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JANUARY

January 1st As far as the east is from the west, so He has removed away from us our sins... ¤ Manasseh did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, imitating the detestable practices of the pagan nations whom the Lord had driven away from the land ahead of the Israelites. He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed. He constructed alters for Baal and set up an Asherah pole (a Phoenician goddess), just as King Ahab of Israel had done. He also bowed before all the stars of heaven and worshiped them. He even built pagan alters in the temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said His name should be honored forever. He built these alters for all the stars of heaven in both courtyards of the Lord's Temple. Manasseh even sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord's sight, arousing His anger. ¤ Manasseh was more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in the land before Israel. He led the people of Judah into idolatry. He murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood. This was in addition to the sin that he caused the people of Judah to commit, leading them to do evil in the Lord's sight. ¤ Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the pagan nations whom the Lord had destroyed when the Israelites entered the land. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all His warnings. So the Lord sent the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon. But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and cried out humbly to the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request for help. So the Lord let Manasseh return to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Manasseh had finally realized that the Lord alone is God! ¤ "I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins", says the Lord. ¤ The family tree of Jesus Christ, David's son, Abraham's son... Abraham had Issac... David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife... Hezekiah was the father of Manesseh, Manesseh was the father of Amon... and Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Psalm 103:12   2nd Chronicles 33:1-6   2nd Kings 21:11-16   2nd Chronicles 33:9-13   Jeremiah 31:34   Matthew 1:1, 2, 6, 10, 16 January 2nd Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life to which you were called... ¤ The Lord has said; "Let not the wise man be gratified by his wisdom. Let not the mighty man be gratified by his might, nor let the rich man be gratified within his riches. But let him who seeks gratification be gratified in this; That he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and that which is right in the earth. For in these things I delight.  I, the Lord, have spoken." ¤ Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law... Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. My soul clings to the dust. Revive me according to Your word. I have declared my failures, and You answered me. Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts. I shall meditate on Your wonderful works. My soul droops from grief. Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove me from life's path of deceit and grant me Your law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth. Your judgments I have laid before me, and I cling to Your testimonies. O Lord, do not put me to shame!  I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart... So shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in Your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances. So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed. I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love. And I will meditate on Your statutes. ¤ Not that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection!  But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me to be. I am focusing all my energies on this one thing;  Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God, through Christ Jesus. Ist Timothy 6:12   Jeremiah 9:23-24   Psalm 119:18  119:24-32  119:42-48   Phillipians 3:12-14 January 3rd Then God said, "Let there be light", and there was light... In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light", and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day... Then God said, " Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years, and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth", and it was so. Then God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness... Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. ¤ God is the Lord, and He has given us light. ¤ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path... How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!  Through Your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. ¤ The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. ¤ Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever. ¤ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation; that light has come into the world, yet men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come into the light, for his deeds would be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes into the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done according to the will of God. ¤ Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." ¤ Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Genesis 1:3,  1:1-5,  1:14-18  & 1:31   Psalm 118:27  119:105  119:103-104   Isaiah 9:2   Psalm 118:29 John 3:17-21   John 8:12   Isaiah 2:5 January 4th And the earth brought forth grass and seed bearing plants and trees... And God said, "Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind... Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal—livestock, small animals and wildlife."  Then God said to His heavenly court, "Let us make man, in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life—the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals."  So God created man in His own image... ¤ And the Lord God formed a man's body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life, and the man became a living person. Then the Lord planted a garden, in a place He called Eden, and there He placed the man He had created. And God planted all sorts of trees in the garden; beautiful trees that produced luscious fruits. At the center of the garden He placed the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... The Lord God had placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for it. But the Lord gave him this life preserving warning:  "You may eat of any fruit in the garden, except the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die." And the Lord said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who will help him."  The man had given names to all the livestock, birds, and wild animals which God had created, yet still there was no companion suitable for him. So the Lord caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of the man's ribs and closed up the flesh at the place from which He had taken it. Then the Lord fashioned a woman from the rib and brought her to the man, who exclaimed, "She is part of my own flesh and bone!  She shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of a man"... They were both naked, the man and the woman, and were not ashamed. ¤ And God called their name, Adam. ¤ Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures which God had made;  "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say that you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?"  "Of course we may eat it," the woman told him. "It is only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God has said that we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die."  "You won't die!" the serpent hissed. "God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will in fact become just like God, knowing everything; both good and evil."  The woman became convinced; the fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise!  So she ate some of the fruit, and also gave some to her husband, who was there with her, and he ate. At that moment, their eyes were strangely opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together and around their hips to cover themselves. Toward evening they heard the Lord walking about in the garden, and so, being afraid, they hid themselves among the trees. Genesis 1:12, 20, 24, 26, 27   Genesis 2:7-9, 15-18, 20-22, 25   Genesis 5:2   Genesis 3:1-8 January 5th The sun had risen above the earth when Lot entered Zoar ¤ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse of heaven shows the work of His hands. Day after day they speak, and night after night they instruct. There is no place in the universe where their voice is not heard. Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens He has made an evening shelter for the sun, which rises in radiance like a bridegroom making his way to the wedding. It revels as a strong athlete, ready to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end. There is nothing hidden from its heat. ¤ There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and still another glory of the stars, for one star differs from another star in majesty and illumination. ¤ God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has forgotten Him within their heart and prospered?  He can remove mountains without warning, overturning them in His anger. He can shake the earth out of its place so that its very foundations tremble. He can command the sun and it will not rise. He can eclipse the sun or cause the stars not to be seen. He alone spreads out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea. He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky. He does great things which we cannot comprehend; yes, wonders without number. If He goes by me, I do not see Him. If He moves past, I do not know that He is there. If He takes away, who can hinder Him?  Who can say to Him, "What are You doing?" ¤ Can you search out the deep things of God?  Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?  They are higher than heaven... What can you do? ¤ Hear me... Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established. Believe His prophets, and you shall prosper. ¤ Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself;  For the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your grieving, yearning, and aching shall all be ended. Genesis 19:23   Psalm 19:1-7   Ist Corinthians 15:41   Job 9:4-12   Job 11:7-8 2nd Chronicles 20:20   Isaiah 60:20 January 6th Soon, the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?... Have you eaten the fruit of which I commanded you not to eat? ...Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All of your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from the dust, and to dust you shall return"... So the Lord God banished Adam and his wife from the garden of Eden, and He sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After banishing them from the garden, the Lord God stationed mighty angelic beings to the east of Eden. And a flaming sword turned every way, keeping mankind from the Tree of Life. ¤ Now the Lord observed the extent of people's wickedness on the earth, and He saw that their thoughts and imaginations were only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry He had ever made them; His heart was broken with grief.  And the Lord said, "I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all of the animals and birds too, for I am sorry that I have made them."  But a man named Noah found favor with the Lord. ¤ The thought of my sufferings and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my losses. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this; Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion does not fail, and His mercy is new every morning. I say to myself the Lord is my gift; therefore I will hope in Him! ¤ Oh Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against You. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him. ¤ The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation. ¤ For He, the Mighty One, is holy, and He has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear Him... Genesis 3:9, 11  3:17-19  3:23, 24  &  6:5-8   Lamentations 3:19-24   Daniel 9:8, 9 Psalm 145:8, 9   Luke 1:49, 50 January 7th Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will He never again show me favor? ¤ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. ¤ For patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord's plan finally ended in good, for He is full of tenderness and mercy. ¤ Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. ¤ Lord you are mine!  I promise to obey Your words!  With all my heart I desire Your blessings. Be merciful just as You promised.  I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your statutes. I have hurried without lingering, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I do not forget Your teachings. At midnight I rise to thank You for Your nurturing fairness. Anyone who fears You is my friend; anyone who respects and obeys Your precepts. Oh, Lord, the earth is full of Your unfailing love. Teach me Your principles. You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as You promised. I believe in Your commands, now, teach me good judgment and knowledge.  I use to wander off until You disciplined me; but now I closely follow Your word. You are good and do only good. Teach me Your principles!  ...It is good for me that I have been afflicted, for it has taught me to pay attention to Your laws. Your law is more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver! Psalm 37:7   Psalm 40:1-3   James 5:10,11   2nd Peter 1:6   Psalm 119:57-68, 71, 72 January 8th Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the descendants of Seth saw the daughters of Cain, that they were beautiful, and so they took wives for themselves; any of them they desired. And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not contend with man forever, for their nature is corrupted and they have unspiritual desires. I shall give them one hundred and twenty more years..."  The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that He had made men on the earth, for the actions of men grieved Him in His heart. So He determined to destroy them from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air. But, a man named Noah found grace in the Eyes of the Lord... And God said to Noah,  "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I will soon destroy them all.  Make for yourself an ark of gopherwood. Make compartments and nests in the ark, and cover the ark inside and outside with pitch. Make the ark 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits in height. Make a window opening, all the way around the ark, one cubit below the roof. Put three decks inside the ark; lower, middle and upper, and put a door in its side. — I am about to cover the earth with a great flood that will destroy every living thing. Everything on earth will die!  Yet, I am making a covenant with you, and you shall go into the ark with your sons, your wife and your sons' wives. Pairs of birds and animals that I choose will come to you, for you to keep them alive, and you shall bring them into the ark, to keep them alive with you. You shall gather food for yourselves and for them." Then Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.  ¤ In the six-hundredth year of Noahs' life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened... The flood was on the earth for forty days and forty nights. In this time the waters increased and lifted the ark high above the earth... And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, so that the highest mountains were covered, the water rising to 15 cubits above them... Every living thing on the earth was wiped out—people, animals both large and small, and birds.  They were all destroyed, and only Noah was left alive, along with those who were with him in the ark.  And the water covered the earth for 150 days.  ¤ It was by faith that Noah built the ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before. By his faith, Noah condemned the rest of the world, and was made righteous in Gods' sight. Genesis 6:1-3, 5-8, 13-22   Genesis 7:11, 17, 19, 20, 22-24   Hebrews 11:7 January 9th And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights... ¤ Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all of the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a great wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from the heaven was restrained... At the end of one-hundred-fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually... ¤ God had preached to many souls who refused to listen to Him. He waited patiently for 120 years while Noah was building the ark, in which only eight people were saved through water. And this salvation through water symbolizes baptism, that also now saves you; It's not a removal of our sinful nature, but it's an appeal of a right conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ¤ "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this; God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  Now when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"  Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call." ¤ Then Naaman the leper went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house.  And Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you shall be clean."  But Naaman became furious and walked away saying, "Indeed!  I surely thought that he would come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spots of my leprosy and cure me.  Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than any waters of Israel?  Couldn't I wash in them and be made clean?"  So he turned and went off in a rage. But then his servants came near and spoke to him;  "My father, if the prophet Elisha had told you to do something great, would you not have done it?  How much more than when he says to you, 'Wash and be clean'?"  So Naaman went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of Elisha, the man of God. His flesh was then restored and became clean like that of a young boy.  ¤ And Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned." Genesis 7:12 & 8:1-5   1st Peter 3:20,21   Acts 2:36-39   2nd Kings 5:9-14   Mark 16:15,16 January 10th I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth... ¤ My heart is in anguish, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling overwhelm me. I can't stop shaking. So I said,  "Oh!  How I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest. Indeed, I would wander far off, to the quiet of the wilderness. How quickly I would escape, far from the windy storm and tempest." ¤ Then I said,  "Oh Lord, You have driven me from Your presence, yet, I will look again toward Your holy temple."  I sank beneath the waves, and death was very near. The waters closed in around me and seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very foundations of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, its bars closed behind me forever. Yet You, Oh Lord my God, have brought up my life from the pit. ¤ When morning dawned, they did not recognize the coastline, but they observed a bay with a beach and planned to get the ship safely between the rocks to the shoreline... if they could!  So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. They loosened the rudder ropes and then hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a reef where two seas met they ran the ship aground. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart. And the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would swim ashore and escape. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul, so he kept them from their purpose and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and he told others to try for it on planks and debris from the broken ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land! ¤ A great windstorm arose and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are perishing?"  He then arose and rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Peace, be still!"— Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He then said to His disciples, "Why are you so afraid?  Have you still no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  Even the wind and the sea obey His voice!" ¤ From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed, Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a shelter for me. Genesis 9:13   Psalm 55:4-8   Jonah 2:4-6   Acts 27:39-44   Mark 4:37-41   Psalm 61:2, 3 January 11th Never again will there be a flood that will destroy all life... ¤ But the heavens and the earth are now preserved by the same Word, reserved for fire until the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, if indeed you are looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. ¤ However, no one knows the day or the hour in which these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son Himself. Only the Father knows. When Jesus returns it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days, before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings, right up until the very day Noah entered the ark. People did not realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is exactly the way it will be when Jesus returns.  ¤... He will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Yet, you will be among those praising Him on that day, for you believed and acted on what we have testified about Him. ¤ And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life, and be at peace with God. And remember that the Lord is patient, waiting, in hopes that people will consider their ways and be saved.—This is just what our dear brother Paul wrote to you about with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. The result will be their own destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can be aware and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your own secure footing, but to grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¤ Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. Genesis 9:15   2nd Peter 3:7, 10-13   Matthew 24:36-39   2nd Thessalonians 1:7-10   2nd Peter 3:14-18 1st Corinthians 16:13 January 12th Now the whole earth had one language and one speech... And it came to pass, as the population journeyed from the east, some years after the flood, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they settled there. They soon began to talk about construction projects. "Come," they said, "let us first make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let's build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies; a monument to our greatness!  This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world." But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people were building. And the Lord said to His heavenly court, "Indeed, the people are of one language, and their pride has consumed them. Now, nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down there and cause them to speak in different languages. Then they won't be able to understand each other, and will multiply over the earth as I had instructed them to do."  So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased the construction of their city. The city was then called, Babel, because it was there that the Lord confused the people by giving them different races and languages, thus scattering them all over the earth. ¤ ...Now, about 300 years after the flood, Abraham was born. ¤ And the Lord said to Abraham: "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." ¤ You are all sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you that were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christs', then you are all the spiritual children of Abraham, and heirs of the salvation that was promised him. ¤ When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that they might receive the adoption as children. And because you Gentiles have become His children also, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, and now you can call God your dear Father!  And since you are His children, through Christ, everything He has belongs to you. ¤ You have been healed by His wounds!  Once you were wandering like lost sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. Genesis 11:1-9   Genesis 11: 10...32   Genesis 12:1-3   Galatians 3:26-29   Galatians 4:4-7   1st Peter 2:24,25 January 13th When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" ¤ And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked.  ¤ A certain man, lame from his mother's womb, was carried daily to the gate of the temple to ask for gifts from those who entered.  ¤ And Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  ¤ Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. | ¤ Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.  ¤ Then a man with leprosy came to Him, imploring Him, and knelt in front of Him saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me well again."  ¤ Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away.  ¤ And they ran throughout the whole area and began carrying sick people to Him on mats. Wherever He went... in villages and cities and out on the farms... they laid the sick in the market places and streets. ¤ Now a highly valued slave of a Roman soldier, a centurion, was sick and near death. When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, the soldier came and pleaded with Him, "Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and racked with pain."  Jesus said, "I will come and heal him."  Then the soldier said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have You come into my home. But just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed!  I know because I too am a man under authority, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say 'Go', and they go, or 'Come', and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this or that', they do it." When Jesus heard this, He stood in awe. Turning to the crowd He said, "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!  And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven. But many Israelites, those for whom the kingdom was first prepared, will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go on home, What you have believed has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 9:27   Acts 14:8   Acts 3:2   Mark 3:1   Mark 7:32   Mark 2:3,4   Mark 1:40 Mark 1:30   Mark 6:55,56   Matthew 8:5-13 January 14th Wisdom is in the sight of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. ¤ Lot, who journeyed with Abraham, was also very wealthy with sheep, cattle, and many tents. But the land could not support both Abraham and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. There were too many animals for the available pastureland. So an argument broke out between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.  So Abraham said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between you and me, or between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before us?  Please, separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right, or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the beautiful plain of Jordan, and he journeyed eastward. And they separated form each other. Abraham dwelt in the desert land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, even pitching his tent as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. ¤ Do not give your hearts to this world, or to any of the things in it. If anyone loves the world, the love for God is not within him. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for having everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These desires are not from God. ¤ Do not team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness have a common interest with wickedness?  How can light live in the same place with darkness?  What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?  What can a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  And what common ground can there be between Gods' temple and idols?  For we ourselves are the temple of the living God, as God has said;  "I will dwell in them and walk with them. And I will be their God and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from among them, and separate yourselves from them," says the Lord.  "Do not touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. I will be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty. ¤ You are the light of the world, like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see... Let your light so shine before mankind. Proverbs 17:24   Genesis 13:5-13   Matthew 5:14, 16   2nd Corinthians 6:14-18   Matthew 5:14, 16 January 15th And the Lord said, "Stand on this glorious rock beside Me." ¤ After these things the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abraham. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward... Now, look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are indeed able to number them. Your descendants will be like them; too many to count."  And Abraham believed in the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith. ¤ Listen, O heavens and I will speak. Hear, O earth, the words of My mouth. My teaching will fall on you like rain, My speech will settle like the dew. As raindrops on young plants, and as gentle showers on tender blades of grass, My words proclaim the name of the Lord.  Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock. His work is perfect. Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong. How just and upright He is! ¤ The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. He is the God of my strength in whom I will trust. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my Savior, the One who protects me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, for He saves me from all my enemies... They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a place of safety. He rescued me because He delights in me. The Lord rewarded me for doing right, because of my innocence in His sight. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from His teachings, for His statutes are written upon my heart. ¤ When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,  "I am Almighty God. Walk before Me in faith and be blameless. I will make a covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."  Then Abraham fell on his face in reverence, and God talked with him, saying,  "My covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of many nations... I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations from you and kings shall come forth from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be their God."  ¤ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.  ¤ For the promise that Abraham would be heir of the world was not made to him or his seed through the law, but through a relationship with God that comes by faith. Exodus 33:21   Genesis 15:1, 5, 6   Deuteronomy 32:1-4   2nd Samuel 22:1-4, 19-23   Genesis 17:1-4, 6, 7 Galatians 3:26-29   Romans 4:13 January 16th Fire refines choice silver and gold. In the same way, the Lord refines the heart. ¤ Oh, that You would tear open the heavens, that You would come down!  How the mountains would quake in Your presence!  As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, Your coming would make the nations tremble. Then Your enemies would learn the reason for Your fame. When You came down long ago, You did awesome things beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!  For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like You, who works for those who wait for Him!  You come to him who cheerfully does good, who remembers You and Your ways. But, You are justly angry, for we have sinned. And in these ways we continue, and we need to be saved. We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our iniquities, like the wind, have swept us away. Yet, no one calls on Your name, or pleads with You for mercy. Therefore You have turned away from us and caused us to bear the consequences of our sins. And yet, Lord, You are our only Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We are all formed by Your hand. Oh, don't be so angry with us, Lord. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all Your people. ¤ We know that Your law is spiritual, but we are carnal, sold into slavery with sin as our master. I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I practice the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that Your law is good, but, I am powerless to help myself, because it is the sin that dwells inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know that I am rotten through and through as far as my sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't... I love God's law with all of my heart, but there is another law within me that is at war with my mind; This law of my sinful nature wins the fight, and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am!  Who will free me from the prison of this mortal body? Thank God the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord! ¤ So there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death... The sinful nature is always hostile toward God. It never did obey His laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.  But you are not controlled by your sinful nature, but by the Spirit of God, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Proverbs 17:3   Isaiah 64:1-9   Romans 7:14-18, 22-25   Romans 8:1, 2, 7-9 January 17th If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; they are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone and a new life has begun! All this is Gods' doing, for He has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and He has given us the task of reconciling other people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting peoples' sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We are Christs' ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ Himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!"  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Him. ¤ Therefore, do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, as being alive from the dead, using your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. Realize that sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer under the condemnation of the law, which enslaves you to sin, but you have been set free by the grace of God... I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easier for you to understand. Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness. Now you must choose, through your new Master, to be slaves of righteousness, so that you will become holy. ¤ Since you have heard all about Him, and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your former conduct, that old you which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Put on a new attitude, because you are a new person, created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. ¤ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you; sexual sin, impurity, lust, shameful desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon those who practice them, which you yourself once practiced, when your way of life was still part of this world. So now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander against God and filthy language. Do not lie to each other... Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, making allowance for each others faults and forgiving one another. As Christ forgave you, so you must also do for others. The most important piece of clothing you must put on is love, for love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let this peace that comes form Christ rule within your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. Be thankful in this!  Let the words of Christ, in all of their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other. 1st Corinthians 5:17-21   Romans 6:12-14, 19   Ephesians 4:22-24   Colossians 3:5-9, 12-16 January 18th I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation, for everyone who believes it. The gospel is for Jew and Gentile alike. For within it is Gods' plan for making them right in His sight, a process begun and continued by their faith. For it is written, "The just shall live by faith." ¤ Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you say or do, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks to God the Father through Him. ¤ Hold onto the pattern of right teaching which you learned from me. And remember to live in the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, take the greatest care of these written treasures entrusted to you. ¤ And know this, that in these last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving. They will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They will indeed act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that... for they resist the truth, and are traitors to the faith. ¤ Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that, in these last days, some will depart from within the ranks of our faith, and will follow deceiving spirits and teachings of demons. They will speak lies in hypocrisy from a dead conscience, saying it is wrong to be married, or to eat certain foods such as meat which, actually, are to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who believe and know the truth. For everything that God has created is good, if it is received with a thankful heart. ¤ And so I solemnly urge you—before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing: Preach the word of God. Never lose your sense of urgency, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage people with good, accurate teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound doctrine. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow after man-made myths. ¤ But if even we, or an angel from heaven, teach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so now I say again, if anyone teaches any other gospel to you than what you have already heard, let him be accursed. Romans 1:16, 17   Colossians 3:16, 17   2nd Timothy 1:13,14  &  3:1-5, 8   1st Timothy 4:1-4 2nd Timothy 4:1-4   Galatians 1:9 January 19th Then the three men rose from there and looked toward Sodom... Abraham went with them, to send them on their way... And the Lord said to Abraham, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, because their sin is very grievous. I am going down now to see whether or not these reports are true."  The two other men then went on toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham for awhile. Abraham approached Him and said,  "Will You destroy both the innocent and guilty alike?  Suppose You find fifty innocent people there within the city—will You still destroy it and not spare it for their sakes?  Surely You would not destroy the innocent with the guilty—it would not be like You at all to do such a thing. Should not the judge of all the earth do right?"  So the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." Then Abraham spoke again,  "Since I have begun, let me go and speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. Suppose there are only forty-five?  Will You destroy the city for lack of five?"  And the Lord answered,  "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it."  And Abraham spoke yet again,  "Suppose there should be forty found there?"  And the Lord replied,  "I will not do it for the sake of forty."  "Please don't be angry, my Lord," Abraham pleaded. "Let me speak—suppose thirty should be found there?"  And the Lord replied,  "I will not destroy it if I find thirty there."  Then Abraham said,  "Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?"  And the Lord replied,  "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty."  Finally, Abraham said,  "Lord, please do not get angry, and I will speak but once more—suppose ten should be found there?"  And the Lord said,  "Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it."  When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, He went on His way, and Abraham returned to his tent. ¤ The Lord is merciful and gracious. He is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.  He has not punished us for all of our sins, nor does He deal with us as we deserve. For His mercy toward those who respect Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth... He understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust.  Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers we bloom and die. The wind blows and we are gone—as though we had never been. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who respect Him. His righteousness extends to their children's children. Genesis 18:16, 20-33   Psalm 103:8-11, 14-17 January 20th Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of the city... When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, bowing himself with his face toward the ground. "Here now, my lords, please come to my home and wash your feet and be my guests for the night."  And they said, "No, but we will spend the night here in the open square."  But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him, and he set a great feast before them.  After the meal, as they were preparing to retire for the night, all the men of Sodom, both young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you?  Bring them out so that we can have sex with them."  Lot then stepped out to them and shut the door behind him. "Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing. Look—I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection."  "Stand back!" they shouted. "Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We will deal worse with you than with them!"  And they lunged at Lot and began to break down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot back inside the door, and bolted it. Then they struck the men of Sodom, both small and great, with blindness, so that they could not find the doorway.  Then the angels asked Lot, "Do you have any other relatives in the city? Sons in law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take them out of here, for we will destroy this place. The outcry against it has grown great before the face of the Lord, and He has sent us to destroy it!"  So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters' husbands, "Quick, get out of the city, for the Lord is going to destroy it!"  But the young men thought he was only joking.  When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of this place right now, or you will be consumed in the punishment of the city... Escape for your lives!  Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!" ...The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife looked back at the cities, and she became a pillar of salt. The next morning Abraham hurried to the place where he had stood in the Lord's presence, and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and he saw columns of thick smoke, as from a furnace, rising into the air. But God remembered Abraham, and had kept Lot safe, moving him out from the midst of the destruction of the cities where he had dwelt. ¤ Do not then forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with sexual immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. They are set forth as an example of the consuming fire that will punish all who do such evil. Genesis 19:1-15, 17, 23-29   Jude 7 January 21st As Jesus entered a small village, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" He looked at them and said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests."  And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Glory to God in the highest!" and he fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus, giving Him thanks. This man was a Samaritan.  And Jesus asked him, "Were not ten men cleansed?  Where are the other nine? Did not any of them except this foreigner return to give glory to God?"  Then Jesus looked at the man and said, "Stand up. You may go on your way, your faith has made you well." Then Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, "When will the kingdom of God come?"  Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God is not a kingdom you can see. You will not be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Later he talked again about this with His disciples. "The time is coming when you will long to share days with Me as you do now, but you won't be able to. Reports will say that I, the Son of man, have returned and, 'He is here!' or 'He is over there!'  Do not believe such reports, and do not go out to look for Me. For, when I return, you will know it beyond any doubt. It will be as evident as the lightning that flashes across the sky. But first, I must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. When I do return, the world will be like the people were in Noah's day;   In those days before the flood, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings, right up until the time Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise it was also in the days of Lot;  they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted and they built. But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and burning sulfur down from heaven and destroyed them all.  Yes, it will be 'business as usual', right up until the hour of My return." ¤ "There was a judge in a certain city, who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. The judge ignored her for awhile, but eventually she wore him out. 'I fear neither God nor man', he said to himself, 'but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, so that she will stop pestering me.'  So learn a lesson from this evil judge," Jesus continued, "even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think that God will give justice to His chosen people, who plead with Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you He will grant justice to them quickly!  But in that day when I, the Son of man, return, will I really find faith on the earth?" Luke 17:12-30   Luke 18:1-8 January 22nd Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! ¤ One day God chose to test Abraham's faith and obedience in his old age. God called out to him, "Abraham!"  "I am here," he replied.  Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you will sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you."  So Abraham rose early in the morning. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped the wood for the burnt offering and set out for the place where God had told him to go. On the third day of his journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. So he told his servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The lad and I will go up there and worship, and then we will come back to you."  So Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on the shoulders of his son, Isaac, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up to his father, Abraham, saying, "Father, we have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"  Abraham then answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they continued on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He then bound his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand with the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!"  "I am here," he replied.  "Do not lay a hand on the lad," the Angel said. "Do not do anything to him.— Now I know that you respect God, for you have not withheld your son from Me, your only son."  Then Abraham looked up, and there behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went over and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And he called that place, "The Lord will provide." And to this day it is said as a proverb, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son from Me—I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring, all nations of the world will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me."  And Abraham journeyed back down with his son to his servants, and together they went to Beersheba, and dwelt there. Revelation 5:12   Genesis 22:1-19 January 23rd Behold! The lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ¤ When noontime had come, there was darkness over the whole land until three o'clock. And at that hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God—why have You forsaken Me?" — When some of those standing nearby heard this, they misunderstood, thinking He was calling for the prophet Elijah. One man ran and filled a sponge with wine vinegar and, putting it on a stick, offered it up for Jesus to drink, placing it against His mouth. Others said, "Let him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down."  So when Jesus had received the drink, He cried out, "It is finished, Father—into Your hands I commit My spirit."   And bowing His head, He breathed His last.  And behold, at that moment, the veil of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in half, from top to bottom!  When the centurion who stood near Him saw that He cried out as He did and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" ¤ Christ has come among us, the High Priest of the good things which were to come, through the greater and more perfect temple, not made with human hands. And not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, He entered the Holy of Holies once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us... And so, Christ has not only entered the Holy of Holies made with hands, which are only representations of the true, but into heaven itself; now to appear in the presence of God for us. ¤ So by the virtue of the blood of Jesus, you and I, my brothers and sisters, may now have confidence to enter the Holy of Holies by a new and living way, which He Himself has opened up for us by passing through the veil, that is, His own human nature. Furthermore, since we have such a great High Priest set over the house of God, let us draw near with true hearts and fullest confidence, knowing that our inmost souls have been purified by the sprinkling of His blood, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. ¤ Seeing then that we have such a great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens, let us hold firmly to the faith we possess. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our times of need. ¤ You must go out to the whole world and proclaim this gospel to every creature. He who believes it and is baptized will be saved, but he who disbelieves it will be condemned. John 1:29   Mark 15:33-39 (John 19:30, Luke 23:44-47, Matthew 27:45-54)   Hebrews 9:11, 12, 24 Hebrews 10:19-22   Hebrews 4:14-16   Mark 16:16 January 24th The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a cross. God exalted Him to His own right hand, to be Prince and Savior, that He might grant repentance and forgiveness of sins... We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. ¤ What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, or your obedience to His voice?  Obedience is far better than sacrifice, and listening to Him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. ¤ While Jesus was here on earth, He offered up prayers and pleadings, with loud cries and tears, to the One who could save Him from death. And God heard His prayers because of His reverence for God. And even though Jesus was Gods' Son, yet He learned obedience through the things which He suffered. Having been thus perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. ¤ Don't you realize that whomever you choose to obey becomes your master?  You can choose to obey sin, which leads to death, or choose to obey God, which leads to eternal life. ¤ Arise, O Lord. Save me, O my God!  ¤ Hear me when I call, O God of my salvation!  You are my encouragement in my distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. ¤ In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. Each morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil, nor does evil encamp with you; The proud will not be allowed to stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong. You will destroy those who speak lies. The Lord detests harmful and deceitful men. But as for me, by Your great mercy, I will come into Your house. In reverence and awe I will adore Your Holiness. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness. And, because of the threat of my enemies, make clear Your way in front of me. ¤ I will offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put my trust in You. ¤ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it. Nor do You delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit—a broken and repentant heart. These, O God, You will not despise. ¤ Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me. ¤ Teach me to do Your will. Acts 5:30-32   1st Samuel 15:22, 23   Hebrews 5:7-9   Romans 6:16   Psalm 3:7   Psalm 4:1, 2   Psalm 5:3-8 Psalm 4:5   Psalm 51:15-17   Psalm 24:4, 5   Psalm 143:10 January 25th Do not be wise in your own eyes. Respect the Lord and shun evil. ¤ Now Isaac's son Jacob cooked a stew, and his brother Esau came in from the field, tired and very hungry. And he said to Jacob, "I am starved!  Please give me some of that red stew you've made."  Jacob then replied, "I will, but trade me your birthright for it."  And Esau said, "Look, I feel like I am about ready to die, so what good is my birthright to me now?"  So Jacob insisted, "Well then, swear to me right now that it is mine."  So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his younger brother. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank and went about his business, indifferent to the fact that he had given up his birthright. ¤ A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. ¤ Do not weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time?  For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird. ¤ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun; wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son, there is nothing left for him to inherit. Naked a man comes from his mothers' womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He will take nothing from his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. ¤ Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and some people, eager for it, have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¤ Now a certain ruler asked Jesus, saying, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus answered him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good—except God alone. But you know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "  And the ruler said, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What then do I lack?" ¤ Jesus looked at him and His heart warmed towards him, and He said to him, "There is one thing you still lack. Go and sell everything you have and give the money away to the poor. You will indeed have riches in heaven. Then, come back and follow Me."  At these words the young ruler was saddened, and he walked away in deep distress.  Jesus then looked around at all the people, then said to His disciples, "How difficult it is for those who have great possessions to enter the kingdom of heaven." Proverbs 3:7   Genesis 25:29-34   Proverbs 28:20   Proverbs 23:4, 5   Ecclesiastes 5:13, 14 1st Timothy 6:9, 10   Matthew 19:16-20   Mark 10:21-23 January 26th And Isaac said to Esau his son, "Your brother came in with deceit, and has taken away your blessing." And Esau said, "Is not he rightly named Jacob?  For he has, by underhanded means, taken away my birthright, and now he has taken away my blessing as well !"  ¤ Esau was a godless man at that time, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. And afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, and he found no way to escape the consequences of his sin, though he sought it diligently with tears. ¤ If You, O Lord, should keep a record of sins, who could stand?  But with You there is forgiveness, therefore You are respected. ¤ Now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. It makes no difference who you are, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, yet we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement by the shedding of His blood, which is made effective by our faith. In His forbearance, God passed over the sins under the Mosaic system, to demonstrate at this present time His righteousness, by providing a salvation that mankind was incapable of obtaining. In this He was just, and the justifier of anyone who has faith in Jesus. ¤ I, Paul, say with the Lord's authority; Live no longer as the ungodly do, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. They have shut down their minds, and have hardened their hearts against Him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard Him, and were taught by the truth which is in Him, put off the desires of your former conduct, your old selves which grow corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in your mind with spiritual thoughts and attitudes. Put on that "new person" which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. ¤ Be imitators of God as children imitate their parents. Live your lives walking in love—the same sort of genuine love which Christ gave us, and which He perfectly expressed when He gave Himself up for us as an offering and a sacrifice; an unselfish act well-pleasing to God. Genesis 27:35, 36   Hebrews 12:16, 17   Psalm 130:3, 4   Romans 3:21-26   Ephesians 4:17- 24,   5:1, 2 January 27th Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. ¤ One night Jacob got up and took his two wives, two concubines, and eleven sons across the Jabbok River. After they were on the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a Man came and wrestled with him until dawn. When the Man saw that He could not win the match, He struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. Then the Man said, "Let Me go, for it is dawn."  But Jacob panted, "I will not let You go until You bless me."  "What is your name?" the Man asked.  "I am called Jacob," he replied.  "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the Man told him. "It is now Israel (meaning: one who struggles with God), because you have struggled with both God and men and have prevailed." "Tell me Your name, I pray" Jacob said.  "Why do you ask?" the Man replied. Then He blessed Jacob there. And Jacob named the place Peniel—"face of God"—for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared."  The sun rose as he left Peniel and he was limping because of his hip. That is why even today the people of Israel don't eat meat from near the hip, in memory of what happened that night. ¤ And in his strength he had struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed. He wept, and sought favor from Him. ¤ Men ought always to pray and not lose heart. ¤ Rejoice always and pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¤ Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¤ Suppose one of you has a neighbor, and you go to him at midnight and say, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing with which to feed him."  Then the neighbor inside answers, "Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything at this time."  I tell you, though he will not get up and give him bread because he is his friend, yet if the man becomes persistent, he will get up and give him as much as he needs because of his persistence. ¤ Offer God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me... Whoever offers praise glorifies Me. And to him who orders his conduct aright, I will show the salvation of God. Ephesians 6:18   Genesis 32:22-32   Hosea 12:3, 4   Luke 18:1   1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 Matthew 7:7, 8   Luke 11:5-8   Psalm 50:14, 15, 23 January 28th So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. ¤ Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. And when he was seventeen, he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to all of his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, "Listen to the dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."  Then his brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us?  Do you think you will actually rule us?"  And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had still another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."  When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had?  Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"  His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.  Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them... Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks and bring back word to me."  Then he sent Joseph off from the valley of Hebron and he journeyed toward Shechem. ¤ A heart at peace gives life to the body, but jealousy is as rottenness to the bones... Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can survive the destructiveness of jealousy? ¤ Now it was the governor's custom at the Passover feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you; Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  And he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent him a message saying, "Have nothing to do with that innocent Man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of Him."  But, in their envy, the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. Ezekiel 16:42   Genesis 37:3-14   Proverbs 14:30, & 27:4   Matthew 27:15-20 January 29th You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. Many will be offended, and betray one another, and hate one another. ¤ When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?"  "I am looking for my brothers," he replied. "Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?"  The man then answered, "They have moved on from here. I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' "  So Joseph followed after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him;  "Here comes that dreamer," they said to each other. "Let's kill him and throw him into one of these pits and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."  When Reuben heard this, he said, "Let's not take his life. Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this pit here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him."  So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe of many colors, and they took him and threw him into a cistern. The cistern was empty, having no water in it. Later, as the brothers sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah then said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood."  His brothers agreed. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt... Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. They then took the robe back to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe."  He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe!  Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces."  Jacob mourned for his son many days and refused to be comforted by his family. He said, "With mourning I will go down to my grave, to my son." And he wept for him.  But the Midianites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh and captain of the guard. ¤ And Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgement.'  But I say to you, if you are angry at your brother without a cause, you are subject to judgement. And if you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the High Council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell... Before you offer any sacrifices to God, go and be reconciled to anyone you have offended." Matthew 24:9, 10   Genesis 37:15-28, 31-36   Matthew 5:21-24 January 30th I love the Lord because He heard my voice. He heard my cry for mercy because he turned His ear to me. I will call on Him as long as I live. ¤ Then Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. There was a man there by the name of Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was quite wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being small in stature, he could not observe Him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass by that way. When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and saw him, and He said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down from there, for I must stay at your home today."  So he made haste and came down from the tree, and welcomed Him gladly. But when the crowd saw this, they all complained and began to mutter, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."  Then Zacchaeus said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, here and now I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have taken anything from anyone falsely, I will pay them back four times the amount."   And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who are lost." ¤ The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, living in the house of his Egyptian master. When Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and that He gave him success in everything that he did, he found favor with Potiphar, and he put him in charge of his household, and entrusted to his care everything that he owned. From the very time that Potiphar did this, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he had, and concerned himself with nothing except the food he himself ate. ¤ May the Lord answer you when you are in distress. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you. ¤ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He allows me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters, where He refreshes my soul. He guides me in the path of that which is right for His namesake.  ¤ I have more insight than all of my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey Your precepts. Psalm 116:1   Luke 19:1-10   Genesis 39:2-6   Psalm 20:1   Psalm 23:1-3   Psalm 119:99, 100 January 31st The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it... The world, and all who live in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. ¤ To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. In You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me... Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my savior, and my hope is in You all the day long... Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways. According to Your mercy remember me, for the sake of Your goodness... For the sake of Your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Who then is the man who respects the Lord?  He will instruct that person in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. ¤ The twelve apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"  And Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree,  'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. But consider, if any of you has a servant ploughing in the field, or looking after the sheep, are you likely to say to him when he comes in from his work, 'Come straight in and sit down at your meal'?  Aren't you more likely to say, 'Get my supper ready, put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink, and then, when I am finished, you can have your meal'?  Do you thank your servant for doing what he is supposed to do?  I don't think so. And so it is with yourselves; when you have done everything that you are told to do, you can say, 'We are not much good as servants, for we have only done what we ought to do.' "  ¤ What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith, but his actions do not correspond with it?  Can believing alone save you?— So, you believe that there is One God?  That's fine. The demons of hell believe also, and shudder in terror. ¤ I give you this command: Obey Me, and I will be your God. ¤ It is not everyone who keeps saying to Me, "Lord, Lord" that will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of My Father in heaven.  In the end, many will say to Me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we preach in Your name?  Didn't we cast out demons in Your name and do many great things in Your name?"  Then I shall tell them plainly, "I have never known you. Go away from Me, for you have not lived according to truth." Psalm 24:1,2   Psalm 25:1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11-13   Luke 15:5-10   James 2:14, 19   Jeremiah 7:23   Matthew 7:21-23 Back to M&V Trailhead HIKING THE TRAIL OF TRUTH