Eyes of Love – June 9, 2018

[Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God … being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:20-21

Eyes of Love


Daily Devotion – June 9, 2018

Devotion based on Romans 4:20-21

See series: Devotions

There’s a story about a nighttime fire that started in a family’s house. The entire family escaped except for one child—a young boy. The fire had forced him to keep climbing until he found himself on the roof. The boy was trapped. He could not go back downstairs—the heat was too intense. The smoke around him was so thick that it left him disoriented and confused. The thought of jumping off that roof paralyzed him with fear. So he stood, and time was running out.

But then below him, in the darkness, beyond the smoke, there came a voice. It was the voice of his father. “Jump, Son, jump!” the father cried out. “Just jump, and I will catch you.” But the boy could not see his father. On that terrible roof, all he could see were flames, sparks, darkness and smoke. In a choking voice the boy sobbed, “I’m afraid to jump, Daddy. I can’t see you.”

It was then that the father cried out the one thing that made all the difference. “I know you can’t see me, Son,” the father said. “But I can see you.” That’s all the boy needed to hear. He jumped. His father caught him, and all was well.

Because of your sin and mine, life in this broken world is often like standing on the roof of a burning house. So much smoke, so much chaos, so much confusion—it can paralyze us with fear.

But beyond the darkness comes the voice of our heavenly Father. Through the power of his Word he calls to us. He calls to us to trust him, to trust his promises, to trust his will for our lives. And trust him we can—not because we see through the smoke, but because he does.

Our heavenly Father sees us. And he will catch us. Every time. After all, he gave his own Son to wash us clean and make us his own. Since then, his eyes of love have never left us.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, through the darkness and smoke of this fallen world, you see us. By your Spirit, embrace us in this marvelous truth. Move us to trust your promises and your will for our lives. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Powered by WPeMatico

I Need the Holy Spirit – June 8, 2018

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:11

I Need the Holy Spirit


Daily Devotion – June 8, 2018

Devotion based on Psalm 51:11

See series: Devotions

“I trust him about as far as I can throw him. If I don’t keep my eye on him every second, there’s no telling what he will try to pull. I have to be vigilant 24-7. I simply can’t trust him a bit.”

King David didn’t write those words. But maybe he could have. David was recovering from a serious spiritual crisis. He had sinned against the Lord. He had taken another man’s wife for his own. He had murdered that other man through conspiracy and misuse of power. He had deceived a nation—God’s people. He had denied his sins.

But David was forgiven. The Lord took away his sin. The Lord had cleansed him and made him clean. The Lord had washed away all his iniquity and cleansed him of sin. (Read Psalm 51.) Now David was moving forward in repentant faith. He knew he was forgiven and a child of God. He knew God would not hold his sin against him. But David also knew that his only hope of remaining a child of God was the work of the Holy Spirit.

So he prayed: “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” As if to say, “Lord, I was born with a sinful nature. I trust that I have your forgiveness for that sinful nature and all that it does. But I don’t trust my sinful nature even as far as I can throw it. I need your help to keep that sinful nature from getting the best of me and taking me down. Be merciful to me and do not drive me away. Keep me close to you. If you should ever take your Holy Spirit from me, I’m a goner. So send the Holy Spirit to me again and again through your loving promises, that I may live and enjoy your love forever.”

We can pray the same thing. We have a sinful nature that we can’t trust. We have forgiveness through Christ, who died and rose again. We have received the gift of the Holy Spirit through Word and sacrament. We have the ongoing need and the gospel-born confidence to pray: “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”

Prayer:
Dear Lord, be merciful to me. As you have so richly forgiven me, so continue to send me your Holy Spirit, that I may not fall from faith, but remain your child forever. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Powered by WPeMatico

Loneliness – June 7, 2018

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Psalm 139:7-8

Loneliness


Daily Devotion – June 7, 2018

Devotion based on Psalm 139:7-8

See series: Devotions

A five-year-old boy had a terrible nightmare. He dreamt that his family had vanished and left him all alone. The boy woke up terrified in the middle of the night and began frantically searching the house in the darkness, looking for his parents. But it was to no avail, for in his confusion, he forgot to check their bedroom. What a relief when his bewildered father came downstairs and found him whimpering in the kitchen.

Loneliness is a terrible feeling and abandonment is even worse. Here’s where we discover the amazing comfort of God’s omnipresence, which means that God is present everywhere. Only God possesses this quality, so the psalm writer, King David, makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is truly God because he, too, is everywhere.

And what a comfort! A five-year-old child is terrified if he’s left all alone, but even for adults the world is a frightening place. How should we deal with financial ruin, terminal illness, or the death of someone we dearly love? How can we handle even just the stress of daily living and the endless stream of nagging problems? Most importantly, how can we face our own death? The problems of this world are too big for us to handle on our own. We know this. But we are not alone.

Make sure you know why this is true.

Jesus died praying Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God the Father abandoned his only Son while Jesus was on the cross. Jesus was plunged into darkness and indescribable suffering…alone. Why was Jesus torn from his Father? Why did he experience the terrible abandonment of God? He was getting what we deserved. He was suffering for our sins. He endured our punishment. Jesus cried out to his Heavenly Father, “Why have you forsaken me?” so we would never have to.

Through faith in Jesus God is present with you forever. No matter what you’re going through; no matter how dark things are, the Lord almighty is with you. He has you by the hand and he will never let you go. Never! Not even death can separate you from him.

The Lord almighty is with you and with him you are safe.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I have nothing to fear because you are with me. Help me to ponder that truth this day. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Powered by WPeMatico

The Lord Gives Us Rest – June 6, 2018

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”
Deuteronomy 5:12-15

The Lord Gives Us Rest


Daily Devotion – June 6, 2018

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 5:12-15

See series: Devotions

Last month was a busy one for our family. With two birthdays, two graduations, Mother’s Day, and a wedding, we had plenty of happy occasions to celebrate. By the end of the month we were exhausted, running from one big event to the next. However, we often reminded ourselves how blessed we were that these were happy events that kept us so busy. Life could just as easily throw an equally large number of challenges and tragedies at us in a short period of time.

Whether we are overwhelmed with the good things of this world or with disasters, we can quickly forget that this world is not the only one. We get so caught up in the daily chores, weekly specials, monthly bills, and annual events that it seems that time will always just keep marching forward. We lose sight of Jesus’ promise to return one day soon and end the world as we know it. So in the Third Commandment, the Lord commanded his people to take a regular rest from their earthly routines.

When we gather for worship on a weekly basis, the Lord not only gives us momentary relief from the daily grind, he gives us true, eternal rest for our souls. Just as God had rescued his Old Testament people from slavery in Egypt, he rescued us from slavery to sin, death, and the devil by the work of his Son Jesus Christ. In our worship services, the Lord reminds us through his Word about everything that Christ has done for us. Confidently in Christ, we know that the sad times of life now will soon be a bygone experience, while the happy events of this world are a foretaste of unending heavenly joy we will have through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord God, break through my focus on the busyness of this world to remind me of the blessedness of the world to come. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

Something More – June 5, 2018

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:7

Something More


Daily Devotion – June 5, 2018

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 4:7

See series: Devotions

In the 1930’s and ‘40’s, an actress by the name of Hedy Lamarr was one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood. Many called her, “the most beautiful woman in the world.” People flocked into the theaters to see her movies. The profits from her films were in the millions. She was one of the reigning queens of the silver screen.

But as the years went by, her outward beauty faded. Her box office popularity declined, and many dismissed her as an aging remnant from a bygone era. In her closing years she lived quietly, rarely leaving her home. She died in the year 2000.

A recent documentary entitled, “Bombshell” reveals that Hedy Lamarr had much more than just a pretty face for moviegoers to see. She also possessed scientific, inventive genius. Unknown to almost anyone at the time, Hedy Lamarr, in the days of World War II, created and patented a radio frequency system to benefit the U.S. Navy. This system is the basis for the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS technology that the world enjoys today.

People knew Hedy Lamarr for her physical beauty, even though she had much more to offer. For what do people know you? Perhaps some know you for what you do for a living. Perhaps others know you for your favorite hobby or a particular talent you have. Perhaps still others know you for your role as a parent or grandparent. And it’s likely that there are all kinds of people in your life who do not know you for anything specific at all.

Regardless whether people take note of us for anything, you and I have something to offer—something more significant than what we do for a living, how we look, or what abilities we have. Beyond all that, you and I possess the treasure of the gospel. You and I possess the extraordinary news that God has entered our world in the person of Jesus Christ, that he has washed away our every sinful failure through his death on the cross. You and I possess the history-changing message that, through faith in Jesus Christ, people receive forgiveness, peace, purpose, fulfillment, and life eternal in heaven.

What we have to offer outshines even the invention of Wi-Fi. Let’s share it.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for the treasure of the gospel. Give me opportunities this week to share my treasure with others. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

Fatal Flaw – June 4, 2018

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Mark 2:23-24

Fatal Flaw


Daily Devotion – June 4, 2018

Devotion based on Mark 2:23-24

See series: Devotions

The Pharisees had a fatal flaw. They were always intent on finding fault with others. Their main target was Jesus. On this occasion, however, they directed their attention to Jesus’ disciples. It seemed the disciples provided their accusers with a golden opportunity. As they walked through a field, they picked some heads of grain to eat. According to the Pharisees this was work, harvesting on the Sabbath.

Their assault on the disciples might have worked if Jesus didn’t call attention to their fatal flaw. While he didn’t defend his disciples’ actions, he did reveal the Pharisees abuse of the other commandments. In their fervor to keep the Sabbath Day, they rejected the other commandments, especially the ones which required them to love others. This was their fatal flaw.

Jesus’ exposure of their sin is what I need on a daily basis. It is easy for me to compare myself with others. I especially like comparing myself with those whose decisions, choices and lives are what I consider worse than mine. I can easily point out their misdeeds, and quickly feel better about myself because I am not like them. When I embark upon this self-righteous comparison, I am no different than the Pharisees. My fatal flaw is theirs.

This is why I need Jesus to uncover my sin of arrogance and self-centeredness. I also need to hear his call to repent. As I acknowledge and sincerely confess my guilt, he leads me to the forgiveness he provides. He directs me to his sinless life—every commandment perfectly kept. He leads me to his cross—every act of disobedience completely washed away. He even opens my eyes to his undeserved love—every reason I need to serve him and others in love.

Here is the only way I can address my fatal flaw: In Jesus I receive forgiveness. In Jesus I receive new strength and hope. In Jesus I receive the love that leads me to be loving.

Prayer:
O dearest Savior, remove my self-righteous pride. Replace it with your undeserved and unselfish love, and lead me to live in love with others. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

Going to Heaven – June 3, 2018

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:21-23

Going to Heaven


Daily Devotion – June 3, 2018

Devotion based on Matthew 7:21-23

See series: Devotions

Many people think being a Christian is all about treating people fairly, doing to others what you want them to do to you, always doing the right thing in your life. While those are all good things, none of them makes a person a Christian.

Jesus said there would be people who do miracles and preach in his name and still not go to heaven. Only those who do the will of God are going to heaven. If I keep the Ten Commandments then, does that make me a Christian?

No, because I can’t keep the Ten Commandments. For God requires that not only my actions be perfectly conformed to his holy will, he also commands the same for my words and even my thoughts! Don’t murder includes not yelling in anger at the crazy driver who cut me off in traffic. Don’t steal includes not complaining about the lack of things in my life that I see others having in theirs. Don’t commit adultery includes not doing anything that hurts my marriage—ignoring or criticizing my spouse.

Despite my many failures to obey God’s commands, I know I am going to heaven. I’m absolutely certain! How can I be sure?

Jesus gave his life for me. He kept all the Ten Commandments in my place. He offered his life as payment for all the sins I’ve done—the complaining and hurting and yelling and thousands of other sinful actions, words, and thoughts.

I’m going to heaven because of Jesus. Nothing I do. Nothing I can do. Jesus has done it all for me. Not because I founded an orphanage, or gave blood numerous times to the Red Cross, or did other “Christian works.” Jesus will welcome me home because he fulfilled God’s will perfectly as my substitute. Heaven is his gift to me.

Even better, heaven is Jesus’ gift to you also. Being a Christian is not about what you do. Being a Christian is trusting Jesus who has done everything for you. He has forgiven you at the cost of his own life.

Prayer:
Jesus, forgive me for taking false pride in the Christian things I do. Thanks for your unearned love and forgiveness, and the gift of heaven which you give to me by faith alone. Help me do the right things and treat people fairly as a simple way of thanking you for your gift of heaven. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

A Different Way – June 2, 2018

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. … Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28

A Different Way


Daily Devotion – June 2, 2018

Devotion based on Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28

See series: Devotions

A two-year-old boy stubbornly seeks to gain his independence. As he searches, he develops a favorite phrase that quickly becomes a refrain in his life: “Me do it! Me do it by myself!” He wants to tie his own shoes: “Me do it by myself!” He wants to buckle himself in his car seat: “Me do it by myself!” He wants to pour his own glass of milk: “Me do it by myself!” Independence is a wonderful thing for a child to seek, unless, of course, he has not yet developed the ability to complete such tasks by himself. If he can’t yet tie his own shoes or buckle his own car seat or pour his own milk, the end result will only be frustration and failure and puddles of milk on the floor.

We human beings, by our natures, want to operate exactly that same way when it comes to our relationship with God. Our grammar may be a little better, but the message remains the same: “I want to get right with God by myself!” And, by our very natures, we stubbornly think that we can.

We think God will be happy with us if we observe most of his laws most of the time or, at least, if we observe most of his laws better than most others do. But here’s the problem: Our holy God demands perfection from us. And not just most of the time. All of the time. Because none of us can claim that sort of perfection on our own, what the Bible says is true of all of us: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We have failed to meet our holy God’s holy standards. That failure to observe all of God’s laws absolutely perfectly leads to a much worse result than puddles of milk on the floor. Our sin should result in eternal death in hell.

This is why God planned a different way for us to be saved from hell. Because he knew we could not obtain righteousness (perfection) on our own, he planned to give it to us as a gift. He sent his Son Jesus into the world in order to live the righteous life we could not and to pay the price we owed for our sins through his death. Christ did all of that work in our place, as our substitute. And now, God offers Jesus’ perfectly righteous life to us as a free gift—a free gift that he gives to us through faith. God’s Word clearly says, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

“I want to get right with God by myself!” Faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior leads us to strike that stubborn phrase from our vocabulary—that stubborn attitude from our lives—forever! Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to cling instead to Christ and his righteousness as the only way to get right with God and as the only way to heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, grant me a heart that despairs of myself and my own failed attempts to gain righteousness before God. In its place, grant me a heart that trusts only in you and the righteousness you won for me through your life. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

My Body is a Temple – June 1, 2018

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

My Body is a Temple


Daily Devotion – June 1, 2018

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 3:16

See series: Devotions

“My body is a temple.” Those could either be the prideful words of a fitness fanatic who is in shape and knows it… or a Christian. For some people, eating right, working out, and living a “healthy lifestyle” is a religion. They themselves become the idol. Their body is the temple. Their pride is their motivation.

Christians can say, “my body is a temple,” because they believe in the one true God. God’s temple used to be in a traveling tent in the desert wilderness. God’s temple used to be a magnificent stone edifice in Jerusalem. But since Jesus died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, and sent the Holy Spirit to his church on earth; God’s temple is in human hearts. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the hearts of people.

What kind of people does he choose to dwell in? Good people? People who chose to let him in? People who don’t resist him as badly? We might be tempted to think that there was at least something different, better, or “easier” about us that made the Holy Spirit want to live in us. But it isn’t true.

The Holy Spirit comes to hard-hearted, unwilling souls lost in unbelief and dead in sin—hearts that don’t deserve him and would never ask for him on their own. And yet the Holy Spirit never forces anyone. He gently, powerfully turns those unwilling hearts into willing hearts by his gracious gospel of forgiveness, then dwells in those willing hearts. Yours. Mine. Ours.

When you look at the members of the congregation you attend, give thanks for them. Pray for them. Practice love toward them. Forgive them as Christ forgave you. Live at peace with them. Serve in unity with them, as God’s temple, together.

When Christians say, “my body is a temple,” it’s the very opposite of pride and self-centeredness. They say it together: “WE are God’s temple. The Holy Spirit lives in me and in you… in US, through faith in Christ.”

Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, thank you for coming to this dark, dead soul and giving me life through the gospel of Christ. Thank you for graciously living in me and joining me to my fellow Christians. Let us serve together as your temple. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico

Are you ready to be judged? – May 31, 2018

For [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to men by raising him from the dead.
Acts 17:31
“From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.” (from The Apostles’ Creed)

Are you ready to be judged?


Daily Devotion – May 31, 2018

Devotion based on Acts 17:31

See series: Devotions

I recently attended a children’s art fair. Hundreds of pieces representing countless hours of work hung on the walls. The art was judged. White, red, blue, and “judges’ choice” ribbons were attached to some of the pieces. A majority of the art, though, did not receive a ribbon. I would not want my artwork to be judged.

Most people don’t like to be judged. They don’t look forward to job reviews, physical checkups, and relationship quizzes. What will their boss, doctor, or people close to them say? How will they be judged?

One day we will all be judged. In his Word, God says that he has set a day when Jesus will judge the world—every single one of us. Our Judge demands that we be perfect. Our sinful hearts, lying, cursing, hatred, and all of our sins testify against us. We are far from perfect.

Why does God tell us this? God does not want us to falsely hope in ourselves. He tells us this “so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.” On our own, we are without excuse or defense. We cannot “try” our way out from under his judgment. “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law” (Romans 3).

Is all hope lost? If it were up to us, yes. But, thank God. In grace, God intervened on our behalf and provides what we could not. God gives us his righteousness. For us, Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. In Christ, God declares us not guilty. Sinners like you and me are forgiven. Jesus has bought our freedom. God smiles on us. By faith in Jesus, he gives us heaven as our eternal home.

Through Jesus, you are ready to be judged. Jesus stands at your side. He points to his perfect life, his death in your place, and his resurrection. Then he points ahead as he leads you to your heavenly home with him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, one day I will be judged. In humble repentance and confident joy, let me look forward to that great day. Sustain and increase my trust in you and all that you’ve done for my salvation. Until that day, let everything I say and do loudly shout that I love and trust in you. Amen.

DailyCreative Commons License Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Powered by WPeMatico