Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 15:22-27.

“Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur;  and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.  When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter;  therefore it was named Marah.  So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”  Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree;  and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.  And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians;  for I, the LORD, am your healer.”

Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.”  Exodus 15:22-27.

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In our travels through life, like Israel, we will be tested, we will need to give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD and do what is right in His sight, and we will need to rest.

But, there is hope!

Regarding being tested, the testing of our faith produces endurance.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  James 1:2-4.

Regarding the need to give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD and do what is right in His sight, God puts His Spirit within us and causes us to be careful and walk in His statutes. 

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”  Ezekiel 36:26.  

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23. 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:15.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:27.

Regarding the need to rest, God leads us by quiet waters and makes us lie down to rest in green pastures.  God restores our soul and gives us peace.    

“The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; …” Psalm 23:1-3.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 15:11-18.

11 “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?
12 “You stretched out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 “In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.
14 “The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 “Terror and dread fall upon them;
By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O LORD,
Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.
17 “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,
The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.” Exodus 15:11-18.

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In today’s Scripture, we see a sharp contrast between Israel (as today’s Scripture calls them: “Your people”, “whom You have redeemed”, “whom You have purchased”) and everyone else:  such as the Egyptians, the inhabitants of Philistia, the chiefs of Edom, and the leaders of Moab.  

Compare what Israel received from God (“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;  In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.”  Verse 13) with what everyone else received (“Terror and dread fall upon them;  By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;  Until Your people pass over, O LORD, …”  Verse 16).

According to what is seen throughout Scripture, Reformed Doctrine teaches that there is a sharp contrast between God’s elect and everyone else.  God does not love everyone, and Christ did not die for everyone;  but rather, God only loves His elect and Christ only died for God’s elect.  In the briefest nutshell, God’s elect gets Christ and everything else that is good for them.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination which states “election is the fountain of every saving good”.

Article 9.  This election was not founded upon foreseen faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality of disposition in man, as the pre-requisite, cause or condition on which it depended;  but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, etc., therefore election is the fountain of every saving good;  from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, as its fruits and effects, according to that of the apostle:  “He hath chosen us (not because we were) but that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love,”  Ephesians 1:4.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”  1 Corinthians 1:26-30. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6. 

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 15:3-10.

“3 “The LORD is a warrior;
The LORD is His name.
4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 “The deeps cover them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power,
Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
7 “And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You;
You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.
8 “At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be gratified against them;
I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
10 “You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.” Exodus 15:3-10.

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Last Sunday, a popular art image of a smiling Jesus surrounded by children filled a huge screen in our worship service and stayed there during the blessing of the children.

My heart sank at that proud display by a conservative Presbyterian church that subscribes to the Heidelberg Catechism and which should know better than violate the second commandment.  

Q. 96.  What doth God require in the second commandment?

A.  That we in no wise represent God by images, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word.

Q. 97.  Are images then not at all to be made?

A.  God neither can nor may be represented by any means.  But as to creatures, though they may be represented, yet God forbids to make or have any resemblance of them either in order to worship them or to serve God by them.

Q. 98.  But may not images be tolerated in the churches as books to the laity?

A.  No;  for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have His people taught, not by dumb images, but by the lively preaching of His Word.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Some of you may think what is the harm?  Scripture does state:  “Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray;  and the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me;  for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.”  Matthew 19:13-15.

Then, preach it!  Shows these words on the screen!  But, do not show an art image of Jesus and violate the second commandment and lead the congregation to even partially rely on art images rather than solely rely on God’s word alone to form their beliefs about God!

Also, consider today’s Scripture.  So to speak, as Israel was faced with Egypt chasing Israel intent on destroying their babies, their children, and everyone else, what did Israel need?  This art image of Jesus stuck in their minds or today’s Scripture?  As Ukrainian Christians face the Russian invaders what do they need?  An art image or God’s word?

Americans may not be faced with literal war now, but we are faced with spiritual war.  What do we need?  An art image or God’s word?

We should not need to explain possible reasons for the second commandment, but consider that if such images are allowed, our tendency is to be lazy and rely on them rather than diligently studying God’s word and relying on Scripture alone to form our beliefs of God.  

Or worse, we may leave the God of Scripture and worship an idol, the image of a god that is cute and that we prefer and can manipulate to our desires.   

But, there is hope!  

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17.

“The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:26-31.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”  So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it;  then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them;  not even one of them remained.  But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.”  Exodus 14:26-31.

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“7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.” Psalm 91:7-10.

“10 So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their adversaries;
Not one of them was left.
12 Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.” Psalm 106:10-12.

“4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

5 How great are Your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8 But You, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For, behold, Your enemies will perish;
All who do iniquity will be scattered.” Psalm 91:4-9.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:21-25.

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea;  and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.  The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.  At the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.  He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the LORD is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”  Exodus 14:21-25.

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God is sovereign over the sea:  “the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.”

God is sovereign over the chariots and the Egyptians:  “He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty”.

But, God is also sovereign over the hearts of men (a/k/a their will).  We read three times in this same chapter that the LORD hardens hearts.

“Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them;  and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”  …”  Exodus 14:4.

“The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.”  Exodus 14:8. 

“As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them;  and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.”  Exodus 14:17.

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1.

“But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:3.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.

“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.”  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”  Romans 9:15-18.

But, there is hope!

God has mercy on His elect and causes them to walk in His statutes.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:27. 

“…  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”  Ephesians 1:11.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6. 

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:19-20.

“The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them;  and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.  So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel;  and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night.  Thus the one did not come near the other all night.” Exodus 14:19-20.

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Today’s Scripture reminds us that God is in front of us to lead us but is also behind us to protect us.

Most of the time, we think about following God.    

“And He (Jesus) *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”  Matthew 4:19-20.

But, God is also behind us as our rear guard to protect us.  And, this is particularly comforting, because we cannot as easily see or be aware of the dangers behind us.   

“But you will not go out in haste,
Nor will you go as fugitives;
For the LORD will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 52:12.

In summary, God surrounds us.

“3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:3-5.

“Those who trust in the LORD
Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the LORD surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.” Psalm 125:1-2.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:15-18.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me?  Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.  As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.  As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them;  and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.  Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”   Exodus 14:15-18.

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There are two points upon which we shall meditate in today’s Scripture.  

First, why did the LORD give Moses good news, bad news, and puzzling news, particularly immediately after such unequivocally great news that Moses gave to Israel in the two preceding verses?  (But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today;  for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”  Exodus 14:13-14.)

Second, the LORD will be honored not only through the salvation of His people but also through the destruction of others.

Regarding the first point, the LORD continually calls us to trust Him and the LORD will provide what we need.  Although the LORD followed good news that “the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land” with bad news that “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them” and puzzling news that “I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen”, Moses could remember the unequivocally great news that the LORD would accomplish salvation for Israel in the very same day and that He would fight for Israel while they kept silent.

For us today, we are also called to trust the LORD and the LORD will provide what we need. 

“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 14:26.  

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;  for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.”  John 16:13.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith;  as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them;  for God made it evident to them.”  Romans 1:16-19.

Regarding the second point, in the Book of Revelation immediately before Christ broke the seven seals starting with the six seals of Rider of White Horse, War, Famine, Death, Martyrs, and Terror in Revelation chapter 6, we read the following at the end of Revelation chapter 5 which shows us on the largest scale that the LORD will be honored not only through the salvation of His people but also through the destruction of others.

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb (Christ) that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.” Revelation 5:11-14.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 14:5-14.

“When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”  So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him;  and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.  The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.  Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened;  so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD.  Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?  Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?  Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’?  For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today;  for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”  Exodus 14:5-14.

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“For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said,

“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,” Isaiah 30:15.

We see Israel’s fear and lack of faith.  “Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?  Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?  Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’?  For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”  Verses 11-12.

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;  but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”  Hebrews 4:1-2. 

“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.  Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”  Hebrews 4:9-11. 

But, there is hope!

“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him (Christ) whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29.

“But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today;  …  The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”  Verses 13-14. 

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby. 

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father;  that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.  But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him (Christ) who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,”  Romans 4:4-5. 

“For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope (Christ), through which we draw near to God.”  Hebrews 7:18-19. 

“Therefore He (Christ) is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”  Hebrews 7:25.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16.

“5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
6 The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.” Psalm 116:5-8.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.