Morning, February 2
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You can be sure of this:
        The LORD set apart the godly for himself.
        The LORD will answer when I call to him.
Insight
The godly are those who are faithful and devoted to God. David knew that God would hear him when he called and would answer him. We too can be confident that God listens to our prayers and answers when we call on him. Sometimes we think that God will not hear us because we have fallen short of his high standards for holy living. But if we have trusted Christ for salvation, God has forgiven us, and he will listen to us.
Challenge
When you feel as though your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, remember that as a believer you have been set apart by God and that he loves you. He hears and answers, although his answers may not be what you expect. Look at your problems in the light of God's power instead of looking at God in the shadow of your problems.
Hebrews 9:22  Without the shedding of blood is no remission.

This is the voice of unalterable truth. In none of the Jewish ceremonies were sins, even typically, removed without blood-shedding. In no case, by no means can sin be pardoned without atonement. It is clear, then, that there is no hope for me out of Christ; for there is no other blood-shedding which is worth a thought as an atonement for sin. Am I, then, believing in him? Is the blood of his atonement truly applied to my soul? All men are on a level as to their need of him. If we be never so moral, generous, amiable, or patriotic, the rule will not be altered to make an exception for us. Sin will yield to nothing less potent than the blood of him whom God hath set forth as a propitiation. What a blessing that there is the one way of pardon! Why should we seek another?

Persons of merely formal religion cannot understand how we can rejoice that all our sins are forgiven us for Christ's sake. Their works, and prayers, and ceremonies, give them very poor comfort; and well may they be uneasy, for they are neglecting the one great salvation, and endeavouring to get remission without blood. My soul, sit down, and behold the justice of God as bound to punish sin; see that punishment all executed upon thy Lord Jesus, and fall down in humble joy, and kiss the dear feet of him whose blood has made atonement for thee. It is in vain when conscience is aroused to fly to feelings and evidences for comfort: this is a habit which we learned in the Egypt of our legal bondage. The only restorative for a guilty conscience is a sight of Jesus suffering on the cross. "The blood is the life thereof," says the Levitical law, and let us rest assured that it is the life of faith and joy and every other holy grace.

"Oh! how sweet to view the flowing

Of my Saviour's precious blood;

With divine assurance knowing

He has made my peace with God."


1 Chronicles 4:10  Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested.

Luke 22:46  and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation."

Matthew 26:41  "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Proverbs 30:7-9  Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: • Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, • That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. • Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

Psalm 121:7  The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.

Jeremiah 15:21  "So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent."

1 John 5:18  We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Revelation 3:10  Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

2 Peter 2:9  then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

New American Standard Bible Copyright ? 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

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