2 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One[d] with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
1 O Lamb of God! Thou wonderful sin-bearer, Hard after Thee my soul doth follow on; As pants the hart for streams in desert dreary, So pants my soul for Thee, O Thou life-giving One.
Refrain: At Thy feet I fall, Yield Thee up my all, To suffer, live, or die For my Lord crucified.
2 I mourn, I mourn the sin that drove Thee from me, And blackest darkness brought into my soul; Now I renounce the cursed sin that hindered, And come once more to Thee, to be made fully whole. [Refrain]
3 Descend the heav’ns, Thou whom my soul adoreth! Oh, come just now, fill my poor longing breast; For Thee, for Thee, I watch, as for the morning! Apart from Thee, I find neither joy, peace, nor rest. [Refrain]
4 Come, Holy Ghost, Thy mighty aid bestowing, Destroy the works of sin, the self, the pride; Burn, burn in me, my idols overthrowing; Prepare my heart for Him—for my Lord crucified. [Refrain]
18 Loners who care only for themselves spit on the common good.
2 Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
3 When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind; contempt for life is contemptible.
4 Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.
5 It’s not right to go easy on the guilty, or come down hard on the innocent.
6 The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him.
7 Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words.
8 Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?
9 Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.
10 God’s name is a place of protection— good people can run there and be safe.
11 The rich think their wealth protects them; they imagine themselves safe behind it.
12 Pride first, then the crash, but humility is precursor to honour.
13 Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.
14 A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
15 Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.
16 A gift gets attention; it buys the attention of eminent people.
17 The first speech in a court case is always convincing— until the cross-examination starts!
18 You may have to draw straws when faced with a tough decision.
19 Do a favour and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond.
20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.
21 Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
22 Find a good spouse, you find a good life— and even more: the favor of God!
23 The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.
24 Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.
(WOMEN) What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! (ALL) O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. (MEN) Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. (ALL) Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. (ALL) Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he’ll take and shield thee; thou shalt find a solace there.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
The Following children’s Hymn reminds us how we should not only Shine for Jesus but be loving and kind. It also asks for Guidance from Sin all of which is not easy at the best of times after all we are human.
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.
Refrain:
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.
Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy,
His little one can be.
I will ask Jesus to help me
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.
I’ll be a sunbeam for Jesus,
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live for Him on high.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1. I am so glad that our Father in Heaven Tells of his love in the book he has given; Wonderful things in the Bible I see; This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me. Chorus I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.
2. Jesus loves me and I know I love him; Love brought him down my poor soul to redeem, Yes, it was love made him die on the tree; O I am certain that Jesus loves me!
3. If one should ask of me, how could I tell? Glory to Jesus, I know very well; God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree, Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me.
4. O if there’s only one song I can sing When in his beauty I see the great King, This shall my song in eternity be: O what a wonder that Jesus loves me!
5. In this assurance I find sweetest rest, Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blest; Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
Christian Devotions, Health and General issues of the day 