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Post by Les on Jul 2, 2021 21:33:21 GMT
Choosing to Honor God By: Jennifer Benson Schuldt
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To the faithful you show yourself faithful. Psalm 18:25
Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 18:20–27 In the novella Family Happiness by Leo Tolstoy, main characters Sergey and Masha meet when Masha is young and impressionable. Sergey is an older, well-traveled businessman who understands the world beyond the rural setting where Masha lives. Over time, the two fall in love and marry.
They settle in the countryside, but Masha becomes bored with her surroundings. Sergey, who adores her, arranges a trip to St. Petersburg. There, Masha’s beauty and charm bring her instant popularity. Just as the couple is about to return home, a prince arrives in town, wanting to meet her. Sergey knows he can force Masha to leave with him, but he lets her make the decision. She chooses to stay, and her betrayal breaks his heart.
Like Sergey, God will never force us to be faithful to Him. Because He loves us, He lets us choose for or against Him. Our first choice for Him happens when we receive His Son, Jesus Christ, as the sacrifice for our sin (1 John 4:9–10). After that, we have a lifetime of decisions to make.
Will we choose faithfulness to God as His Spirit guides us or let the world entice us? David’s life wasn’t perfect, but he often wrote about keeping “the ways of the Lord” and the good outcomes that came from doing so (Psalm 18:21–24). When our choices honor God, we can experience the blessing David described: to the faithful, God shows Himself faithful.
Reflect & Pray When was the last time you made a difficult decision that honored God? How did it affect your relationship with Him?
Dear God, help me to honor You with the choices I make. Thank You for loving me faithfully throughout my life.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The superscription of Psalm 18 tells us that David “sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies.” David was considered a “man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Because of this, God had promised David (through the prophet Nathan): “I will never take my love away from [David] . . . I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever” (1 Chronicles 17:13–14). David would always have a descendant on the throne, and from his family line came Jesus (Acts 13:23). Yet David committed adultery and had a man killed. Why would God esteem such a flawed man? It was because David had absolute faith in God, evidenced in his victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He loved the Scriptures (Psalm 119:47), and when he sinned, he repented and sought God’s forgiveness (2 Samuel 11:13; Psalm 51).
Alyson Kieda
Psalm 18:20-27 King James Version 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
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Post by Les on Jul 3, 2021 20:58:41 GMT
Cleaning Method By: Patricia Raybon
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Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts. James 4:8
Today's Scripture & Insight: James 4:4–10 At the sink, two little children cheerfully sing the “Happy Birthday” song—two times each—while washing their hands. “It takes that long to wash away the germs,” their mother tells them. So even before the COVID-19 pandemic, they’d learned to take time to clean dirt from their hands.
Keeping things clean can be a tedious process, as we learned in the pandemic. Scrubbing away sin, however, means following focused steps back to God.
James urged believers in Jesus scattered throughout the Roman Empire to turn their focus back to God. Beset by quarrels and fights, their battles for one-upmanship, possessions, worldly pleasures, money, and recognition made them an enemy of God. He warned them, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. . . . Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7–8). But how?
“Come near to God and he will come near to you” (v. 8). These are sanitizing words describing the necessity of turning to God to scour away the soil of sin from our lives. James then further explained the cleaning method: “Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (vv. 9–10).
Dealing with our sin is humbling. But, hallelujah, God is faithful to turn our “washing” into worship.
Reflect & Pray Where in your life does sin persist? Have you turned back to God to let Him clean you up?
Holy God, thank You that Your cleaning methods for purifying sin draw me back to You. Wash my hands and purify my heart as I return.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The name James is the English equivalent of the Hebrew name Yaacob (or Jacob, like the ancient Jewish patriarch). Several prominent New Testament men bear this name. One was the son of Zebedee—one of Jesus’ twelve original disciples who was martyred (Acts 12:1–2). Another was the James who wrote the letter that bears his name, of whom we know some important things. First, he was the half-brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3). It seems that he didn’t come to faith until following the resurrection when the risen Christ appeared to him personally (1 Corinthians 15:7). Acts 1:14 lists those gathered in the upper room after Jesus’ ascension, mentioning His brothers, which presumably included James. Eventually, James became a primary leader in the church of Jerusalem, arbitrating the church’s council on Paul’s mission to the gentiles (Acts 15:13).
Bill Crowder
James 4:4-10 King James Version 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
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Post by Les on Jul 5, 2021 20:10:27 GMT
The “What” in Sharing Our Faith By: Kirsten Holmberg
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My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. 1 Corinthians 2:4
Today's Scripture & Insight: 1 Corinthians 2:1–5 Alan came to me for advice on how to deal with his fear of public speaking. Like so many others, his heart would begin to race, his mouth would feel sticky and dry, and his face would flush bright red. Glossophobia is among the most common social fears people have—many even joke that they’re more fearful of public speaking than of dying! To help Alan conquer his fear of not “performing” well, I suggested he focus on the substance of his message instead of how well he’d deliver it.
Shifting the focus to what will be shared, instead of one’s ability to share it, is similar to Paul’s approach to pointing others to God. When he wrote to the church at Corinth, he remarked that his message and preaching “were not with wise and persuasive words” (1 Corinthians 2:4). Instead, he’d determined to focus solely on the truth of Jesus Christ and His crucifixion (v. 2), trusting the Holy Spirit to empower his words, not his eloquence as a speaker.
When we’ve come to know God personally, we’ll want to share about Him with those around us. Yet we sometimes shy away from it because we’re afraid of not presenting it well—with the “right” or eloquent words. By focusing instead on the “what”—the truth of who God is and His amazing works—we can, like Paul, trust God to empower our words and share without fear or reluctance.
Reflect & Pray What has prevented you at times from sharing the truth of God with others? How can Paul’s approach embolden you to share the gospel?
Father in heaven, thank You for revealing Yourself to me through the Bible and those You put in my life to share with me. Please help me to share with others, trusting You to empower my words.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT In the Roman world of first-century Corinth, the threat of a state-ordered crucifixion was meant to shame, intimidate, and deter anyone who challenged the authority of the empire. So only in light of credible evidence for Jesus’ resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1–7) would Paul’s emphasis on the way Jesus died have deserved a hearing. Even then, such a death would be good news only within a bigger story. According to Jewish Scripture, the God of creation promised that a wounded child of Eve would defeat the serpent of Eden who’d planted seeds of doubt about the goodness of the Creator (Genesis 3:1–15). Only with the news of Jesus’ willingness to die a criminal’s death would God show how far He would go to expose His enemy, bear the consequence of Adam’s sin (1 Corinthians 15:22), dethrone the rule of death (vv. 12–58), and show how much He loves us.
Mart DeHaan
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 King James Version 2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
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Post by Les on Jul 6, 2021 21:03:10 GMT
Not Fatherless By: Albert Lee
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The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16
Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 6:5–13 John Sowers in his book Fatherless Generation writes that “No generation has seen as much voluntary father absence as this one with 25 million kids growing up in single-parent homes.” In my own experience, if I’d bumped into my father on the street, I wouldn’t have known him. My parents were divorced when I was very young, and all the photos of my dad were burned. So for years I felt fatherless. Then at age thirteen, I heard the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) and said to myself, You may not have an earthly father, but now you have God as your heavenly Father.
In Matthew 6:9 we’re taught to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Previously verse 7 says not to “keep on babbling” when praying, and we may wonder how these verses are connected. I realized that because God remembers, we don’t need to repeat. He truly understands, so we don’t need to explain. He has a compassionate heart, so we don’t need to be uncertain of His goodness. And because He knows the end from the beginning, we know His timing is perfect.
Because God is our Father, we don’t need to use “many words” (v. 7) to move Him. Through prayer, we’re talking with a Father who loves and cares for us and made us His children through Jesus.
Reflect & Pray When have you tried to “move God” in prayer by using many words? How does having a relationship with Him as your Father help you to trust Him?
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your child and for being a Father that welcomes me into Your presence through prayer.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Though prayer is the focus of Matthew 6:5–13, in the broader context of Jesus’ teaching (vv. 1–18), two other practices of righteousness (v. 1) come into focus: “giving to the needy” (vv. 2–4) and “fasting” (vv. 16–18). Christ’s teaching notes that legitimate deeds of piety can have a wrong motive: desiring to be recognized and applauded by people. Jesus encourages His followers not to be like the hypocrites (vv. 2, 5, 16). The Greek word is hypokritḗs, which referred to masked actors—pretenders who portrayed themselves as someone they weren’t. This word is used seventeen times in the Gospels and only by Jesus; thirteen usages are in Matthew. With a hypocrite, what you see isn’t what you get. Believers in Jesus aren’t to be like the hypocrites because we have a Father who “sees” and “knows” the hearts of all.
Arthur Jackson
Matthew 6:5-13 King James Version 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
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Post by Les on Jul 7, 2021 20:38:08 GMT
The Wisdom We Need By: Elisa Morgan
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Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 nlt
Today's Scripture & Insight: Proverbs 1:1–9 Ellen opened her mailbox and discovered a bulky envelope with her dear friend’s return address. Just a few days prior, she’d shared a relational struggle with that friend. Curious, she unwrapped the package and found a colorful beaded necklace on a simple jute string. Attached was a card with a company’s slogan, “Say It in Morse Code,” and words translating the necklace’s hidden and wise message, “Seek God’s Ways.” Ellen smiled as she fastened it around her neck.
The book of Proverbs is a compilation of wise sayings—many penned by Solomon, who was acclaimed as the wisest man of his era (1 Kings 10:23). Its thirty-one chapters call the reader to listen to wisdom and avoid folly, starting with the core message of Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Wisdom—knowing what to do when—comes from honoring God by seeking His ways. In the introductory verses, we read, “Listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck” (vv. 8–9 nlt).
Ellen’s friend had directed her to the Source of the wisdom she needed: Seek God’s ways. Her gift focused Ellen’s attention on where to discover the help she needed.
When we honor God and seek His ways, we’ll receive the wisdom we need for all the matters we face in life. Each and every one.
Reflect & Pray Where do you go when you need wisdom? How can you keep God's words in the forefront of your mind?
God, remind me that You’re the Source of the wisdom I need.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The book of Proverbs—particularly chapters 1–9—contains advice from a father to his son “for gaining wisdom and instruction” (1:2). The key element of and foundation for wisdom is found in verse 7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” The importance of “the fear of the Lord” is seen in the fact that this phrase is found eleven times in the book of Proverbs (and the challenge “fear the Lord” appears another four times). So, then, what is “the fear of the Lord”? The Hebrew word (yirah ) translated “fear” doesn’t mean to be afraid of God. Rather, it means “awe” or “reverence”—an attitude of heart towards the Creator that generates a desire to obey Him. This is where wisdom begins—embracing the greatness of God and desiring to honor Him.
Bill Crowder
Proverbs 1:1-9 King James Version 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
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Post by Les on Jul 8, 2021 21:08:14 GMT
Blocked Prayers By: Dave Branon
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When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25
Today's Scripture & Insight: Mark 11:20–25 For fourteen years, the Mars rover Opportunity faithfully communicated with the people at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After it landed in 2004, it traversed twenty-eight miles of the Martian surface, took thousands of images, and analyzed many materials. But in 2018, communication between Opportunity and scientists ended when a major dust storm coated its solar panels, causing the rover to lose power.
Is it possible that we can allow “dust” to block our communication with Someone outside of our world? When it comes to prayer—communicating with God—there are certain things that can get in the way.
Scripture says that sin can block our relationship with God. “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). Jesus instructs, “When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25). Our communication with God can also be hindered by doubt and relationship problems (James 1:5–7; 1 Peter 3:7).
Opportunity’s blockage of communication seems to be permanent. But our prayers don’t have to be blocked. By the work of the Holy Spirit, God lovingly draws us to restored communication with Him. As we confess our sins and turn to Him, by God’s grace we experience the greatest communication the universe has ever known: one-to-one prayer between us and our holy God.
Reflect & Pray How can confessing your sins to God improve your communication with Him? What can you do to enrich your prayer life?
Father, guide me to discover what's limiting my communication with You. Thank You for helping me connect with You!
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT In Mark’s gospel, Mark uses a literary device called an inclusio so often that it’s sometimes called a “Markan sandwich.” In this literary structure, a story or teaching (A) is interrupted with another (B) before returning to conclude the first story (A). Using this literary technique creates “bookends” before and after a story. This structure helps the reader understand that both stories are connected in significance and meaning. In Mark 11, the story of the cleansing of the temple (vv. 15–19) is bookended before and after with the story of the cursing of the fig tree (vv. 12–14, 20–25). By connecting these two stories, Mark makes it clear that Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree was done as a prophetic sign of the consequences of the corruption and lack of fruit that He saw in Israel’s worship at the time.
Monica La Rose
Mark 11:20-25 King James Version 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
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Post by Les on Jul 9, 2021 20:50:34 GMT
Growing in God’s Grace By: Alyson Kieda
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Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge. 2 Peter 1:5
Today's Scripture & Insight: 2 Peter 1:3–11 The English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) lived life “full throttle.” He became a pastor at age nineteen—and soon was preaching to large crowds. He personally edited all of his sermons, which eventually filled sixty-three volumes, and wrote many commentaries, books on prayer, and other works. And he typically read six books a week! In one of his sermons, Spurgeon said, “The sin of doing nothing is about the biggest of all sins, for it involves most of the others. . . . Horrible idleness! God save us from it!”
Charles Spurgeon lived with diligence, which meant he “[made] every effort” (2 Peter 1:5) to grow in God’s grace and to live for Him. If we’re Christ’s followers, God can instill in us that same desire and capacity to grow more like Jesus, to “make every effort to add to [our] faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge . . . self-control, perseverance . . . godliness” (vv. 5–7).
We each have different motivations, abilities, and energy levels—not all of us can, or should, live at Charles Spurgeon’s pace! But when we understand all Jesus has done for us, we have the greatest motivation for diligent, faithful living. And we find our strength through the resources God has given us to live for and serve Him. God through His Spirit can empower us in our efforts—big and small—to do so.
Reflect & Pray How are you making every effort to grow more like Christ? What will help you in this endeavor?
Loving God, help me to be diligent to live for You in all I do and say. Thank You for enabling me to do so through Your Spirit inside me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Peter’s New Testament letters reflect the wisdom of his later years (1 Peter 5:5–6; 2 Peter 1:13–14). As a young believer in Jesus, he’d shown moments of uncommon insight, faith, and courage. But his impulsive misspeaks and fearful betrayal of Jesus must have prompted him to think carefully about what it would take to leave a legacy of stability and spiritual influence. By experience he’d learned that the Spirit of God works in and through our own consciously developed habits of choice and effort (2 Peter 1:3–5). He’d also learned that no virtue stands alone for very long. Yet working together, what begins in faith ends in a reputation of faithful and loyal love. With careful attention, noble desires are complemented by knowledge, knowledge by self-control, self-control by endurance, endurance by devotion to the Father, devotion to the Father by family affection, and family affection by the love Jesus showed both friends and enemies.
Mart DeHaan
2 Peter 1:3-11 King James Version 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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Post by Les on Jul 10, 2021 20:51:24 GMT
Lies with Truth By: Xochitl Dixon
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Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5
Today's Scripture & Insight: Proverbs 30:5–8 I set my Bible on the podium and stared at the eager faces waiting for me to begin the message. I’d prayed and prepared. Why couldn’t I speak?
You’re worthless. No one will ever listen to you, especially if they know your past. And God would never use you. Seared into my heart and mind, these words spoken in various ways over my life ignited a decade-long war against the lies I so easily believed. Though I knew the words weren’t true, I couldn’t seem to escape my insecurities and fears. So I opened my Bible.
Turning to Proverbs 30:5, I inhaled and exhaled slowly before reading out loud. “Every word of God is flawless,” I read, “he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” I closed my eyes as peace overwhelmed me, and I began to share my testimony with the crowd.
Many of us have experienced the paralyzing power of negative words or opinions others have of us. However, God’s words are “flawless,” perfect and absolutely sound. When we’re tempted to believe spirit-crushing ideas about our value or our purpose as God’s children, God’s enduring and infallible truth protects our minds and our hearts. We can echo the psalmist who wrote: “I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them” (Psalm 119:52).
Let’s combat lies we’ve accepted about God, ourselves, and others by replacing negative speak with Scripture.
Reflect & Pray What lies have you believed? What verses in the Bible have helped you see God, yourself, and others through the truth of Scripture?
Loving Father, please help me to prayerfully study Scripture as You help me view life through the lens of Your truth.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Proverbs 30:5–6 talks about the significance of “every word of God.” Verse 5 notes the “flawless” nature of the Bible. The Hebrew word used here, sārap, literally means “purified” or “refined.” The term refers to goldsmithing or refining metal—the intensive process done to remove the impurities. Verse 6 demands Scripture remain pure by warning against adding anything to it.
Verses 7–9 focus on clarifying God’s promises. For example, many Bible verses state that the righteous will prosper (see 13:21; 28:25); however, verses 8–9 qualify the promise, warning that having too much (becoming rich) or too little (experiencing poverty) can cause believers to fall. Instead, to find contentment in God the author prays, “Give me only my daily bread” (v. 8).
Julie Schwab
Proverbs 30:5-8 King James Version 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
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Post by Les on Jul 11, 2021 20:36:04 GMT
Hope in Grief By: Bill Crowder
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We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Today's Scripture & Insight: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 As the cabbie drove us to London’s Heathrow Airport, he told us his story. He had come alone to the United Kingdom at age fifteen, seeking to escape war and deprivation. Now, eleven years later, he has a family of his own and is able to provide for them in ways unavailable in his native land. But he laments that he’s still separated from his parents and siblings. He told us that he’s had a hard journey that won’t be complete until he’s reunited with his family.
Being separated from our loved ones in this life is hard, but losing a loved one in death is much harder and creates a sense of loss that won’t be made right until we’re reunited with them. When the new believers at Thessalonica wondered about such losses, Paul wrote, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). He explained that as believers in Jesus, we can live in expectation of a wonderful reunion—together forever in the presence of Christ (v. 17).
Few experiences mark us as deeply as the separations we endure, but in Jesus we have hope of being reunited. And in the midst of grief and loss we can find the comfort we need in that enduring promise (v. 18).
Reflect & Pray How has loss marked your life? How does Jesus provide the help and hope you need?
Father, there’s nothing on earth that can fill the places in my heart made empty through loss. Draw me to You and comfort me with Your love and grace.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Scholars estimate Thessalonica’s population in the first century to be around 200,000—a huge city for that day. A port community on the Aegean Sea, it was an important crossroads city that was a focal point for both commercial endeavor and Roman military activity. What made it such a challenging environment for the Thessalonian church was the dominance of pagan Greek religion in the city as well as the presence of a vocal Jewish population. These challenges resulted in stiff persecution—particularly from the Jewish synagogue leaders. After Paul preached in the Thessalonian synagogue on three consecutive Sabbaths (see Acts 17:1–4), the Jewish leadership responded with violence, accusing Paul of treason against Caesar (vv. 5–8). From that turbulent beginning would grow one of the truly significant churches in the New Testament era—a church considered by some scholars to be an ideal example of what a faith community should look like (1 Thessalonians 1:7).
Bill Crowder
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 King James Version 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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Post by Les on Jul 12, 2021 20:50:56 GMT
Jesus Restores Us By: Mike Wittmer
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The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Genesis 3:21
Today's Scripture & Insight: Genesis 3:17–24 Although Sam had done nothing wrong, he lost his job on the assembly line. Carelessness in another division led to problems in cars they built. After several crashes made the news, wary customers stopped buying their brand. The company had to downsize, leaving Sam out of work. He’s collateral damage, and it isn’t fair. It never is.
History’s first collateral damage occurred immediately after the first sin. Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness, so God graciously clothed them with “garments of skin” (Genesis 3:21). It’s painful to imagine, but one or more animals that had always been safe in the garden were now slaughtered and skinned.
There was more to come. God told Israel, “Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord; morning by morning you shall provide it” (Ezekiel 46:13). Every. Single. Day. How many thousands of animals have been sacrificed because of human sin?
Their death was necessary to cover our sin until Jesus, the Lamb of God, came to remove it (John 1:29). Call this “collateral repair.” As Adam’s sin kills us, so the Last Adam’s (Christ’s) obedience restores all who believe in Him (Romans 5:17–19). Collateral repair isn’t fair—it cost Jesus’ life—but it’s free. Reach out to Jesus in belief and receive the salvation He offers, and His righteous life will count for you.
Reflect & Pray When have you suffered for someone else’s mistake? When have you benefited from someone’s success, and how should you think about both situations?
Jesus, I believe in You, and I know Your life counts for me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT God’s description of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin in Genesis 3:17–24 illustrates a principle that’s seen many times elsewhere in Scripture: human behavior has deep effects on the flourishing and welfare of creation as a whole. Other texts that emphasize this principle are Genesis 4:12 and Romans 8:19–21. In Romans 8, we see that just as human sin and brokenness have brought devastation to all of creation, so too human salvation and resurrection bring transformation to everything: “Creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (v. 21).
Monica La Rose
Genesis 3:17-24 King James Version 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
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Post by Les on Jul 13, 2021 20:42:24 GMT
Longing for God By: Tim Gustafson
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Even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen. Nehemiah 1:9
Today's Scripture & Insight: Nehemiah 1:5–11 When Conner and Sarah Smith moved five miles up the road, their cat S’mores expressed his displeasure by running away. One day Sarah saw a current photo of their old farmhouse on social media. There was S’mores in the picture!
Happily, the Smiths went to retrieve him. S’mores ran away again. Guess where he went? This time, the family that had purchased their house agreed to keep S’mores too. The Smiths couldn’t stop the inevitable; S’mores would always return “home.”
Nehemiah served in a prestigious position in the king’s court in Susa, but his heart was elsewhere. He had just heard news of the sad condition of “the city where my ancestors are buried” (Nehemiah 2:3). And so he prayed, “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, . . . ‘if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name’ ” (1:8–9).
Home is where the heart is, they say. In Nehemiah’s case, longing for home was more than being tied to the land. It was communion with God that he most desired. Jerusalem was “the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”
The dissatisfaction we sense deep down is actually a longing for God. We’re yearning to be home with Him.
Reflect & Pray What’s your idea of home and why? In what ways do you sense yourself longing for God?
Father, help me understand that only You can satisfy my longings. Help me be at home with You, no matter where I am.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The prayer of Nehemiah about the state of affairs of the Israelites who’d returned to their homeland (Nehemiah 1:5–11) rehearses the circumstances that both led to Israel’s exile and their return to the promised land (vv. 8–11). God’s faithfulness to His promises were the key to both events—He promised exile if Israel broke faithfulness with Him and return to the land if they repented and came back to Him. The Israelites had returned to their homeland, but the city gates and walls were still in ruins. After rehearsal of these events, Nehemiah asks God to grant him favor as he presents his case to the king (v. 11).
J.R. Hudberg
Nehemiah 1:5-11 King James Version 5 And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.
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Post by Les on Jul 14, 2021 20:57:48 GMT
Listen and Learn By: Anne Cetas
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Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19
Today's Scripture & Insight: James 1:19–27 On one side of the street a homeowner displays in his yard a giant blow-up bald eagle draped in a US flag. A big truck sits in the driveway. Its side window features a painted flag and the back bumper is covered with patriotic stickers. Directly across the street in a neighbor’s yard are signs that highlight the slogans for current social justice issues in the news.
Are the people in these homes feuding or friends? we might wonder. Is it possible that both families are believers in Jesus? God calls us to live out the words of James 1:19: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Too often we stubbornly hold on to our opinions and aren’t willing to consider what others are thinking. Matthew Henry's Commentary has this to say: “We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak . . . and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath.”
Someone has said, “Learning requires listening.” The practical words from God in the book of James can only be accomplished if we’re filled with God’s loving Spirit and choose to respect others. He’s willing to help us make changes in our hearts and attitudes. Are we open to listen and learn?
Reflect & Pray How does God want you to put James 1 into practice? Whom might you need to listen to and hear?
You know me, God. I can be opinionated sometimes. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
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July 14 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 10–12; Acts 19:1–20
Listen and Learn
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19
READ James 1:19–27
audio playLISTEN ONLINE On one side of the street a homeowner displays in his yard a giant blow-up bald eagle draped in a US flag. A big truck sits in the driveway. Its side window features a painted flag and the back bumper is covered with patriotic stickers. Directly across the street in a neighbor’s yard are signs that highlight the slogans for current social justice issues in the news.
Are the people in these homes feuding or friends? we might wonder. Is it possible that both families are believers in Jesus? God calls us to live out the words of James 1:19: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Too often we stubbornly hold on to our opinions and aren’t willing to consider what others are thinking. Matthew Henry’s Commentary has this to say: “We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak . . . and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath.”
Someone has said, “Learning requires listening.” The practical words from God in the book of James can only be accomplished if we’re filled with God’s loving Spirit and choose to respect others. He’s willing to help us make changes in our hearts and attitudes. Are we open to listen and learn?
By Anne Cetas
REFLECT & PRAY How does God want you to put James 1 into practice? Whom might you need to listen to and hear?
You know me, God. I can be opinionated sometimes. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Writing to believers in Jesus who were “scattered among the nations” (James 1:1), James offers practical instruction on what a life lived for Christ looks like. He covers attitudes, such as favoritism and love of money (2:1–12; 5:1–6); and actions, such as giving to the needy and patience in suffering (2:14–26; 5:7–11).
In today’s reading, James 1:19–27, the author puts together a bit of an encouragement sandwich. In verses 19–21 and 26–27, he gives specific examples of how to live righteously: keep one’s temper in check; keep a rein on one’s tongue; take care of the needy. The meat of the sandwich is in the middle section (vv. 22–25), where James explains that the ritual of hearing (or reading) Scripture isn’t enough to lead to the righteousness that God desires. We need to obey what it tells us to do.
J.R. Hudberg
James 1:19-27 King James Version 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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Post by Les on Jul 16, 2021 20:04:45 GMT
Navigating the Storms of Life By Lisa M. Samra
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Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me. Psalm 43:3
Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 43 On July 16, 1999, the small plane piloted by John F. Kennedy Jr. crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Investigators determined the cause of the accident to be a common error known as spatial disorientation. This phenomenon occurs when, due to poor visibility, pilots become disoriented and forget to rely on their instruments to help them successfully reach their destination.
As we navigate life, there are often times when life gets so overwhelming we feel disoriented. A cancer diagnosis, the death of a loved one, a job loss, a betrayal by a friend—life’s unexpected tragedies can easily leave us feeling lost and confused.
When we find ourselves in these kinds of situations, we might try offering the prayer of Psalm 43. In this psalm, the psalmist is overwhelmed and feeling lost because he feels surrounded by evil and injustice. In despair, the psalmist pleads with God to provide His sure guidance to help him safely navigate through the situation to his desired destination, God’s presence (vv. 3–4). In God’s presence the psalmist knows he’ll find renewed hope and joy.
What are the tools the psalmist requests for guidance? The light of truth and the assurance of God’s presence by His Holy Spirit.
When you’re feeling disoriented and lost, God’s faithful guidance through His Spirit and loving presence can comfort you and light your way.
Reflect & Pray What disorienting circumstances are you experiencing? How might you ask God to help guide you today?
Heavenly Father, thank You that You’ve not left me alone in the challenging and disorienting circumstances of life. Please help me to rely on You to guide my steps today.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Psalm 43 is an intimate prayer from one experiencing the difficulties of life to a God who can intervene. It’s important to notice the progression of thought to better understand the petition of the prayer.
In verse 1, the author establishes his need for help and proclaims his innocence in the face of his persecution: “vindicate” implies the author is being wrongly attacked. The psalmist then moves on to acknowledge that he’s come to God yet feels abandoned by Him. This suggests that both the persecution by the “deceitful and wicked” (v. 1) as well as the prayers for deliverance and perceived inaction by God have been ongoing. In verse 3, the psalmist once again asks God to intervene. It suggests that when the request is fulfilled, the psalmist will be able to go and offer his praise (v. 4). To end his prayer, the writer reminds himself that he’ll continue to hope and trust in God (v. 5).
J.R. Hudberg
Psalm 43 King James Version 43 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
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Post by Les on Jul 17, 2021 21:02:29 GMT
Prejudice and Forgiveness By: Arthur Jackson
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I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34
Today's Scripture & Insight: Acts 10:23–28 After hearing a message about correcting injustice, a church member approached the pastor weeping, asking for forgiveness and confessing that he hadn’t voted in favor of calling the black minister to be pastor of their church because of his own prejudice. “I really need you to forgive me. I don’t want the junk of prejudice and racism spilling over into my kids’ lives. I didn’t vote for you, and I was wrong.” His tears and confession were met with the tears and forgiveness of the minister. A week later, the entire church rejoiced upon hearing the man’s testimony of how God had worked in his heart.
Even Peter, a disciple of Jesus and a chief leader in the early church, had to be corrected because of his ill-conceived notions about non-Jewish people. Eating and drinking with gentiles (who were considered unclean), was a violation of social and religious protocol. Peter said, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile” (Acts 10:28). It took nothing less than the supernatural activity of God (vv. 9–23) to convince him that he “should not call anyone impure or unclean” (v. 28).
Through the preaching of Scripture, the conviction of the Spirit, and life experiences, God continues to work in human hearts to correct our misguided perspectives about others. He helps us to see that “God does not show favoritism” (v. 34).
Reflect & Pray What experiences or people has God used to help you see that He doesn’t show favoritism? What are the things in your life that may have blinded you to His acceptance of all people?
Dear God, search my heart and show me where I need to change.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Cornelius was a commander (centurion) of one hundred soldiers stationed at the maritime city of Caesarea Maritima, also the residence of Pilate the governor. Despite the Jews’ hatred of the Roman army, the New Testament presents centurions rather positively (see Luke 7:1–5; 23:47; Acts 23:17–23). Twice, Cornelius is described as a “God-fearing” man (Acts 10:2, 22). A “God-fearer” (13:26; 17:4) was a term used by Jews to describe gentiles who worshiped Israel’s God and followed the ethics of the Old Testament laws, but weren’t full converts to Judaism because they hadn’t been circumcised or didn’t fully subscribe to Judaism’s rituals and traditions. Philip the evangelist had earlier brought the gospel to Caesarea (8:40; 21:8), but now God was beginning a far greater work among the gentiles. Cornelius and those gathered at his house became the first gentile believers to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (10:24, 44–46). Scholars call this episode the “Gentile Pentecost.”
K. T. Sim
Acts 10:23-28 King James Version 23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
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Post by Les on Jul 18, 2021 20:51:49 GMT
God's Restoring Ways By: Monica La Rose
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People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine. Hosea 14:7
Today's Scripture & Insight: Hosea 14 One of the most moving songs in the musical The Greatest Showman is “From Now On.” Sung after the main character comes to some painful self-realizations about the ways he’s wounded family and friends, the song celebrates the joy of coming back home and finding that what we already have is more than enough.
The book of Hosea concludes with a similar tone—one of breathless joy and gratitude at the restoration God makes possible for those who return to Him. Much of the book, which compares the relationship between God and His people to a relationship with an unfaithful spouse, grieves Israel’s failures to love Him and live for Him.
But in chapter 14, Hosea lifts up the promise of God’s boundless love, grace, and restoration—freely available to those who return to Him heartbroken over the ways they’ve abandoned Him (vv. 1–3). “I will heal their waywardness,” God promises, “and love them freely” (v. 4). And what had seemed broken beyond repair will once more find wholeness and abundance, as God’s grace, like dew, causes His people to “blossom like a lily” and “flourish like the grain” (vv. 5–7).
When we’ve hurt others or taken for granted God’s goodness in our life, it’s easy to assume we’ve forever marred the good gifts we’ve been given. But when we humbly turn to Him, we find His love is always reaching to embrace and restore.
Reflect & Pray When have you experienced or witnessed restoration beyond what seemed possible? In what areas of your life do you need reassurance of God’s promise to heal and restore?
Loving God and Creator of Life, teach me to trust in Your goodness—not just when I’m good, but all the time.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The story of Hosea is remarkable! God tells His prophet to marry a promiscuous woman (Hosea 1:2–3)—one who would be repeatedly unfaithful. Why would God command this? Hosea’s sordid marriage to Gomer is a picture of the relationship between God and His unfaithful people. Israel and Judah were characterized by idolatry, a sin that included literal prostitution practiced by the cult of Baal. Gomer lives out this sin, and Hosea feels anguish similar to God’s. The disloyalty of His people resembles Gomer’s infidelity. Yet God instructs Hosea to rescue his wayward wife. Hosea buys her back from her life of prostitution (3:1–2). This is the stark and startling picture of how much God loves His people.
Tim Gustafson
Hosea 14 King James Version 14 O israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
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