Day 80 of 364: The Bible As It Happened

Deuteronomy 25:1-19 King James Version

1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.

6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

7 And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;

9 Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.

10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:

12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

19 Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

Deuteronomy 26:1-19 King James Version

1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;

2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.

3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us.

4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God.

5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:

7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:

8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:

9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:

11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.

12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

13 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.

15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

16 This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

17 Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:

18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

Deuteronomy 27:1-26 King James Version

1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.

2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:

3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.

6 Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God:

7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.

8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.

9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.

10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.

19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.

22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 28:1-68 King James Version

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

20 The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

21 The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.

22 The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

24 The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

25 The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

27 The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

28 The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.

32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.

33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

35 The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

36 The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee.

38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.

41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.

42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.

44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

49 The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.

53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:

55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,

57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord Thy God;

59 Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God.

63 And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

64 And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:

67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

“You got to love the mornings” Steve Harvey.

I love any part of the day. Mornings, as I am already up by 2 every morning and this was before shift changed from 7 to 4:30 a.m. I love catching the peace and quite of the mornings and the cool weather. Seeing the moon still out as it is not yet time for the sun. Then, you see that sunrise and it comes oh, so softly and quitely. I do my work with a Grateful Heart. Sure I don’t make a lot of money but that isn’t my reason for work. My work is serving others. Always has been and always will be. I get off work and now it is 1:30 before that 4p.m. I can get more things done in the week days. Guess what comes next the Sunset. I rise before the sun and see it rise. I work and get off st the sun’s peak and then I get to watch the sun go down. Every day is a blessing to watch the beauty that surrounds me and the joy I feel when I see it. It’s like a personal greeting from God each day to me.

https://fb.watch/bj-3DA98vE/

Priscilla Shirer’s Attributes of God

In Genesis, He’s the breath of life

In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb

In Leviticus, He’s our High Priest

In Numbers, the Fire by Night

Deuteronomy, He’s Israel’s guide

Joshua, He’s salvation’s choice

Judges, He’s Israel’s guard

In Ruth, the Kinsmen’s Redeemer

1st and 2nd Samuel, our trusted Prophet

In Kings and Chronicles, He is Sovereign

In Ezra, He’s the true and faithful Scribe

In Nehemiah, the Re-builder of broken walls and lives

In Esther, He’s Mordecai’s courage

In Job, the Timeless Redeemer

In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, He is our wisdom

Ecclesiastes, He’s the time and season

In Song of Solomon, He is the lover’s dream

In Isaiah, He is the Prince of Peace

In Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet

Lamentations, the Cry for Israel

Ezekiel, the Call from Sin

Daniel, the Stranger in the Fire

Hosea, the Forever Faithful

Joel, the Spirit’s Power

Amos, the Strong-arms that carry

Obadiah, the Lord our Savior

Jonah, the great Missionary

Micah, the Promise of Peace

Nahum, our Strength and Shield

In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He’s brings revivalIn Haggai, He restores that which was lost

In Zachariah, He’s our fountain

And in Malachi, He’s the Son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

AND THAT’S JUST THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, He is God and Messiah

In the spirit filled book of Acts, He is the reigning fire from Heaven

In Romans, He is the grace of God

Corinthians, the Power of Love

Galatians, Freedom from the curse of sin

Ephesians, our Glorious Treasure

Philippians, the Servant’s Heart

Colossians, He’s God and the Trinity

Thessalonians, our calling King

In Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, He’s our mediator and our faithful pastor

In Hebrews, the Everlasting CourageIn James, the One who heals the sick

In 1st and 2nd Peter, our Faithful Shepherd

In John and Jude, He’s the lover coming for His bride

AND in the Revelation, in the very end, when it’s all over, said and done, when time is NO MORE. He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Lamb of God, The Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, God and Savior

He is Jesus Christ the Lord

HE IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED

If you have not read her book I encourage you to do so.

With all the attributes of God in each book of the Bible it is no wonder how amazing our God is.

You are not forgiving them just for the sake of forgiveness and it is the right thing to do. You are forgiving them because it allows you to let go of the bondage of sin, to the anger, bitterness, hurtful, pain and so much more. Forgiveness let’s the chains that are holding you captive break so you are free.

Some may say, “you have the right to feel the way you do.” Which is a true statement but holding is just letting it weigh you down and eating at you from within. Forgiveness does not excuse what was done or makes it seem that it was okay because it is not okay. You are simply laying to rest the burden of feelings and emotions tied to it by saying, “I forgive you.” Three most powerful words to say and not the easiest to say.

If Christ can forgive the inexcusable in us surely we can forgive others. We may never hear the words “I am sorry” and that is okay. We are not accountable for their choices but we can determine to let it go and not hold it against them.

Below is the song I’m Forgiven by the Gaither Vocal Band. “I’m forgiven, now I have a reason for livin’ “. Those lyrics remind me that when I forgive I have a reason to live and move on from what holds me back from living the way I am meant to live. I am meant to live with love for others no matter what. Forgive and love the person anyways.

Maybe the forgiveness you seek is from the Lord. Lyrics: “I can’t believe the God of earth and glory
Would take the time to care for one like me
But I’ve read the bible, I’ve read the old, old story
How He plead for my forgiveness while dying on a tree”

John 3: 16 King James Version For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Maybe it is a friend or family member you need to forgive or someone else. Lyrics: It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what its power can do
So let it go and be amazed by what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, forgiveness
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want finally set it free
Show me how to see what your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Forgiveness, forgiveness

Ephesians 2:4-5 King James Version But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).

I won’t say it is easy to forgive but to be set free they need your forgiveness. It will also release them as well and you can move forward. So them grace and mercy that was shown to you by Jesus.

We are commanded to forgive just as Christ has forgiven us.

Matthew 6:14 & 15 King James Version 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

You may say how many times do I have to forgive someone when they keep doing the same thing over and over again. 70 times 7 as Jesus says in Matthew 18. We are to focus on good works not bickering with one another or holding a grudge against others.

Matthew 18:21-22 King James Version Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Below is another verse: it is not of our works but His.

Titus 3:5 King James Version Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Commentary is from versebyverse: “Verse five shows how the seismic shift of salvation occurred. The basis of our salvation rests on God’s mercy in sending His Son to die for our sins.

 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done,

The word “not” here heightens the emphasis that God does not save us by our efforts. “By” is out of. Salvation does not spring from works. Our righteousness is an utter void in reference to God.

Is 64: 6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

God saves us not by our works of righteousness. He does not give people eternal life based on what they do. No behavior man can conjure up can save his soul. He is hopeless if he looks to himself.

but

The “but” here is strong contrast. There is strong contrast between how man thinks he can have eternal life and how God gives salvation. There is no doubt about how God saves. He saves souls by the grace principle and not by the works of men.

according to His mercy He saved us,

Salvation comes to us independent of human effort. The way God saves people is exclusively by His mercy. Salvation from His standpoint is mercy. He looks at those whom He can save through the eyes of mercy. God does not take into account who or what we are; He gives mercy regardless of how good or bad we may be.

through the washing of regeneration [rebirth]

“Regeneration” means re-birth. The Greek word has two parts: again and to become. At salvation we become something that we were not before. For a person to become a Christian, he needs a second birth. Spiritual birth, not works of righteousness, gives eternal life. God imparts divine life into our souls at salvation.

The “washing” here is internal cleansing of the soul by rebirth of the Holy Spirit. God washes us from sin by the blood of Christ. This cleansing produces new life in Christ.

and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Regeneration has to do with salvation, but renewing has to do with sanctification. “Renewing” comes from two words: again and new. Renewing is gradual formation into the likeness of Christ.

The transforming power comes through the Holy Spirit. God transforms by grace. Renewal is radical internal change that begins at conversion.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Both rebirth and renewal are the work of the Spirit. Rebirth means to come alive after spiritual death. Renewal means change that takes place after conversion.

PRINCIPLE:

The believer requires both salvation of his soul and a renewing to maturity as a believer.

APPLICATION:

There is no justification for God saving our souls other than His mercy toward the guilty. Acceptance of mercy requires humility on our part. Becoming a Christian this way strikes at the very heart of human pride. Salvation requires spiritual birth by God’s grace and mercy.

Paul emphasized doing good works earlier in this letter. Here, however, he distinguished between cause and effect. We cannot become a Christian by our works, but works are the result of salvation. We cannot confuse root and fruit. The root must come before the fruit—salvation comes before good works.”

Try and sit down with the person(s) who you need to forgive and reason together. If you cannot be face to face yet then write a letter or call them. Forgive them so it does not be something you can never forgive and you have cut the ties with them forever.

Isaiah 1:18-20 King James Version

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

You are able to set yourself free by forgiving others even yourself. Maybe it is you who needs to forgive yourself. Look within the Bible and remind yourself of who you are. You are a child of God. You are worth more than rubies. We are uniquely made for He crafted us and his workmanship.

Ask God to give you the strength to forgive others and yourself. Forgiveness brings healing unto you.

James 5:16 King James Version

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Hope this is helpful to you. I pray you will be able to forgive whomever it is even if it is yourself. May you find peace and healing in forgiveness. Showing them mercy and grace as it was shown and given unto you.

Isaiah 58:6-7 King James Version

6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

God bless you and your loved ones.

We are called to make disciples.

Acts 26:16-18 King James Version 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

We cannot do that unless we know the Word of God. We are taught to hide His Word in our heart found in Psalm 119:11, I continued on to verse 16.

Psalm 119:11-16 King James Version
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

We are to keep His Word in our heart which is memorizing scripture so that we can recall it when we need it.  The Bible is filled with God’s instructions for us as Christians and if we do not study then how would we know what to do and what He expects from us?

We precede to meditate to stop and think about what we just read. Say a prayer before hand to see what the Lord wants to teach you, have you learn from it and how it applies to your life. Use Bible study tools to help dive deeper and get a better understanding of what the scripture is saying.

Then, to delight ourselves in the statutes which is the law and not forget thy word.

Psalm 1:1-6 King James Version
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

For those following what God will have us do will not be moved but will prosper in all that we do. Those unsaved are easily moved for they are not rooted in the Word of God. They shall surely perish for they live for themselves and seek not the things above. Nor do they believe they are in need of saving.

All we can do is simply plant a seed. We can not force them to decide for they have free will.

Galatians 5:13 King James Version
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

By love is speaking of God’s love. He first loved us should we do no less to others?

Joshua 24:15 King James Version
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

We are asked to choose today whom we will serve be it God, or be in the world and their gods and beliefs. You cannot serve two masters.

Mark 8:34 King James Version
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

To take up the cross is to walk with God forsaking all others. To give your all to Him not just part of you but all of you. Means willing to go and serve where God leads you without looking back. Ready to drop everything at a moments notice should He ask it of you.

We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up, but He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, namely, life with Himself. ~ Oswald Chambers ~

John 15:16 King James Version
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

How wonderful is that to know God has chosen us. We did nothing to deserve it yet He chose us despite who we are and all that we have done. He paved a way through His Son for those that believe in Him.

Ordained means to be set apart for a particular purpose: to bear fruit. Inherent to their salvation is their mission. This is true for every believer (from The KJV Cross Bible Study Reference Study Bible).

We are to teach and preach to the ends of the earth the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel is “Good News” and what is that good news. The good news is that God sent His son to earth to make a way for us to come to the Father. Without the sacrifice of His Son we would surely perish. The world needed saving from it’s own destruction of a sinful led world. He promised not to flood the earth again so He sent His son to become flesh, one of us so that we could know Him. He would be as one of us grow up and later go to the cross innocent was He but for the dying world and out of His love for us to the cross He went. Innocent life and blood was spilled that day for us to free from the bondage of sin. 

We did nothing to earn His love and His going to the cross to save us. We cannot repay that debt so freely giving. What we can do is share the wonderful news of our Savior with everyone we meet. To spread the wonderful news of a risen Savior who has come to save that which is lost.

In Second Timothy 4 we see Paul writes to Timothy a letter. Giving guidance to Timothy while he (Timothy) was in Ephesus having stayed there to lead the church and dealing sometimes with false teachers.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 King James Version
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Verse 7 takes us to Acts chapter 20 verse 24 and 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 12.

Acts 20:24 King James Version 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

1 Timothy 6:12 King James Version 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Verse 8 takes us to 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 4.

1 Peter 1:4 King James Version 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

To continue to fight the good fight and finish what he was called to do. The Lord directed Timothy there to lead the church and it wasn’t without a battle Paul was telling him to stay the course. Then proceeds in verse 17 where Paul reminds Timothy that he (Paul) wasn’t doing God’s work alone for Christ was with Him, standing beside him and giving him strength to endure, go on, and to finish the work God set before him.

2 Timothy 4:17 King James Version
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

So run and finish the race set before and remember you are not alone for God is with you.

Psalm 46:10 King James Version
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Find a quite place to be still and listen to His voice, meditate on His Word and all He has for you. For He has come to give you life more aboundant then you could ever dream of. If we will stop and listen to Him each day.

“The only way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. Only after the amazing delight and liberty of realizing what Jesus Christ does, comes the impenetrable “darkness” of realizing who He is.” ~ Oswald Chambers ~

God bless you and your loved ones.

Day 13 of 13: found in YouVersion

Reading Galatians With Charles Spurgeon • Devotional https://bible.com/reading-plans/15379/day/13?segment=0

Day 12 of 13: found in YouVersion

Reading Galatians With Charles Spurgeon • Devotional https://bible.com/reading-plans/15379/day/12?segment=0

Day 11 of 13: found in YouVersion

Reading Galatians With Charles Spurgeon • Devotional https://bible.com/reading-plans/15379/day/11?segment=0