Day 187
OYB - July 6

I have hope in God, just as these men do, that he will raise both the righteous and the ungodly. Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else.
In Acts 24 Paul could not be swayed to offer a bribe to Governor Felix (v. 26). He kept his conscience clear before both God and man. Consequently, he was able to reason with Felix concerning "righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come" (v. 25).

Our primary witness to the lost comes from who we are, not just what we say. Felix believed that any man could be bought for a price and that Paul's words would eventually yield to his lusts. He found in Paul, however, a man genuinely concerned about the governor's soul-a man who was totally unmoved by materialism. Paul had discovered that "the Lord has set apart the godly for himself" (Psalm 4:3). Because of Paul's integrity, nothing could penetrate his shield of protection.

Be careful of your witness, as well as your words, in front of those you seek to influence. Satan will try to negate your witness by your works. One false move and all that you say will be meaningless. If you are going to preach about the judgment to come, live as though you are ready for the judgment. Then your witness will be powerful.
1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4

18Now Caleb the son of Hezron had sons by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 19When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

21Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. 22Segub became the father of Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 23But Geshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. 24After the death of Hezron in Caleb-ephrathah, Abijah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.

25Now the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah. 26Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin and Eker. 28The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. And the sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur. 29The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. 30The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim, and Seled died without sons. 31The son of Appaim was Ishi. And the son of Ishi was Sheshan. And the son of Sheshan was Ahlai. 32The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai were Jether and Jonathan, and Jether died without sons. 33The sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 34Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian servant whose name was Jarha. 35Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant in marriage, and she bore him Attai. 36Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad, 37and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, 38and Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah, 39and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, 40and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum, 41and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama.

42Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron. 43The sons of Hebron were Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema. 44Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. 45The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Bethzur. 46Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. 47The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph. 48Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 49She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. 50These were the sons of Caleb.

The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, 51Salma the father of Bethlehem and Hareph the father of Beth-gader. 52Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, 53and the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. 54The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. 55The families of scribes who lived at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. Those are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

Family of David

1Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second was Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess; 2the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith; 3the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth was Ithream, by his wife Eglah. 4Six were born to him in Hebron, and there he reigned seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 5These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four, by Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel; 6and Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7Nogah, Nepheg and Japhia, 8Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet, nine. 9All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

10Now Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, and the second was Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16The sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. 17The sons of Jeconiah, the prisoner, were Shealtiel his son, 18and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah. 19The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-hesed, five. 21The sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22The descendants of Shecaniah were Shemaiah, and the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat, six. 23The sons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam, three. 24The sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani, seven.

Line of Hur, Asher

1The sons of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur and Shobal. 2Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. 3These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. 4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.

Acts 24:1-27

Paul before Felix

1After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. 2After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,

Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, 3we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. 5For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” 9The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

10When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, 11since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. 13Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. 14But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; 18in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia— 19who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, 21other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’ ”

22But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.

24But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” 26At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. 27But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Psalms 4:1-8

PSALM 4

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

2O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?

How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.

3But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;

The Lord hears when I call to Him.

4Tremble, and do not sin;

Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

And trust in the Lord.

6Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”

Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!

7You have put gladness in my heart,

More than when their grain and new wine abound.

8In peace I will both lie down and sleep,

For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

Proverbs 18:16-18

16A man’s gift makes room for him

And brings him before great men.

17The first to plead his case seems right,

Until another comes and examines him.

18The cast lot puts an end to strife

And decides between the mighty ones.