Isaiah 41:17-43:13 + Ephesians 2:1-22 + Psalm 67:1-7 + Proverbs 23:29-35
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Old Testament – Today in Isaiah chapter 42 we read some amazing prophecies about Jesus! Verses 1 through 4 in Isaiah 42 are known as the “Servant Song,” in which the servant is the coming Messiah, Jesus. There are 3 other servant songs in Isaiah we’ll read in the coming days. The nation of Israel, as well as the Messiah, are both often called “servant”. The nation of Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and the Messiah is the high priest who atones for the sins of the world. In Isaiah chapter 42 verse 1 today we read: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.” Verses 1 through 4 are quoted in part in Matthew 12:18-21. Do you see the prophecies about Jesus as you read today’s chapter 42? Is this chapter and its prophecies encouraging to you?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Isaiah titled “The Lord is the Gracious Redeemer” is at this link. Below is a great image for Isaiah 43:2-3 from today’s readings:
New Testament – Today in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 through 10 we read: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV) Have you been saved by grace through faith? Do you believe that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned? Have you ever felt that you had to work for your salvation? What does Paul say about works related to salvation in these verses? Do you believe that you are God’s very workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works? Do you believe that God has prepared good works for you to do in advance? Are you participating in God’s plan for your life?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Ephesians titled “The Guilt of Men and the Grace of God” is at this link. Below is a great image from Ephesians 2:10 from today’s readings:
Psalms – Psalm 67 verse 2 today sounds very Great Commission-ish: “May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.” It’s interesting to read this verse when just recently I was reading a review in my local newspaper about a book that “exposes” evangelical Christians. This book really dives into how “successful” evangelical Christians are in “recruiting” young adults ages 20 to 35 with their ministries. And this book reviewer – and the book author – were very disdainful of Christianity. Saying it threatened secular society… and this just made me realize that the more we do indeed make God’s ways known throughout the earth – the more we introduce people to God’s saving power among people everywhere – well, then the secular world will push back big time with books and reviews like the one I read. And the secular world will even push back in more severe ways as well. This makes me realize that indeed our efforts to make God’s was known – God’s love, grace, mercy, salvation, call to repentance – are being noticed by others! But hopefully more than just being noticed by others, let us pray that our Kingdom work actually introduces others to God’s only son Jesus, who transforms hearts and lives for eternity!
Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 23 verses 29 through 35 is one of the largest portions of Proverbs that we will read on one day this year in the One Year Bible. I’m sure you’ve noticed that usually our Proverbs readings each day are one or two verses. Well, these 7 verses today are well worth presenting together all at once! I pray these verses speak to each of us powerfully about the dangers of overdoing alcohol and being out late partying: “Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don’t let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can have another drink?” This is so very true! I have to share with you here that I have really been convicted lately of how dangerous alcohol can be for so many people in our society. Recently I’ve had a couple of good friends share with me their struggles with alcohol – and they are heartbreaking stories. Alcohol abuse can literally destroy lives and relationships, as we all know. I’m not a prohibitionist. But, I do see so much truth in this Proverb and I think we all need to recognize the danger of alcohol abuse – not to mention the dangers of drugs. Please please please, don’t ever let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you! For in excess it can indeed bite like a poisonous serpent…
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Isaiah chapter 43 reminded me of Josh Wilson’s song, “Carry Me:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9huooelamNA
Is God carrying you? Click here and be carried!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you realize that you are truly God’s workmanship. Pray that you are doing good works that God prepared in advance for you to do. Pray that you realize that works don’t save you, but that you know the truth of grace from Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them. I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid land into springs. (Isaiah 41:17-18 NET.)
Reading these two verses brought these Words of Jesus to my remembrance,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6 NET.)
Everything that is written in the Prophets is found in Jesus. I believe it is not until we get to the place where we are like the dear, with his tongue hanging out from thirst panting for water (Psalm 42:1), that God will quench our thirst and satiate our hunger. When we stop filling ourselves up with things that will never satisfy our thirst then God will come in and give us Streams of Living Water.
I have always loved the first four verses of Isaiah 42 from the very first time I read it.
“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets. A crushed reed he will not break a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees. He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.” (Isaiah 42:1-4 NET.)
I’m not sure what specifically in and about these four verse bring me such joy and comfort but I think for me it gives me guidelines in determining or discerning who, is ministering the Gospel. Are they, am I really being led by the Holy Spirit? Or am I being led by my own flesh? When I see or hear people preaching in the street or subway. I ask, “Are they following these guidelines?” Are they witnessing or are they being a witness by their comportment. Can people see in them, can they see in me the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
God also gives Isaiah a scathing indictment in chapter 42 against God’s people then, and now.
18 “Oh, how deaf and blind you are toward me! Why won’t you listen? Why do you refuse to see? 19 Who in all the world is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messengers? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD? 20 You see and understand what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear, but you don’t really listen.”
Yet, despite all of these charges, we are still God’s people because He loves us unconditionally.
Ephesians 2:1-22
But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. (Ephesians 2:13-16 NET.)
These are awesome verses. The Law that kept God Chosen People, the Jews, separated from the Gentiles, that’s me, was done away with. He made two different people, the ones who were given the Law and the ones who were not, into one people group. Even if we refuse to accept that Jews are God’s Original Chosen People God still sees us as One. Even if the Jews fail to accept the Gentiles as part of their family, God still sees us as One Family. We are family not because we accept and are endeared to everyone; we are family by way of Blood, the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 23:29-35
For a while, I have seen alcoholic beverages as bottled “spirits.” In fact there are still stores in Manhattan that use the phrase, “Wines and Spirits” in the title that identifies their business. I live in the Borough of Brooklyn or Kings County, part of New York City, and my borough is also known as the Borough of Churches. A church building should be a place where folks get together who are filled with the Holy Spirit. However, we know that there are churches all around the world where there is no Spirit: they have a counterfeit spirit. Coupled with the “bottled” spirits we find in liquor stores and those places that operate under a counterfeit sprit these verses, at least to me, do not deal exclusively with the imbibing of many alcoholic beverages.
Whatever the choice, fake sprit or one from a bottle, the consequences are the sam, you will find yourself shipwrecked, so beware.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======== Rosemary:
Oh brother, can I testify to that last statement! I have not drank since August 19, 1987. By God’s saving grace.
HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH.
Rosemary
========= Ramona:
>>Alcohol can literally destroy lives and relationships, as we all know. >>
Mike—Anything done in excess is dangerous and will destroy your life and I’m using “life” as more than the breathing in an out of air.. The life that is destroyed is the abundant life Jesus talks about in John 10:10. In the USA, we are destroying our lives by being intoxicated with food. Driving while full (DWF), to me, can be the same as DUI/DWI. Anything done in excess is “sin.”
Societies and cultures just excepts certain kinds of excess and puts it’s stamp of approval on it. Anything that destroys our relationship with God, anything that causes us to sacrifice our family for the so called “greater good,” or for our own personal feel goods, is sin.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Lori:
Mike,
This is my first time writing- I started the one year bible blog with you on jan.1st!! I have been so blessed by you and your awesome efforts! I’ve told many others about you also, including my 75 yr. old mother who also is enjoying your blog!! Thank you – thank you – keep up the great work!
I would like to share a book that is the absolute best on the subject of christians drinking alcohol: “Sipping Saints” by David Wilkerson. It is a very short book, but very powerful!! A must read for all christians! I use to drink once in awhile until I read this book- now I never do.
May God Bless you for the awesome work you are doing in sharing His Word with us!
Lori
======== Mike:
Thanks Rosemary, Ramona and Lori for the comments on the subject of alcohol today! It’s quite a subject… I really did almost drink myself to death in college. And so perhaps it’s foolish for me to drink at all these days – but I do think I’ve found the “moderation” / not-excess point that you refer to Ramona.
I appreciate the book recommendation Lori. I do hope to read it for further study on this subject of alcohol. And I’m glad you’ve been on board w/ us since Jan 1!
God bless,
Mike
======== Linda:
I am at a very trying time in my life and may soon be homeless. This reading today and the things you have put together regarding it have been a great big kiss from God to me. Thank you.
Linda
======== Emily:
I love the song. It sent chills down my spine. Your site is so rewarding and uplifiting. Thanks for the reminder that God is forever in our hearts!
Emily
======= Erin:
I hadn’t been doing these readings lately — I had switched to a chronological Bible for the last few months, but it was not going well. I haven’t even gotten to any New Testament readings yet, and to have JUST OT readings was getting tedious for me. I decided to come back to this and use my chronological Bible alongside it for historical context. Anyway, this is my first day back, and it had to be God directing me back to this, because I REALLY needed this passage in Isaiah today. My 13-year-old son has been enthralled by the Curiosity series on the Discovery Channel, and I’ve been watching it with him to help him with any questions or anything that comes up that is contradictory to our faith. The last episode we watched was about the end of the world. I generally avoid disaster-type movies because of how much they trouble me. I am an EXTREMELY empathetic person, and it is far to easy for me to actually insert myself and my children into those situations and be haunted by weeks. Watching this episode of Curiosity was like watching a disaster movie, but with scientific evidence to back it all up — it was horrifying. So to come here today for the first time in months, without knowing what passages I would be reading today, and see Isaiah 43 — it was like God whispering to me that it was okay. Whatever happens, God will walk with me through it. And he already knows what the future will bring. He created me and my children “for such a time as this.” We will be okay because God goes with us.
Erin
======== Billy:
We have been studying James in our Bible Study group and this is where he says, “Faith without works is dead.” This seems like a contradiction between what Paul just said in Ephesians but in my Bible note it said the following which I found to be very good:
“That a man is justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is ALONE.” (it says these are Martin Luthur’s words)
Billy
========= Juliana:
My family and i are usually in an argument over what the associated with alcohol abuse is versus
misuse. Through what I learned during my high school health class misuse IS misuse if
the person drinking is underage like our son’s situation. My wife believes that abuse is reserved for raging alcoholics and that our son is simply experimenting like everyone else his age. I have blended views given my very own “experimentation”, however I want to deal with this better than our parents did. Our son also recently received a public intoxication solution and we needed to pick him up from the police train station… Within the grand scheme associated with things the answer does not help us with the underage son, but it a minimum of puts us on a single page since how best to manage this..
Juliana
======== Art:
Christianity does threaten secular society, Mike. Satan is the Prince of the World, and he will convince those that follow him to fight tooth and nail against Christianity. The writer of the newspaper article that you read is merely expressing what in some worldly quarters is “popular opinion.”
We must remember that when Jesus walked the Earth, neither He nor his followers were popular. Satan even had the religious folk of the time against Him. He became such a threat that He was put to death. He reminded us that we who follow and worship the true God of the Universe would also be put down in the day’s society. So this is what we expect!
Let us not be faint-hearted because of these stabs. Satan can only go as far as God will permit him to go. Let us continue to share the Word with all who will accept it, and also to all others that might be touched by the Holy Spirit. In ancient times, it could have perhaps been Paul writing a story like that…and we know how, through the grace of God, how he turned out!
Keep the faith, brother!
Art
======== Dee:
I love the foreshadowing of Christ in Isaiah today.
I love in Ephesians..we are God’s workmanship..his masterpiece. Lest any man may boast..we boast in Christ instead
Proverbs was interesting and reminded me of my dad and of a coworker of mine..alcohol abuse not only hurts you but your family. It ensures..beware
Dee
======= Renee:
Every time I read Isaiah 42…I can tangibly feel the Love of God for His son and His purpose. And, how, He openly reveals His plans for His people.
8 “I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
Isaiah 43
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
Praise His Great Love for us forever!
Eph. 2:4-10
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Bless God for all He’s done
Ps. 67:3
May the peoples praise you, God may all the peoples praise you.
Proverbs 23:29-35
Wine in and of itself is not bad. Jesus’ first miracle was to restore the wine for a wedding at Cana.
Proverbs points to the fact that we should not be using wine as a substitute for God.
Shalom
Renee
======= Angela:
Ephesians 2:1-10 was the passage that stood out to me the most. It says that before we were saved, we were sinful, disobedient, and satisfying our fleshly desires. We deserved horrible punishment. Verse 4-6 then lifts the mood, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus-” It’s amazing how God can be so gracious and merciful to such sinners like us. He has brought us up from our sinful, undeserving selves to salvation through Jesus Christ. These verses made me realize how much God really deserves praise and glory, yet sometimes we still don’t glorify him.
Angela
======= Jane:
Mike.. Thanks for sharing carry me by josh Wilson. Man that song is incredible! What a talented musician! Yeah I was thinking about being saved by grace not by our works. I think salvation is the free gift! Then when we take Jesus in ( he Carrys us) then he purposes the good works! They follow because we Love him! Not for self recognition let any man should boast! I love this verse. Although it only took me a life time to figure out. I was raised on rules and regulations. Oh yes Jesus loved me BUT if I did this and this “prob not”. So took while to change that mentality!! He loves me for me!! I love David Dunn new song Jesus loves me this I know .
Jane
======= Bob:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Our Pastor used this verse for us to reflect on our Mission Trip to Liberia. It fit perfectly.
Proverbs 23:29-35…Well said Ramona!
Bob
========= John:
Isaiah readings (going to skip around)
Is 43:11-13
I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
I know this chapter is about Israel, but they are his chosen people. Just as believers are His chosen people (remember Ephesians post from yesterday).
Look at the parallels for our salvation:
– God alone is our savior. It is not about anything we can do – it is by His grace giving us faith that we are saved by Him through Jesus Christ.
– It has been revealed to us, we are saved by God, and He proclaims it in His Word. We ARE his withesses That He alone is God.
– Assurance – no one can deliver us out of His hand. Not even we can jump ship. When He acts it is done!
This is why it is so important to know that God has and will keep His promises to Israel. If He can break His word towards Israel, then He can break His word and promises to us. God is a faithful God who will complete His works.
======================================================
Is 43:6-7
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Again about Israel – but it is true for a believer also. We were created for His glory. that is what “God is up to” this whole time – it is not about us – it is about Him. It is for His glory – all his attributes magnified to the highest level that God went ahead with Creation – knowing there would be a turning away from God. Like Joseph said – paraphrased – ‘What Satan meant for evil – God means for good.’ When it appears that God suffers a setback – as time passes – it is true (sometimes revealed) that it works out for the good – and God is glorified.
======================================================
Is 42:6-8
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
“I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
Messianic writings that talk about Jesus in this chapter and what God will do for Israel and us as believers.
He calls us into righteousness, He will keep us and conform us into the image of Christ. He will make us a light that will open the eyes of people and free them from the captivity of sin (the world).
I am the Lord; that is my name is ‘ I am Jehova (the existing one or “I am”); that is my name.
AND VERY IMPORTANT – He does not share His glory with anyone. If you get or agree that this is all about God’s glory, then you should see that:
Salvation is not about grace and works – there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. God does not share His glory with us.
The concept of purgatory is contradicted by God not sharing His glory. We cannot spend some time in some place suffering to earn our way into heaven. It is not about anything we do – but about God.
The idea that any dead human is elevated in heavenly status to deity or near-deity would mean God would be sharing His glory. God does not share His glory, and for His glory to be magnified to fullest – NO ONE else can step in and play godlike roles.
God is big enough to handle the switchboard. The idea that we need an earthly mediator to approach God died at the cross. The idea that a dead human can approach God in heaven on our behalf denigrates Jesus’ role as the only mediator in Heaven for us (believers).
1Tim2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
God does not share His glory – He is BIG enough for the job.
John
======== Vance:
ISAIAH 41
17
“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never forsake them.
18
I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. In the deserts they will find pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the dry, parched ground.
19
I will plant trees–cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine–on barren land.
20
Everyone will see this miracle and understand that it is the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, who did it.
21
“Can your idols make such claims as these? Let them come and show what they can do!” says the LORD, the King of Israel.
MY COMMENT:
12
[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God.
13
But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him].
ISAIAH 42
6
“I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will guard and support you, for I have given you to my people as the personal confirmation of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide all nations to me.
8
“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else. I will not share my praise with carved idols.
** THANK GOD!
Jesus is God’s “personal confirmation of My Covenant”. Isn’t that great!
18
“Oh, how deaf and blind you are toward me! Why won’t you listen? Why do you refuse to see?
19
Who in all the world is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messengers? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD?
20
You see and understand what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear, but you don’t really listen.”
OUCH!
How much are we—am I—like this?
“Faith without obedience and works of love is dead.”
ISAIAH 43
1
But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
2
When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
THANK GOD! … Jesus is with us even through our unbelief and “weakness of faith”.
May we be like the man in the Gospel of Mark who PRESSED THROUGH UNBELIEF, the man who Jesus was speaking to:
Mark 9
22
And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us.
23
And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!
24
At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!
25
But when Jesus noticed that a crowd [of people] came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you to come out of him and never go into him again.
THANK GOD! Jesus is very patient with us!
This should SPUR US to obey more!
13
“From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can oppose what I do. No one can reverse my actions.”
THANK GOD!…
EPHESIANS 2
I really like these questions:
“ Do you believe that you are God’s very workmanship? Do you believe you were created in Christ Jesus to do good works? Do you believe that God has prepared good works for you to do in advance? Are you participating in God’s plan for you life? ”
10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
21
We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
22
Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
NOTE:
We are God’s masterpiece!
May we NOT rest in the sense of being lazy! “I am God’s masterpiece—so I will REJOICE in this and do nothing!”
WE SHOULD REJOICE! BUT WE SHOULD ALSO BE ABOUT THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM!
“…He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Vance
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