Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"It is better to know how to learn than to know."

Dr. Seuss

Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance...

Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

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Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.

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Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

My life, my love I give to Thee,

Thou Lamb of God who died for me; 

O may I ever faithful be, 

My Savior and my God! 

I'll live for him who died for me, 

How happy then my life shall be! 

I'll live for him who died for me, 

My Savior and my God!

Ralph Hudson (1843-1901)

Hymn: I'll Live For Him

Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Apostle Paul 

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1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Prayer aligns your life with God so that He chooses to demonstrate His power through you. The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God's activity."

Henry T. Blackaby (1935-2024)

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

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Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭39‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

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Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭25‬ ‭(KJV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"How abominable a thing sin is, since it is against such a God of grace! “Blotteth out” is an image from an account-book, in which, when a debt is paid, the charge is cancelled or blotted out."

Source: A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (Vol III)

Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭25‬ ‭(KJV‬‬) I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

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Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

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Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

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Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“There are four things that we ought to do with the Word of God—admit it as the Word of God, commit it to our hearts and minds, submit to it, and transmit it to the world.”

William Wilberforce (1759-1833)

British politician, a philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade

Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

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Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

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

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Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭37‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Rich and poor, alike, should remember that money is temporary. It is not a substitute for God's approval. All people face death and God's judgment. There is no reason to envy a person who has earthly wealth but lacks eternal hope."

Bibleref.com

Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭37‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

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Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“Your career is what you’re paid for, your calling is what you’re made for.”

Steve Harvey

2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

Apostle Paul 

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

Apostle Paul 

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Apostle Paul 

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Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“When you focus on problems, you get more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you have more opportunities.”

Zig Ziglar (1926-2012)

American author, salesman, and motivational speaker

Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

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Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear. Never load yourself so. If you find yourself so loaded, at least remember this: it is your own doing, not God’s. He begs you to leave the future to Him, and mind the present.”

George MacDonald (1824-1905)

Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers 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 here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him...

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1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Perfect submission, all is at rest.

I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,

watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with his goodness, lost in his love."

Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)

Hymn: Blessed Assurance, v. 3

1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

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Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“There are many queer ideas about cross bearing. I recall a man once saying to me, ‘I have a fierce temper, but I suppose that is my cross.’

"'My friend,’ I said to him (lovingly, I hope!), ‘That is not your cross. It is your wife’s cross, but it is your sin!’"

Alan Redpath (1907-1989)

British evangelist, pastor and author

Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?"

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Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

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Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"The more delicate the perfume, the more easily spoiled is the ointment...So the higher a man’s religious character is, the more hurt is caused by a sinful folly in him."

Unknown origin

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.

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Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"...secular man is on a treadmill. He works to satisfy his physical needs and desires, yet however well-fed, he becomes hungry again, and however supplied with drink his thirst returns. In it all, his deepest need, the nameless desire for meaning, persists as an aching desire that no food or drink can quench...Life on earth is an endless repetition, a treadmill on which each new generation walks or runs until their 'few and meaningless days' are over. There is no meaning to be found in the life lived by secular man."

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy. 

He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?

Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

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1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ...

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2 Timothy 3:17-17 (ESV)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"When asked, 'What is more important: Prayer or Reading the Bible?'

I ask, 'What is more important: Breathing in or Breathing out?'"

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

English pastor, evangelist and expositor of Scripture 

2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

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