down slain. 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages. 20 Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died. 21 But Abijah grew mighty, and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.
Psalms 1411411 Yahweh, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you. 2 Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. 4 Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don’t let me eat of their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds. 6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken. 7 “As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”8 For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord. In you, I take refuge. Don’t leave my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.
Luke 11:1-4111 When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say,‘Our Father in heaven,may your name be kept holy.May your Kingdom come.May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.3 Give us day by day our daily bread.4 Forgive us our sins,for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation,but deliver us from the evil one.’ ”
1 Thessalonians 4:1-1041 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you. 9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
Proud vs. Broken
Proud
Proud people want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up.
Broken
Broken people, once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; they are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.
Meditate on this
1 John 1:9 NKJV
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.