2 Chronicles 8

• 1. It was now twenty years since Solomon had become king, and the great building projects of the LORD's Temple and his own royal palace were completed.
• 2. Solomon now turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiram had given him, and he settled Israelites in them.
• 3. It was at this time, too, that Solomon fought against the city of Hamath-zobah and conquered it.
• 4. He rebuilt Tadmor in the desert and built towns in the region of Hamath as supply centers.
• 5. He fortified the cities of Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, rebuilding their walls and installing barred gates.
• 6. He also rebuilt Baalath and other supply centers at this time and constructed cities where his chariots and horses could be kept. He built to his heart's content in Jerusalem and Lebanon and throughout the entire realm.
• 7. There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
• 8. These were descendants of the nations that Israel had not completely destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve in the labor force to this day.
• 9. But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, officers in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.
• 10. King Solomon also appointed 250 of them to supervise the various projects.
• 11. Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, "My wife must not live in King David's palace, for the Ark of the LORD has been there, and it is holy ground."
• 12. Then Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar he had built in front of the foyer of the Temple.
• 13. The number of sacrifices varied from day to day according to the commands Moses had given. Extra sacrifices were offered on the Sabbaths, on new moon festivals, and at the three annual festivals--the Passover celebration, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters.
• 14. In assigning the priests to their duties, Solomon followed the regulations of his father, David. He also assigned the Levites to lead the people in praise and to assist the priests in their daily duties. And he assigned the gatekeepers to their gates by their divisions, following the commands of David, the man of God.
• 15. Solomon did not deviate in any way from David's commands concerning the priests and Levites and the treasuries.
• 16. So Solomon made sure that all the work related to building the Temple of the LORD was carried out, from the day its foundation was laid to the day of its completion.
• 17. Later Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Elath, ports in the land of Edom, along the shore of the Red Sea.
• 18. Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers and manned by experienced crews of sailors. These ships sailed to the land of Ophir with Solomon's men and brought back to Solomon almost seventeen tons of gold.

3 John 1

• 1. This letter is from John the Elder. It is written to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.
• 2. Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.
• 3. Some of the brothers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living in the truth.
• 4. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children live in the truth.
• 5. Dear friend, you are doing a good work for God when you take care of the traveling teachers who are passing through, even though they are strangers to you.
• 6. They have told the church here of your friendship and your loving deeds. You do well to send them on their way in a manner that pleases God.
• 7. For they are traveling for the Lord and accept nothing from those who are not Christians.
• 8. So we ourselves should support them so that we may become partners with them for the truth.
• 9. I sent a brief letter to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, does not acknowledge our authority.
• 10. When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the wicked things he is saying about us. He not only refuses to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.
• 11. Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
• 12. But everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, even truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.
• 13. I have much to tell you, but I don't want to do it in a letter.
• 14. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

Habakkuk 3

• 1. This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:
• 2. I have heard all about you, LORD, and I am filled with awe by the amazing things you have done. In this time of our deep need, begin again to help us, as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to save us. And in your anger, remember your mercy.
• 3. I see God, the Holy One, moving across the deserts from Edom and Mount Paran. His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise! What a wonderful God he is!
• 4. Rays of brilliant light flash from his hands. He rejoices in his awesome power.
• 5. Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind.
• 6. When he stops, the earth shakes. When he looks, the nations tremble. He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. But his power is not diminished in the least!
• 7. I see the peoples of Cushan and Midian trembling in terror.
• 8. Was it in anger, LORD, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were you displeased with them? No, you were sending your chariots of salvation!
• 9. You were commanding your weapons of power! You split open the earth with flowing rivers!
• 10. The mountains watched and trembled. Onward swept the raging waters. The mighty deep cried out, lifting its hands to the LORD.
• 11. The lofty sun and moon began to fade, obscured by brilliance from your arrows and the flashing of your glittering spear.
• 12. You marched across the land in awesome anger and trampled the nations in your fury.
• 13. You went out to rescue your chosen people, to save your anointed ones. You crushed the heads of the wicked and laid bare their bones from head to toe.
• 14. With their own weapons, you destroyed those who rushed out like a whirlwind, thinking Israel would be easy prey.
• 15. You trampled the sea with your horses, and the mighty waters piled high.
• 16. I trembled inside when I heard all this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
• 17. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
• 18. yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
• 19. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

New Living Translation: 342 of 365 days.