1 Chronicles 18

• 1. After this, David subdued and humbled the Philistines by conquering Gath and its surrounding towns.
• 2. David also conquered the land of Moab, and the Moabites became David's subjects and brought him tribute money.
• 3. Then David destroyed the forces of King Hadadezer of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.
• 4. David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Then he crippled all but one hundred of the chariot horses.
• 5. When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.
• 6. Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David's subjects and brought him tribute money. So the LORD gave David victory wherever he went.
• 7. David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem,
• 8. along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer's cities of Tebah and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and used it for the Temple. He molded it into the bronze Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze utensils used at the Temple.
• 9. When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,
• 10. he sent his son Joram to congratulate David on his success. Hadadezer and Toi had long been enemies, and there had been many wars between them. Joram presented David with many gifts of gold, silver, and bronze.
• 11. King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations he had subdued--Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.
• 12. Abishai son of Zeruiah destroyed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
• 13. He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. This was another example of how the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
• 14. David reigned over all Israel and was fair to everyone.
• 15. Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.
• 16. Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.
• 17. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king's bodyguard. David's sons served as the king's chief assistants.

James 5

• 1. Look here, you rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.
• 2. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.
• 3. Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.
• 4. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
• 5. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every whim. Now your hearts are nice and fat, ready for the slaughter.
• 6. You have condemned and killed good people who had no power to defend themselves against you.
• 7. Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen.
• 8. You, too, must be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
• 9. Don't grumble about each other, my brothers and sisters, or God will judge you. For look! The great Judge is coming. He is standing at the door!
• 10. For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
• 11. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord's plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy.
• 12. But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned for it.
• 13. Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord.
• 14. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.
• 15. And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.
• 16. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.
• 17. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years!
• 18. Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again.
• 19. My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again,
• 20. you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Jonah 2

• 1. Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish.
• 2. He said, "I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the world of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!
• 3. You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
• 4. Then I said, `O LORD, you have driven me from your presence. How will I ever again see your holy Temple?'
• 5. "I sank beneath the waves, and death was very near. The waters closed in around me, and seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
• 6. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was locked out of life and imprisoned in the land of the dead. But you, O LORD my God, have snatched me from the yawning jaws of death!
• 7. "When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.
• 8. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies.
• 9. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone."
• 10. Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit up Jonah on the beach, and it did.

New Living Translation: 327 of 365 days.