Devotions: Ps 94, 97, 99; Jer 17:19-27; Rom 7:13-25; Jn 6:16-29
Let the wrath of God shine forth against the arrogant who boast, who afflict God's heritage, and who victimize the widow, the sojourner and the orphan. They claim, 'YHWH doesn't see or care.' Fools! The One Who make the ears and eyes can hear and see; He Who masters nature and disciplines whole nations will also chastise wicked individuals! And blessed are we whom God disciplines; He is teaching us His ways, and He will not forsake His people. If YHWH had not been my help, I would have perished long ago. YHWH is my Stronghold and my Rock of refuge. He protects me and wipes out the unrepentant wicked. Let earth rejoice that our God reigns! Let the heavens declare His righteousness; idol-worshipers will be put to shame, but God loves those who hate evil. Light dawns for the righteous. Let us give thanks to Him! Mighty King, Lover of justice, You have executed equity, and we worship at Your feet. Extol and worship YHWH our God, for He is holy.
YHWH directed Jeremiah to go to the Benjamin Gate, by which Judah's kings enter and depart, and also to all Jerusalem's gates with this message: 'Hear what YHWH says, kings of Judah, and all its citizens and inhabitants: Take heed for your lives; bear no burdens on the Sabbath, nor bring in or take out through the gates on that day; refrain from such work in your homes as well. Obey Me, and you'll never lack for a king on David's throne, or princes, or a full complement of people in the city. People will come here from all around—from the territories of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, the hill country and the Negev, bringing offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, frankincense—bringing offerings of thanks and worship to the house of YHWH. But if you ignore Me, and profane the Sabbath, I will light a fire in the gates of this city and it will devour all the palaces of Jerusalem, and will not be quenched!'
Paul continues his discussion of Torah and life in Christ: Did what is good bring death to me? Not at all! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, so that sin might be shown to be sin and might through the commandment become sinful beyond measure. The law is spiritual, but I am sinful (like us all), carnal, sold out to sin. I don't understand my own actions: I don't do what I value, and I keep doing what I hate. I still agree that the law is good—it prompts me to the good and prohibits the evil. So my sinful acts are not from my truest self, but from the sin that lives in me. Nothing good lives in my flesh; I can will what is good, but I cannot do it. This is the result of sin dwelling within me. So I derive this principle: when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. I delight in the law of God in my inmost self; but I see in my members another law, at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin. What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Let us thank God, through Jesus the Messiah our Lord! Within myself, I serve God with my mind, but with my flesh, I unwillingly serve the law of sin. I cannot solve this problem by myself, but God will do it through Jesus, for me and all who are in the Messiah Jesus!
After a long day, when Jesus had served more than 5000 persons from five barley loaves and two small fish, Jesus' disciples returned to the lakeside, while He climbed further onto the mountain, alone. The disciples got into their boat and began to row across toward the other side. The seas rose and the wind blew strongly. When they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus, walking on the sea and approaching the boat. They were frightened, but He said, 'I Am; don't be afraid!' Then they gladly took Him into the boat, and immediately the boat arrived at the land to which they were bound. The next day, the people who were searching for Jesus at the site where He had fed the multitudes discovered that He and His disciples had departed. So they embarked and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found Him there, they asked, 'Rabbi, when did You come here?' He answered, 'I tell you truly, you seek Me because you ate your fill of bread and fish yesterday. Don't labor for food which perishes; instead, seek the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal' They asked Him, 'What must we do, to do God's work?' He answered: 'This is God's work: believe in Him Whom God has sent.'
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