John 19:25-28, 21:24-25 - Not enough books!

At that time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Not enough books
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 There are not enough books in the world that contain all the words that document the things which Jesus has done.  If every deed, every act and every attainment were to be committed to paper, then the world would be full of books! In my own life, this is true.  Even when I am not paying attention, the good deeds of Christ abound in my life.  Oh, Lord, help me to view everything in my life with an eye to finding the workings of the Lord, for surely You are working. Your Grace and Love abounds all around me, if only I would see it!

Acts 2:14-21 - Call upon God!

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But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.

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For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

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But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

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And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

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And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

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I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

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The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

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And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’

Call out anytime!
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I thank You, Lord, for your promises. Behold, in these last days You are doing a new thing. Those who call upon Your Name, shall be saved. So I call upon You, O Lord, help me to listen to Your Spirit and do those things that please You.  At all times and in all ways, let me, this day, call upon You. In trouble and in prosperity, let my first inclination be to call upon You. For, surely, You are a God Who is might to save. Amen.

John 1:18-28 - Point to Christ!

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No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

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Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

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He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

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And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

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Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

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He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the LORD, ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

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Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.

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And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

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John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.

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It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.

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These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Pointing up!
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John the Forerunner was causing quite a stir. Because of his preaching and baptizing, he was gaining a lot of followers.  The religious leaders were concerned, probably because John's popularity threatened their own power.  So they questioned him to find out who he was - and to make sure he didn't claim to be the messiah!

John did not. He was a faithful witness to what God has shown him. He said, "There is Someone coming. He is the Messiah; not me!"  John basically ignored their questions as to who he was. Instead, he just pointed to Jesus.  

Should I not do the same? If I engage in any good work or any religious activity and, if for some reason, it gains attention, should I not point to Christ as the reason? John proclaimed that Christ would come after him. May I proclaim, this day, that Christ is Risen from the dead and has conquered death by His death! And has raised us by His life.  Help me, O Lord, to point to Christ today, Amen!

Galatians 6:14-18 - The Cross!

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But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

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For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

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And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

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From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

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Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

THE CROSS
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My one boast, my one source of self-satisfaction should come from the Cross. It is in the cross, where Christ was crucified in total obedience to the  Will of His Father, that I claim as my central part of my life. For, surely, as Jesus died, I, too, should die.  Where Jesus submitted Himself to the Father, I too should submit myself to the Father.  

Let me live my life as a crucified servant, O Lord.  The world is dead to me, its' charms of no effect. Rather, I seek to be with the Lord. Help me this day, to do those things which would show that I am one who is crucified with Christ. And, then I await, Your Resurrection, Lord, when you can raise me up as well. Amen.

Matthew 26:6-16 - Give up your Oil!

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

The many functions of oil...
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Jesus is invited to dinner to the house of Simon the Leper. No doubt, this Simon was a leper no more, thanks to the healing power of Jesus.  While at dinner a women, troubled by her sins, takes a jar of very costly fragrant oil and anoints Jesus' Head.  The disciples, especially, Judas, can't believe what they are seeing. Why would Jesus allow this to be done? This oil could have been sold to feed the poor. And yet, Jesus reminds us that we should always be taking care of the poor but, at that particular time, it was proper to minister to Him. While this women was preparing Jesus for His burial, Judas, for the love of money, was about to cause Jesus' burial by betraying Him.

O Lord, I pray, help me to be like this women, whom You honored by promising an everlasting memorial for this kind act. She cared nothing for the ridicule of others but sought only to serve You. She poured out oil that cost her a large part of her wealth and yet, to her it was nothing. Help me, with my earthly mammon, and any other resources, to serve and honor You.  Let my talents be like pouring oil upon Your head and may my gifts be like a service to You, proclaiming Your glory to others.

Happy is the man who willingly gives up all to serve Christ. Amen.

Matthew 22:15-22 - Look out for Traps!

 At that time, the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. Tell us, then, what do you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax." And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Render, therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. " When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.

Don't Fall into Traps!
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Christ Jesus, You read the hearts of all! You could see that the Pharisees, seeking to trick You by Your own words, used flattery as a weapon to catch You off guard. But, You, O Lord, do not succumb to flattery and did not fall into their trap.  For You always do those things that please the Father. These hypocrites were sent to test You, but You turned the tables on them and after they asked You a question, You asked them.  The wisdom of Your response quiets the mouths of all detractors.  

O Lord, grant me a humble heart today. Let me never use flattery in my dealings with others.  May I be honest with all whom I come in contact today. And like Christ offered a wise answer to a tricky question, may I always answer with the Words of Christ, when put to the test! May I always render unto God the things that are rightfully His. And what is rightfully His? Only all of my life! Amen.

Matthew 21:18-43 - Do the Right thing' not just say it!

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Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.

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And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

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And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”

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So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

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And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

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Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

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But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:

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The baptism of John – where was it from? From heaven or from men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

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But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.

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So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

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But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’

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He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.

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Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

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Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

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For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

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Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

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Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

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And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

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Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

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Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

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But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

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So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

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Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?

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They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

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Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

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Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

Good advice!
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O Lord, help me to be like the son in the parable who said "No" to following Your commands but later repented and did indeed obey his father.  For it is not the one who says yes and yet does nothing but the one who actually acts upon the commandments of the Lord- he it is who will receive notice from God.  Help me to live this day and everyday in repentance, knowing if I obey God, then I will follow Him.  Help me to see Christ in my neighbor, looking for ways to serve Him. Amen.

Philippians 4:4-9 - Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say it, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

We have many reasons to rejoice!
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 There is much to be happy about! There are plenty of reasons to rejoice! The Lord is at hand. Not only meaning that He will be returning soon but also, He is close to those who trust in Him.  Therefore, we have noting to worry about but, instead offer to God our prayers and our requests. This we do with thanksgiving, ever grateful for His many benefits. Peace follows all of this, peace from Christ who guards our hearts and minds.

As someone who follows Christ, I must meditate on things that are pure, true, noble and just.  Only positive things should fill my mind. As I think this way, I should follow the example of those who have shown me how to live in Christ.  Doing this will fill me with peace, a peace that leads to joy!

O Lord, how I want to rejoice in You always. When bad news tries to capture my soul or when evil reports would disturb my peace, let me remember that Christ is near and will never forsake me. Then, shall my soul always rejoice!

Hebrews 12:28-13:8 - Our God is a Consuming Fire!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Let brotherly love continue.Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the body also.Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

Fire Consumes!
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We are to serve God with reverence and godly fear.  For the writer of Hebrews tells us that "Our God is a consuming fire." That phrase doesn't seem to be the best evangelism tool yet the statement is true for both believers and unbelievers.  For the unbeliever,  the presence of God is an unbearable and burning fire, which sears the being and scalds the soul.  His holiness in the presence of our sinfulness, burns.  

For the believer, he who it is who is daily conforming to the Image and likeness of Christ, this fire is a welcome radiance, purging out the debris of our souls, a purification  we readily accept. We all stand in the presence of God, who is everywhere  present and filling all things. Either we feel His presence as scourging or we feel His presence as Light.

This day, I pray, O Lord, may I embrace the Your fire. May it burn out the dross of my soul and radiate my life with Your Holy Spirit. I am sinful and full of imperfection yet I rely upon Your Mercy. For the Mercy of God, in the person of Christ, shall be my refuge always. And I am bold to say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. Amen. 

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Isaiah 66:10-24 - Comfort for the servants....and Judgement for the enemies...and a witness to all!

"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breasts; that you may drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory." For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip, and dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies. "For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the stormwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the LORD execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many. "Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, says the LORD. "For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the LORD. "For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me, says the LORD; so shall your descendants and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD. "And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

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The Lord promises comfort to Israel. Like a babe at his mother's breast or a young child upon the hip of his mother, so the Lord promises peace and comfort to His people. The Lord promises all of this to His people and, yet, those who reject the Lord, who willfully follow after other gods, who are no gods at all, shall meet with the Lord's indignation. Judgement is for those who reject their own good and exchange the glory of God for filthiness. And why is this? Because we are created for greater things than these.

The Lord will have His witness among the nations.  His people will be scattered throughout the world But they will be gathered again back to the holy city.  In their captivity though, they shall bear witness to the Lord's Goodness.  Men shall see and have no excuse.

O Lord, I seek Your comfort but more than that, I seek to be Your witness. Grant me, this day, Your Holy Spirit, alive in me to declare Your goodness. Amen. 

1 Peter 5:6-14 - Look out for the Lions!

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Satan, the master predator is like a lion
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 The Devil, he who tempts all of mankind to follow their own passions and to ignore Go- he, is like a roaring lion, on the hunt for those he may consume.  He throws temptation after temptation hoping that the person falls and stays fallen.  But God wants us to resist him and we should do this because we are not the only ones being tempted but our brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo temptation. Together, in prayer, we can resist and the Grace of God can abound in us.

God has called us to His eternal glory through Christ Jesus. He too has suffered under temptation yet He did not fall.  To Him belongs glory and honor for He it is that delivers us from the roaring lion, Satan. He will establish us, strengthen us and settle us! 

O Lord, let me live moment by moment, resisting each temptation that comes along and when in my weakness I fall, help me to cry out for Your mercy. May I ever be cognizant of the evil one but, more still, may I remember Your Presence and rely upon it to help me conquer my passions.
In Christ's Name, Amen.