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Author Archives: John D. Willome

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About John D. Willome

I post a blog of daily devotions that are my prayer journals based on scripture.

Romans 13:1-7

16 Apr

13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Romans 13:1-7

Dear God, I wonder why Paul threw this part into his letter to the Romans. In context with the end of chapter 12, this is part of a section where Paul is talking about loving your enemies and those who persecute you.

Yesterday was April 15, the deadline for making sure our federal taxes for the previous year are paid. I was at a Rotary meeting and people were complaining about paying taxes. I didn’t say anything, but I was wondering where their patriotism was. If they love their country like they say they do, why would they resent the idea that we have to pay something to live here? I see verse 6, and it makes me think of that.

But going back to the part about submitting to authorities, it is ironic that Paul was eventually killed by the authorities, as were all of the apostles besides John. Even Jesus. But Jesus agreed with Paul when he told Pilate that he wouldn’t have any authority over himself except what was given to him by you.

I was listening to a man talk yesterday about the New Testament and politics on the Voxology Podcast. How would Paul have had us act through his epistles. He said a lot that I liked, but one thing I will carry with me a long time is that he doesn’t understand how a Christian can identify as a Democrat or a Republican. Either label carries with it some things that are antithetical to you. We are Christians first. Then with each election we have a choice to make, but for me to pre-label myself as a Republican or a Democrat is in appropriate. I like that.

Father, at this point in my life, I am in a position where I don’t find myself having to stand up to any governmental authorities, but I do have authorities over me. At work, I have 14 board members. I have a wife to whom I am accountable. I have friends who hold me accountable. And I have people watching me all day every day who are looking to me to be an example of what it means to live a life submitted to you. So please help me to do that well. Help me to love you well. Help me to worship you and you only, serve others, and rest in your Holy Spirit. Oh, Holy Spirit, inspire me, comfort me, teach me, and love through me.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with that same Holy Spirit, my Paraclete,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 16, 2024 in Romans

 

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Romans 10:5-13

15 Apr

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is [b]based on law shall live [c]by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness [d]based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 [e]that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [f]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [g]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be [h]disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:5-13

Dear God, I probably shouldn’t be talking about this yet because I just started it, but I began reading a book yesterday by Skye Jethani called What if Jesus was Serious about Heaven? It talks about some of our bad modern theology about heaven and how we might see the realm where you reside and where we go after death a little differently. Of course, I have my own thoughts as well–none of which I am confident enough to try to teach to anyone as truth.

But this is today’s passage from Bible Gateway (actually, it’s just verses 9 and 10, but I wanted to go ahead and put them in a little more context) so I will just sit with this and you for a bit.

When I was a senior in high school we got a new youth minister in our church and he made us memorize three passages: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, and Romans 10:9-10. So whenever I see this passage it always makes me think of him and my senior year. That seems like so long ago now. I guess it will be 37 years ago this summer. They were important for us to be able to share our faith and help people understand that we were all sinners, the result of sin is death, but there is hope in eternal life with you through believing in Jesus.

Father, for a lot of my life, people were scaring me into faith with the threat of hell. That’s like a parent coercing love out of a child through threats of being cut off or something. I don’t think that’s what you want from us when it comes to our love for you. You don’t want me to be here because I’m afraid to not be here. You want me here because I long for you. I need you. I love you. Well, I can honestly tell you that that is why I am here this morning. You are the one essential in my life. You are the only thing that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are my only certainty. You are my God.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 15, 2024 in Romans

 

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Luke 24:35-37

14 Apr

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

Luke 24:35-37

Dear God, if I’ve seen this before, I’ve forgotten it. Last night, when we were reading this passage in church I noticed that the two who saw Jesus on the way to Emmaus were present for this appearance to the disciples. They got to see him at least twice. What an experience. And what an affirmation. I’m sure they wondered if anyone would believe them. Maybe they doubted themselves a little since Jesus disappeared on them right after he broke the bread.

I’m not sure I have as much of an application for myself out of this except that it’s nice to see these two people affirmed in this way. It’s wonderful that you appeared to them for some reason that is never quite explained as they walked to Emmaus. They got to experience you privately and then with the others. I don’t know exactly who these two people were, but you gave them a special touch that is lovely to see.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I love you. I worship you. I want to pray for some this morning who need prayer. I pray for the Middle East and the tensions there. I pray for Ukraine in the same way. I don’t know how to pray for them, but they are on my heart, and I know that anything happening there is bigger than me. Oh, Father, please help people. Please be glorified. Please make this pain count and, as quickly as possible, make the pain stop. For my friend who is facing marital problems and looking at divorce, I pray that you will heal, make whole, and use this pain to drive changes in both the husband and the wife. For the sorrow in my life, please comfort me. Comfort my wife. And heal the wounds that drive this sorrow.

I offer this and my other prayers to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2024 in Luke

 

Romans 3:19-26

13 Apr

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Romans 3:19-26

Dear God, there are a lot of great things about putting chapters, verses, and section headings in our modern Bibles, but there is one glaring weakness: context. Today’s verses for Bible Gateway were Romans 3:23-24, but I think verses 19-26 are important to capture the entire thought Paul was communicating.

I was watching an old sitcom last night from the 90s that my wife and I used to watch as newlyweds. It’s called Mad About You. It too was about newlyweds so it was really fun for us to relate to at the time. The episode I watched contained a line we both remember originally seeing and have used in the years since. In the scene, the husband and wife are arguing over something that he did that was clearly wrong, but she cannot get him to admit he was wrong. The closest he gets is saying, “This is not the most right I have ever been.” That’s the line we have used over the years. But in the end, he was just wrong.

We all are sometimes. Sometimes, we are all just wrong. Sometimes I am sinful. Sometimes I am selfish. Sometimes I will take advantage of someone else to benefit myself. I’m not going to get into the theology of this verse as it applies to other people, who is “saved” and who isn’t, etc. I’m just going to say this morning, for me, I need you. I need Jesus’s blood to cover me so that you won’t be able to see my sin. I need Jesus’s blood to cover me so I too can be free from my sin and move on. I need Jesus’s example so I can pursue a life of meaning that is based on the peace of knowing just how small I am and just how big you are. I need Jesus’s resurrection to give me the power to let go of my own agenda and embrace a life of loving you and serving others.

Father, first, I want to thank you for a good day yesterday. I felt very loved on a day when sometimes I feel a lot of self-pity. Thank you. Thank you for the people you’ve put around me. Thank you for your grace. Thank you, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 13, 2024 in Romans

 

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Divine Mercy

12 Apr
“Divine Mercy” by Kristin Ashman

Dear God, you know this, but I’m just learning it. Since the early 1900s, Catholics have had a specific celebration for your “Divine Mercy.” My wife has taught me a little about it recently, and I just read about it on Wikipedia. One line from the Wikipedia entry that I liked was, “The primary focus of the Divine Mercy devotion is the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one’s own heart towards those in need of it.”

My wife’s friend, Kristin Ashman, painted the image above. When I saw it I made it the wallpaper on my phone. Then my wife actually got me the print above as a gift. I am looking forward to hanging it on my office wall when I get to work in a bit.

But back to the concept of letting your love and mercy flow through me and to others. I have a pastor friend who describes this concept as having a leaky bucket. When we are full of you, water will leak out of our bucket and onto those with whom we come into contact. In a final act, your dead body released blood and water when pierced by a spear. This image represents that as the mercy flowing out of you through your sacrifice of death on a cross for me.

Father, help me to be leaky today. Help me to be so full of you, Jesus, and your Holy Spirit that you lap over the sides of my bucket and leak out any holes in it. When I think about the “P.S.P.S.” prayer I prayed yesterday, I ask that you be with me in my prayers for others, my service to others, my conversations and “persuasions” of others, and anything I do that costs me for the good of someone else or some cause. I want to be a conduit of your divine mercy–not only receiving it, but channeling it through my life to those around me. Help me to do that effectively for the sake of those around me and your glory.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 12, 2024 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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P.S.P.S. (Prayer, Service, Persuasion, Suffering)

11 Apr

Dear God, I was listening to an interview between Andy Stanley and John Dickson last summer and that the 40-minute mark Stanley asks Dickson about a quote in his book about how the early church strove to emulate Jesus. Dickson then said that Jesus used four tools and four tools only to influence his world–Prayer, Service, Persuasion, and Suffering–and that is all he left us as well. I didn’t want to lose that concept so I memorized the acronym P.S.P.S. Obviously, it has stuck with me.

So, it’s been about nine months since I first heard that interview. How am I doing?

  • Prayer: I think I am doing well with my quality time with you, but I don’t do nearly enough in intercessory prayer, either for individuals or societal/world issues that should have my prayer cover. I’m sorry for that. I need to come up with a better system for intercessory prayer. My wife is very good at that. I am not.
  • Service: I have actually worked different service things into my life. I could always do more, but I do have some things outside of my work, which is inherently service-oriented, that help me directly touch lives that might need my input.
  • Persuasion: This one is always tricky. I think my life directly influences a lot of people around me. And I think I am able to use that to get people to consider you more. But do I do enough?
  • Suffering: I really don’t have anything here. I mean, yes, I have some sorrows in my life. Some broken relationships. And at least one of them has at least some linkage to my faith. But for the most part, I don’t know what suffering is. Is this a problem? Is no suffering a sign that I’m not putting myself out there enough? Persuading enough? Serving enough? Praying enough?

One interesting thing I noticed as I did this list is that doing all of these things isn’t only good for the world around me, but it is good for me as well. If I pray more–good for me. If I serve more–good for me. If I persuade more–good for me. If I suffer more–good for me. All of these things, even suffering, will help refine me into being more and more Jesus-like.

Father, help me to be mindful of this today. Help me to love you well. Help me to find time to pray for others and your world. Help me to jump into service. Help me to be bold and loving in my persuasion. And help me to not resist or avoid suffering if it means doing something you called me to do.

I offer all of this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 11, 2024 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories, Uncategorized

 

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“Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman

10 Apr

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve?

Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart, yeah

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus, yeah
All about You

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song (than a song)

You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
Into my heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, yeah, yeah
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Matthew James Redman

Dear God, my thoughts are all over the place this morning. I sat down and wondered what I should pray about. Which scripture should I choose? What “great thoughts” can I think and pray through this morning? Then I had this song come into my head. You’re looking into my heart. I’ll bring you more than just my thoughts, ideas, and philosophies on life. I’m just coming to worship you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I have a couple of things on my calendar today that are very important to me. But my danger is to try to do this on my own. To rely on my own wisdom and intellect. To make it about me. Instead, my focus needs to be on tapping into your Holy Spirit every moment. To hear that whisper in my ear. What I should be doing. What I should say. What I should not do. What I should not say. To channel Jesus’s “Sermon on the Mount” in everything I think, say, and do. To submit to you. To worship you.

Even now, I can feel my blood pressure going down as I sit here and worship you in this way. I can feel my thoughts becoming more still. I can feel the Holy Spirit calming me. I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you. It’s all about you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s all about what Jesus taught me about worship (the Lord my God), love (my neighbor as myself), and then getting to know you better and better so that Jesus’s life seeps into me and becomes who I am more and more.

Father, it all starts with these moments. It all starts with me sitting here this morning and taking the time to get before you and pray to you. Thank you for bringing me to this place. Thank you for what you offer me. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be today in every situation I encounter.

I offer my life, my day, and this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 10, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Hebrews 1:1-4

09 Apr

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

Hebrews 1:1-4

Dear God, I assume Bible Gateway chose Hebrews 1:3 as its verse today because of the total solar eclipse we experienced yesterday in this part of the world. The idea of you, Jesus, radiating the Father’s own glory. You expressed the very character of God. You sustain everything by the might power of the Triune God. You cleansed me of my sin. You are now seated with the Father. I presume the Holy Spirit is here with me. What an amazing, awesome thing.

Yesterday’s eclipse was interesting. I happen to live in an area where we experienced “totality” for over four minutes. It was “awesome.” My wife and I used that word several times. Friends texted me that word later. “Awesome.” And yet it was just a simple reality of the moon moving between us and the sun and blocking most of the light for a few minutes. How much more awesome are you, but I take you for granted? How much more is who you are and what you put into place (including moons that can, from time to time, move in front of the sun) than the simple physical functions of the things that move around me?

Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, I worship you this morning. I confess that I simply cannot get my head around who you are. You are too great for me to begin to appreciate and understand. You are too much for me to adequately come to and worship. You are too amazing. If I really understood who you were I probably wouldn’t even be able to sit up straight right now as I type this. I would probably be lying prostrate on the ground and barely looking up as I type this feeble prayer. But you take me and my inadequacies anyway. You love me. You comfort me. You heal me. You forgive me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I offer this feeble prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 9, 2024 in Hebrews

 

Romans 5:6-11

08 Apr

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans 5:6-11

Dear God, am I really a friend of yours? That’s an incredible thought. But let me start back at the beginning.

I wonder how much of the timing of Jesus being born when he was was because of who was alive at the time. From Mary and Joseph to Peter, John, and Paul. These were all unique people who did remarkable things. When Paul says, “…just the right time…” I can’t help but wonder also about the other players in the story and how unique they were too. Even the bad actors such as Herod and Pilate.

Then there is the idea that you chose to wound a part of yourself, permanently scarred, for my reconciliation with you. Frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever fully grasp it or appreciate it. How could I? You’re so unfathomable. How could I ever really understand what it cost you, and then appreciate it adequately.

Finally, a friend of yours. You are my friend. I mean, it’s an unequal friendship to be sure. You are my God. I worship you. But I don’t worship you out of fear. I worship you out of love. I worship you out of gratitude. You’ve done so much to make it possible for me to be here praying to you. How could I not offer you my adoration?

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I worship you as my complete, Triune God. Thank you for what you have done for me and what you continue to do. You are my God. I am your servant. But I am also your friend. That is something that I can’t think of any other religion in the world can really claim. I’m probably wrong there, but the concept of you wounding and sacrificing a piece of yourself for us is certainly unique. Help me to live into that gift.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 8, 2024 in Romans

 

Galatians 2:11-21

07 Apr

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Galatians 2:11-21

Dear God, I have like three thoughts running through my head when it comes to this passage.

  • Peter could probably be a bit of a pain to people with his impetuousness, so it’s interesting to think of someone else who could probably bit much for other people being a bit much for Peter. I would imagine that Peter and Paul were difficult for each other, but they worked through it through your mercy and example.
  • Biblical characters were not always right. My wife and I were talking about this yesterday. I think there are times when they make mistakes that they aren’t necessarily called out for their mistakes. Some more obvious (to me) than others. For example, I think Paul was your ultimate replacement for Judas, but Peter was impetuous and cast lots for Matthias. Paul and Barnabas had a huge argument over John Mark, and I’m not sure which of them was right or wrong in that one, but it feels like Barnabas had a better spirit about it than Paul did. David said many things in Psalms that I don’t think Jesus would have supported.
  • Verse 20: My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. If I could ever get this verse right and really live it then, well, I don’t know what would happen. There is a lot happening in this verse, and I think my personal life has only scratched the surface of it.

Father, help me to get a look at what it means truly not live, but let Jesus live in me. Help me to know what it looks like to “live n this earthly body by trusting Jesus.” Let everything I do today be informed by the example Jesus gave me. Jesus is the author and perfector of my faith. Thank you. I almost tried to type other words after thank you, but words fail. Thank you!

I pray to you this morning through Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 7, 2024 in Galatians

 
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