Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭6‬, ‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Happiness is to be forgiven! It is an emotion that defies description. It is the relief of an enormous burden lifted, of a debt canceled, of a conscience at rest. Guilt is gone, warfare is ended, peace is enjoyed."

William MacDonald (1917-2007)

President of Emmaus Bible College

Author of Believer's Bible Commentary 

Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭6‬, ‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat...

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment...

So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

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1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

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Psalms‬ ‭122‬:‭1‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"When you were born, your mother brought you to church.

When you were married, your wife brought you to church.

When you die, your friends will bring you to church.

Why not try coming to church on your own sometime?"

James Denny (1856-1917)

Scottish theologian and preacher

Reference: gracequotes.org

Psalms‬ ‭122‬:‭1‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

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Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬, ‭8‬-‭9‬, ‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Evil ways and practices have consequences. Someone has said that experience is the best teacher. But how much easier for us it is to learn this lesson from the experience of others rather than from our own!"

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬, ‭8‬-‭9‬, ‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow...The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way...For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins.

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Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(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. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Apostle Paul 

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Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬ ‭(CEV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones."

Phillips Brookes (1835-1893)

Rector of Boston's Trinity Church

Author of "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬ ‭(CEV‬‬) A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.

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Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

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Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien

As to be hated needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.” 

Alexander Pope (1688-1744)

Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

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Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.”

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Theologian and Philosopher

Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

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Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

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‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

Apostle John 

1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

Apostle Paul

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Mark 4:3-9, 14-20 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY'S READING...

"The image Jesus used was that of a farmer, walking in his own field, rather than that of a king or emperor sitting in his palace and writing out decrees. What’s the difference? The farmer owned only a small field, but worked it carefully. He himself walked where he scattered his seed. If communication of God’s Word is to be effective, we need to scatter the Good News where we ourselves walk."

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

The 365 Daily Devotional Commentary 

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 

Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) "The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

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