40 Day Adventure – Day 13

₁Then King Solomon prayed,

₃All the people of Israel were standing there. The king turned to face them and asked God's blessing on them. ₄He said, “Praise the LORD God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said to him, ₅‘From the time I brought my people out of Egypt until now, I did not choose any city in the land of Israel as the place to build a temple where I would be worshipped, and I did not choose anyone to lead my people Israel. ₆But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place where I will be worshipped, and you, David, to rule my people.’ ”

₇And Solomon continued, “My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel, ₈but the LORD said to him, ‘You were right in wanting to build a temple for me, ₉but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple.’

₁₀“Now the LORD has kept his promise: I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel. ₁₁I have placed in the Temple the Covenant Box, which contains the stone tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with the people of Israel.”

₁₀Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. ₁₁Put on all the armour that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. ₁₂For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. ₁₃So put on God's armour now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

₁₄So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight round your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, ₁₅and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. ₁₆At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. ₁₇And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.