26 FEB 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 26 FEB 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself.  Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and freed us from sin.  1 Cor. 18, 30

Lent and Easter leave many scratching their heads because the good news doesn't make sense to them.  Paul explains to his readers that God has enabled believers with understanding and faith.  They didn’t arrive on understanding and salvation on their own accord.  The Gospel itself has power to bring about salvation both to Jews and Gentiles.  

Yet, the Jews were offended because they wanted proof via signs and wonders.  Gentiles desire wisdom that would explain it so they could mentally ascend to salvation. They are both left blind, spiritually dead, and condemned awaiting destruction.  It can be scary that God holds your future in the palm of his hand.  There is no fate or chance, only God.

All that we need is found in Jesus.  He is our wisdom, hope, and savior.  When we surrender to him, he makes us pure, holy, and frees us from sin and death.  During Lent, consider adding prayer for those you know that balk at the Gospel and ask the Holy Spirit to change their heart toward God.

Who do you know that can’t wrap their head around Jesus?

Reading Plan: Psalm 63:1-11, 98; Deut. 8:1-10; 1 Cor. 1:17-31; Mark 2:18-22

Daily Office Year 1

25 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 25 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God.  The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little.  You will not clear them away all at once.” Deut. 7:21-22a

As you reflect and study during Lent, think about the greatness and awesome power of God.  He is the greatest warrior and truly fights for his people.  Even Jesus told the people not to fear anyone except the one who can not only destroy the body, but also the soul. The Jewish people had to be reminded of what God had done for them in Egypt as they faced new enemies in the promised land.

Our memories are too short of our experiences of God.  We forget what he has done for us and have to be reminded of his goodness, providence, and ability.  When our problems become so large, we can think they dorf God himself.  That’s the nature of man and of spiritual warfare.  The fog of fear can blind us to the reality of who God is.  God is great! 

Do you use the word awesome? I do, for a great cake or an experience, but it should be reserved for God alone.  He has the victory over evil, darkness, Satan, and the demons.  All are subject to him and will be cast into the lake of fire with one word.  Now that is awesome! If we are truly going to grow in this life, we have to entrust God with our enemies because he is able to handle them.  In due time, he will handle them perfectly and eternally.

Who are the enemies that God needs to deal with in your life?

Reading Plan: Psalm 30, 32; Deut. 7:17-26; Titus 3:1-15; John 1:43-51

Daily Office Year 1

24 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 24 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you.  He will love and bless you..You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth.” Deut. 7:12a, 13a, 14a

God is the same in the Old Testament and the New.  He is always internally consistent, in that he operates the same.  He is truth, love, and holy.  None of his attributes are in conflict with the other.  That is hard for us to understand because we don’t have that clarity or perfection.  We also don’t completely do what we say we will do.  It hard to comprehend that someone can.

God is love and his love is much different than friendship love and romantic love.  He loves us prior to faith with a love that is unmerited and unconditional in a sense.  His love is not dependent on us.  He loves us even though we are unworthy of it.  When we enter into a relationship with him, it is a covenant love.  There are conditions to receiving more love, but we are not separated from it.

In this passage, God tells the Jewish people that if they listen and obey, they will experience more love from God and will make their lives fruitful in children and sustainment.  Jesus says the same thing for us when we are in this new covenant relationship.  If you obey His commands, it demonstrates our love for him.  The Father will love us and he will love us and reveal himself to us. (John 14:21) He will make us fruitful in the Spirit, in disciples, and life.

As you reflect today, do you want more of God’s love? Are you obeying Jesus’ commands?

Reading Plan: Psalm 31, 95; Deut. 7:12-16; Titus 2:1-15; John 1:35-42

Daily Office Year 1

23 FEV 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 23 FEB 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Of all the people on the earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.  The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping an oath he had sworn to your ancestors.” Deut. 7:6b-8a

As we examine ourselves during lent, we can sometimes have too high an estimation.  We think that we are better than we are and some think they bring something to the table that God could use.  The truth is, we are all a hot mess when compared to his standards.  There is nothing that makes you stand out from anyone else.  God has to remind us of this.

God explains to the Jewish people after the exodus from Egypt, why he chose them to be his people.  There are some great things here and some challenging ones too.  The great thing is, God desires to have a people for himself.  His people will be a special treasure that will be holy.   If you belong to him, you are valuable, loved, and secure in him.  That is awesome!

The challenging thing, not everyone is God’s people and it's his ultimate choice.  This always gets people bent out of shape even when they look at the Jews of the Hebrew Bible.  Only the Jews were chosen by God to be his people prior to Jesus.  Everyone else was left condemned and far from God.  When Jesus came, he expanded the family choosing both Jews and Gentiles from the world.  That is wonderful news! Because it is likely that you are a Gentile.  There is hope for people from every nation, tribe, and tongue now.

How fantastic is it that God chose you out of everyone? Pretty humbling, no?

Reading Plan: Psalm 37:1-18; Deut. 7:6-11; Titus 1:1-16; John 1:29-34

Daily Office Year 1

22 FEB 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 22 FEB 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.  Finally, I confessed my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.  I said to myself, I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.  And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:3, 5

Today is the start of Lent, which is the 40 days prior to Easter, when the church takes time for self-examination and repentance.  Setting new rhythms such as prayer, self-denial, fasting and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word gives us the opportunity to seek Him like no other time.  It exposes our mortality, our human nature, and our standing with God.

The psalm shows how we naturally handle being in sin.  Like Adam and Eve we hide at first and try to avoid dealing with it.  Sin deals emotional and spiritual damage and we begin to feel it physically.  Guilt actually serves a purpose.  God put his law on all of our hearts and when we sin it triggers an internal response that doesn’t feel good.  We know we have done wrong and guilt is supposed to move us to repentance in order to be set free.

The psalmist can’t stand the guilt anymore and wants relief and to be right with God.  When you confess your sins and rebellion against God, then he will forgive you because Jesus has taken the penalty of your sins on the cross.  He is faithful to restore that relationship and take your guilt away.  This is something to rejoice about! You can be free from the guilt and the penalty of your sins.   Lent is a great time to get right with God.

Is the guilt of your sins weighing you down? Why not settle your accounts with God now?

Reading Plan: Psalm 32, 95, 143; Jonah 3:1-4:11; Hebrews 12:1-14; Luke 18:9-14

Daily Office Year 1

21 FEB 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 21 FEB 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory.  And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.” Hebrews 2:10

For the last few months, I have just been in awe of God as I read the Scriptures and other books that describe his attributes and magnitude.  Many of the questions that I wrestle with or have wrestled with are either answered or have been given peace about.  The things I once fretted about, were often selfish desires that didn’t get met.

The world and everything in it was made by God for his own pleasure and enjoyment.  He is the center of the universe and all things.  That little nugget of wisdom can clear the fog of  our troubles and bring alignment with the reality of God’s authority in the world.  We are not the center.  The world doesn’t revolved around us. (repeat that) God is also looking for people to become part of his family.

The text says, that he “chose to bring many children into glory”.  Many.  Many is not all.  That too is a nugget of wisdom that should bring fear and joy at the same time.  Fear that God hold the keys to salvation, death, and hell.  The objects of his love are not worthy of it, but he gives it because he wants to and to whomever he wants.  That should bring us joy if you are his.  

Lastly, the way of life is the way of suffering.  Jesus suffered to bring us salvation and we will suffer because we belong to him. Even in that there is joy and blessing because we grow in the knowledge and love of God. Our lives have meaning and purpose in him.  He promises to be with us and walk with us through it all until the end of the age.

Do you know that God can bring perspective to all of life’s challenges?

Reading Plan: Psalm 26, 28; Deut. 6:16-25; Hebrews 2:1-10; John 1:19-28

Daily Office Year 1

11 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 11 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 “Preach the word of God.  Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching.  They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.  They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” 2 Tim. 4 2-4

I find Paul’s letters to Timothy very encouraging and relatable to our current day.  Sometimes we think that maybe these guys didn’t have such issues that we face and how nice it would be to live back then.  How wrong are we? They faced the same types of problems within the church and outside of it.  Both brought mental and physical suffering.  How did they handle such problems?

First, they were real about it and didn’t hide the fact that there is always opposition to the truth and the gospel.  The pain from inside the church is much worse than from outside.  Every denomination in the world has faced challenges of false teachers, thieves, sexual predators, and homosexual marriage to name a few.  These evil things will come against the church and get worse until Christ returns.

Second, sin and hostility doesn’t change the mission and purpose of the individual christian or the church as a whole.  We fight the good fight and share the gospel with anyone and everyone.  We can’t wait for the right time because there isn’t one.  Just share it.  We correct those that are in error and let God sift them from our midst if need be.   Always remain faithful to God even if you are alone.

Do you understand the times and the reality?

Reading Plan: Psalm 87, 90; Isa. 61:10-62:5; 2 Tim. 4:1-8; Mark 10:46-52

Daily Office Year 1

10 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 10 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Tim. 3:16-17

I used to say, I don’t have time to read the Bible.  I had time to go to work, gym, beach, movies, or play video games.  Priority of the things of God and his word fell to 20th place in my life and it showed in how I lived.  I didn’t understand myself, the world, and really didn’t have any direction or purpose in life.  It wasn’t until I got together with a bunch of guys and really read the Bible, did it impact my life.

The Bible helps us to understand the nature of man and our brokenness.  It shows us all of the different things that affect our lives in a negative way and points us to the way we were created to live.  Best of all, it gives us insight into who God is and how he has revealed himself to the world.  He himself is seeking after some of the people to be in a relationship eternally.  That is awesome.

We are not waiting around watching tv and playing video games until Jesus returns, but being involved in the work that he has given us to do.  Our identity and purpose are found in Jesus and our lives can be used to please God and affect the world around us.  There is no small print in the Bible, like an oh by the way, to apologize for issues.  Jesus teaches plainly, clearly, and sets expectations from the start.  Searching the word helps you develop a relationship with God and develop a true worldview.  Doing the word lets you experience him in your daily life.

Why don’t you read the Bible on a daily basis?

Reading Plan: Psalm 88; Isa. 61:1-9; 2 Tim. 3:1-17; Mark 10:32-45

Daily Office Year 1

9 FEB 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 9 FEB 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.  Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.  Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.” 2 Tim. 2:24-25

In our flesh or nature, we like to argue, fuss, and fight.  Just look at the state of the Union address this past week.  It makes the flesh feel good to scrap and mix it up a bit if we are honest.  Paul states that the flesh and the Spirit war within us because our old nature doesn’t like the new person we have become.

The Spirit of the Lord changes the believer immediately and will on one hand start removing the taste for sin in our lives and convict us when we entertain it.  We experience love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  These are gifts to the believer that are supernaturally strengthened by routine opportunities to practice orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

Paul lets Timothy know that he will run into difficult people in the church and outside of it.  The Holy Spirit will give you plenty of practice. Can I get a witness? Right? We can learn to rest in God’s sovereignty that He can and will change some of these people through the means of the truth of His word.  Learn to be patient and gentle with others and the revelation of God’s plan for them takes time.  Continue to pray, care, and share for those difficult ones.

Do you have difficult people in your life?

Reading Plan: Psalm 83; Isa. 60:1-17; 2 Tim. 2:14-26; Mark  10:17-31

Daily Office Year 1

8 FEB 23 Wednesday- A Closer Walk Devotional

 9 FEB 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses.  Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.  So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. 2 Tim. 2:2, 10

Paul passes on to Timothy, his disciple, the mission and reality of being a disciple maker.  Practitioners of the gospel will see multiplication, suffering, and endurance as regular parts of life.  Paul stresses that Timothy has a pattern of generational multiplication as he invests in others.  God will bear fruit of people that will bear more people that will bear more people that will bear more people.  Paul is trusting God to do a work in and through Timothy that will last.

Technically we are the fruit of Timothy’s efforts two thousand years ago and it is continuing to bear more people.  Paul also lets Timothy know that there will always be opposition to the efforts of those that sow the gospel seed and invest in others.  Suffering and persecution is the fertilizer that will multiply the expansion of the kingdom of God more rapidly.   

Those that have lived in peaceful societies don’t like to hear that.  We are called to bring a sword of truth that will pierce through bone and marrow and to be light in the dark.  Creatures that live in the dark don’t like the light.  Paul says we must endure and we can do that with joy and energy because our work brings God’s chosen people into saving faith and eternal life.  The good fight is worth the suffering and even death, knowing that God will be glorified and salvation secured for those that are the objects of God’s love.

Are you seeing multiplication and suffering as a Christian? Then are you really living it?

Reading Plan: Psalm 119:97-120; Isa. 59:15b-21; 2 Tim. 1:15-2:13; Mark  10:1-16 

Daily Office Year 1

7 FEB 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 7 FEB 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.  Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.  For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us.  Yes, we know what sinners we are.” Isaiah 59:2, 12

We can become pretty good at pointing the finger at others when they do wrong, but have difficulty seeing our own sin and evil.  This past week during an awards show on television, a few entertainers dressed like Satan and demons to worship their own unholy lifestyles.  It is in your face and easy to see demonic and evil activity in most of the music, movies, and our culture.  We can forget that sin and evil operate in us.

God’s own people in the Hebrew Bible wandered far from God on a number of occasions.  God sent messengers to tell the people that they were worse than the foul culture that they lived in and sent them into captivity as punishment.  God made clear that their sins are blocking their prayers and relationship. He revealed to them their state of sinfulness like a mirror.

God’s people had adopted the ways of the surrounding culture by worshiping their idols and their lifestyles.  They were chosen by God and set apart to be wholly different from the nations around them, to be holy.  They probably thought since they were God’s children they could do no wrong in his eyes.  They were dead wrong.

As Christians today, are we allowing the culture to mold and shape us? Jesus tells us to take on the attributes of salt in Mark 9, so we can preserve one another and stay off decay.  It also seasons to what is right and good.  It’s not enough to stop listening and watching the culture’s wicked and sinful programs.  We have to start living in the light and being holy.

Have you taken the time to examine yourself in the light of God’s word?

Reading Plan: Psalm 78:1-39; Isa. 59:1-15a; 2 Tim. 1:1-14; Mark  9:42-50 

Daily Office Year 1

5 FEB 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 5 FEB 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2

When you are running, you don’t want to carry additional things that might slow you down or burn you out before you finish.  It is a given that pain can happen or you have to endure stress to muscles and lungs.  You embrace it and even disregard it knowing that the prize or the goal is greater than the pain.  As a Christian, our prize is Jesus and it is he we focus on.

In the hymn, Turn your eyes upon Jesus, it says that “the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace”.  The closer we are to Jesus and in alignment to his plans the more we can experience lasting joy even in the midst of pain and suffering.  Jesus himself was able to endure the cross and its shame because he looked forward to the joy awaiting him.  Our challenges, suffering, and pain can be used to perfect us in the faith.

As you live this life, begin to look at what is weighing you down.  What things of this world are keeping you for living for Jesus? Maybe you are not letting go of the sin that you like.  Maybe you are striving after the things of this world and houses, career, and possessions now have a hold on you.  Whatever it is? Get rid of it and focus on Jesus instead of yourself or your stuff.

What is keeping you from living for Jesus?

Reading Plan: Psalm 93, 96; Isa. 57:14-21; Heb. 12:1-6; John  7:37-46 

Daily Office Year 1

4 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 4 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Don’t be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God.  You will always harvest what you plant.  So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:7, 9

We can look around and see that people are looking for happiness in all the wrong places, kinda like the Jonnie Lee song.  In America, we labor hard for the American dream so that we can ultimately retire and do what we like.  We don’t think about how we get there or if the pursuit is really going to bear fruit or if it is this the dream that God wants for us.

Much of what we strive after is self-serving and doesn’t make us happy.  We are sold a false view of what  life and happiness is supposed to be.  God doesn’t hold back and neither does Paul as he addresses the church at Galatia.  Chasing after sinful and self-satisfying pleasures is a direct path to death.  Being blessed or happy comes by pleasing the Spirit and doing good.

We are created to be his masterpiece and to do good works, first among other believers and then to the rest of the world.  When we do good it pleases the Spirit and blesses others around you.  It also testifies to the presence and work of God in the lives of unbelievers. Paul commends us not to grow weary in doing good because we will.  The results of our good works are not always realized here, but our faithfulness is.

What kind of seeds are you planting? What do you expect to harvest?

Reading Plan: Psalm 75, 76; Isa. 57:3-13; Gal. 5:25-6:10; Mark  9:14-29 

Daily Office Year 1

3 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 3 FEB 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“That anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:21-22

The struggle for new Christians and even some seasoned ones are the difference between law and grace.  We see that God established a relationship with the Jews for no other reason than he wanted to.  God showed them favor (grace) then gave them the law as a part of the covenant relationship.  The law revealed the holiness of God and what characteristics his people should reflect.  God intends to have holy people that act like him.

When Jesus came, he lived among them and showed them that a holy life can be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.  God still chooses who will be his people not by any metric that we can measure, but by his good pleasure. (grace) Jesus fulfills the law of the Jewish covenant that we couldn’t and gives his followers the Spirit and abilities to live a life pleasing to him.

If you look at the sins listed in verses 19-21, they are the desires and focus of self.  When we came to faith, we were washed clean of these and we are not to go back to them.  We move our focus from ourselves and to Jesus and to his will for our lives.  How are you doing with this? Take heart, each new day gives you an opportunity to get in alignment and live for him.

Are you living for God or yourself?

Reading Plan: Psalm 69:1-23; Isa. 56:1-8; Gal. 5:16-24; Mark  9:2-13

Daily Office Year 1

2 FEB 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 2 FEB 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

Do you believe that God’s word is effective?

Twenty some odd years ago, I began to really seek the Lord in the Scriptures and was compelled to share the Good News with others.  For someone that didn’t know how to do it or what to expect, the word not only brought comfort to me it also brought confidence.  A good friend saw that I was on fire to do whatever the Lord wanted me to do.  He knew that people in the church were ready to throw a wet blanket on me too and he pointed me to Isaiah 55:10-11.

Being hungry, I went and read the entire chapter over and over again.  It really helped me to understand my role as a messenger of the Word of God and God being the Sovereign Savior to do what he desired with whom he desired.  If I would faithfully sow the seed, God would give the increase.  It wasn’t on me to know everything, be eloquent, or be persuasive in order to seal the deal like a salesman.  

God alone would make the Word effective in the lives he desired.  I just needed to be faithful in sharing it and invest deeply in the ones that came to faith.  It takes faith in God’s sovereign will and plans because His plans and ways are not ours.  I will say that he has always shown me that there are people in my oikos (social network) that are already prepared to receive the word.  That has kept me on fire for him until this day.  May it do the same for you.

Heavenly Father, you are a masterful orchestrator of creation that weaves your will through the ages to bring about all that you desire.  You have made life an adventure that makes me cling to you and take joy in knowing you are with me.  Empower me to trust in your lead when I don’t understand what you are doing. Give me boldness to share your words and to leave the results to you.  In your great name I pray, amen.

Reading Plan: Psalm 71; Isa. 55:1-13; Gal. 5:1-15; Mark  8:27-9:1

Daily Office Year 1

1 FEB 23 Wednesday -A Closer Walk Devotional

 1 FEB 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign.  May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.” Psalm 72:6-7

As we head into another season of political sword fighting, we all have in mind what we would like to see in a leader and the hope of better conditions and safety.  This is the same desire for everyone around the world because in our hearts and minds we know right from wrong and what right looks like.  The challenge is that only God himself can fulfill that picture.

The psalmist speaks of what it will be like when a truly godly person will rule and reign.  It is a great picture of clear justice, righteousness, and prosperity.  If you really unpack what God intends, many people around the world and especially in our own country would not want to be part of that.  Why? Because God is holy and we are not.  Our nature kicks and fights against it.

We would have to give up the sins we like so much like greed, lust, all drugs and alcohol, murder of babies, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, lying, stealing, and self-focused will to name a few.  God will not have any of that in his Kingdom and he doesn’t expect that of his people now.  The wicked, evil, and rebellious will be dealt with swiftly and to the maximum sentence.  That is what a just and loving king should do.  That is what God will do.

Do you really know what a godly leader is?

Mighty King, heavenly Father, you are worthy to be praised! You look out for the poor and the broken-hearted.  You uphold and enforce the law producing a godly and holy people.  The wicked and evil run in fear, but they have nowhere to hide.  I look forward to the day of your Son’s return, knowing that true safety and prosperity will be forever more. We will be completely satisfied with you. Amen.

Reading Plan: Psalm 72; Isa. 54:1-10; Gal. 4:21-31; Mark  8:11-26

Daily Office Year 1