“Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them.” Psalm 65:3
No matter how hard we may try to obey God’s commandments, we still sin and come short. And our iniquities in thought, desire, word, and deed mandate God’s judgment and condemnation. But God provided atonement for our sins in the innocent sufferings and death of His Son that we might be pardoned and forgiven through faith in Christ Jesus. Through faith in Jesus, our transgressions of God’s law are purged away in Jesus’ shed blood.
We thank You, O God, for sending the Son to fulfill all righteousness for us and then atone for our sins by His perfect sacrifice on the cross for the sins of all. Grant that we turn from our frail attempts to be righteous in Your sight by works and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His cross for pardon, forgiveness, and life everlasting. Amen.
“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’” John 2:3-5
Jesus did not come into the world to provide wine at wedding celebrations or even food to feed the multitudes, and the time for Him to be revealed as the all-powerful Son of God had not yet come. But still, Jesus cared, stepped in, and met the needs of this bridegroom. Jesus came to redeem us from sin and death, but He also cares for us and meets our everyday needs.
We thank You, dear Lord Jesus, for coming into this world to redeem us from sin and death and to give us eternal life, and we thank You also for providing for our every earthly need. Amen.
“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13
The Bible’s teaching (its doctrine) is given to us not in words of human wisdom but in words given and taught by the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Bible is not a book of human wisdom; it is a book of divine spiritual teaching given to us by the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit.
Grant that I hear and heed Your Word, O God, not as the word of men but of the Holy Spirit, revealing to us divine truth and the only way of salvation — through faith in Christ Jesus, the Son of God and our Savior. Amen.
“The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160
Since all of the Bible is God’s inspired Word, the Holy Scriptures are true and without error and will endure forever, making it all the more important that we read and study the Bible and heed its message calling upon us to repent of our sinful ways and trust in Christ Jesus, God’s Son, and our Savior.
Grant that I hear and heed Your Word, O LORD, because Your Word is truth in a world full of darkness and falsehood. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21
Though the Scriptures were written by holy men of God, it was the Spirit of God who moved them to write and guided them in their message and choice of words so that the Bible is God’s Word and not man’s. Therefore, the Bible is not subject to private interpretation but must be understood and interpreted in agreement with the rest of Scripture.
Grant that I hear and receive Your Word, O Lord, not as the word of men, but as Your inspired Word, given that I might repent of my sinful ways and trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and life. In His name, I pray. Amen.
