Tag Archives: Matthew 6:9-13

Who’s Fighting? You Or Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #327

05 Wednesday Mar 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, Be Still and Know, Be ye DOERS of the word NOT hearers only, Believe God?, Blood of Jesus cleanses us, Bloom Where You're Planted!, Boldness without arrogance., Bow Before our God, Fighting With God's Weapons, Filled With His Spirit, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Proverbs 14:12, Stand Fast!, Standing in the GAP!, Still Will I Trust HIM, The Battle IS The Lord's, The Blood of Jesus Cleanses from SIN, The LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT Reigneth!

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Who’s Fighting? You Or Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #327

“And he said, Hearken ye,

all Judah,

and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and thou king Jehoshaphat,

Thus saith the LORD unto you,

Be not afraid nor dismayed

by reason of this great multitude;

for the battle is not yours,

but God’s.

16 To morrow go ye down against them:

behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz;

and ye shall find them at the end of the brook,

before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:

set yourselves,

stand ye still,

and see the salvation of the LORD with you,

O Judah and Jerusalem:

fear not,

nor be dismayed;

to morrow go out against them:

for the LORD will be with you.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head

with his face to the ground:

and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem

fell before the LORD,

worshipping the LORD.”  2 Chronicles 15-18

While we live in wicked and difficult days, we must remember “Who” is in charge!  It’s not the government, the political powers, the weather forecasters, or even the leaders amongst us—”the battle is not yours, but God’s”!  What battle or battles are you fretting over?  So many are looking for love, happiness, the perfect job, the perfect mate, children—yet all these things fit in that category of “the battle is not yours, but God’s”!  When will we realize that is the message that Jesus Himself was giving us in the model prayer when He spoke such truth!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is

the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6:9-13

Oh, how we get so frustrated trying to “fix it” in every area of our lives and for those around us!  God calls us to remember that HE is sovereign and in control—He is still on the throne, and it IS HIS battle, our job is to stop—look—and listen to the directing work of His Holy Spirit within us!  We must stop trying to “run” the show!  And believe me, I’m as guilty as anyone, and I so often have to confess, repent and seek God’s work of restoration to be the truly humble servant of The King that I desire to be.  How about you?

We are so like Israel when they were caught between the Red Sea and Pharoah’s army!  And just like us, they saw no way out, BUT GOD! “Thy kingdom come…. Thy will be done”!

“And Moses said unto the people,

Fear ye not,

stand still,

and see the salvation of the LORD,

which he will shew to you to day:

for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day,

ye shall see them again no more forever.

14 The LORD shall fight for you,

and ye shall hold your peace.”  Exodus 14:13-14

Maybe one of the hardest things in my life is to truly obey God and “hold your peace”!  But God, I have the answer; I have the solution; I have a way; I know more than anyone else!  Ouch!  Do you wrestle with the same things that I do?  Oh, to bow before our God and King, and learn to stand still and hold my peace. You know that “peace” (piece) of advice you have to share; that wisdom that you have that no one else has; that brilliant plan that everyone needs to consider!  NOT!  Oh, to learn to walk in humble faith in my God and King—my redeemer—who gave Himself for me!

One of my husband’s and my favorite verses says it all.

“Be still,

and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”   Psalm 46:10-11

May we truly learn to stop fighting the battles alone—may we “Be still”!  Oh such a simple thing, but so hard to do in a world that is constantly calling us to act, buy, pursue, walk, run—to the worldly solutions.  In closing the thing we need to remind ourselves of often—the world lies!  God never does.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Proverbs 14:12

It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

Amen and Amen!!!

Living Today, Today??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #269

06 Sunday Oct 2024

Posted by in TODAY, Today And Tomorrow, Today IS Today!, Tomorrow

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Living Today, Today???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #269

“This is the day

which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice

and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24

“Boast not thyself

of to morrow;

for thou knowest not

what a day may bring forth.”  Proverbs 27:1

Jesus has much to say about our living by faith and that means living this day—today!  It is totally evident as He taught His disciples to pray.

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day

our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6:9-13

As we learn to pray, we see that Jesus sets our eyes and our hearts on God, His Kingdom, and His will—today, and Matthew records even more that makes it clear.

“Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:31-34

Oh, that we (me as much as anyone) can learn to live in the today—not always looking for what’s coming tomorrow.  James talks about this principle, and we need to heed it in our day as much as any time in history; yet it is not anything new, as James addresses the same issue to the believers of his day.

“Go to now, ye that say,

To day

or to morrow

we will go into such a city,

and continue there a year,

and buy and sell,

and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not

what shall be on the morrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapour,

that appeareth for a little time,

and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say,

If the Lord will,

we shall live,

and do this,

or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings:

all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good,

and doeth it not,

to him it is sin.”  James 4:13-17

This leaves the question, are we going God’s way, in God’s time and for God’s glory are we going our own way, in our own time and usually for our own glory?  Ouch!  And as we think about living in the day, living in submission to God, and pursuing the things of the Spirit, trusting in our God and not our undisciplined flesh, what are we choosing to do and be?  Jesus gives us great insight as we go back to Matthew.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures

upon earth,

 where moth and rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures

in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves do not break through

nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye:

if therefore thine eye be single,

thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil,

thy whole body shall be full of darkness.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,

how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body,

what ye shall put on.

Is not the life more than meat,

and the body than raiment?”  Matthew 6:19-25

As we think about these things, Jesus isn’t saying don’t work and provide for your own needs, but He is saying that we are to seek Him and His ways first, even as we mentioned above.

“33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof…”

Jesus teaches us about one who focused on self and tomorrow, rather than seeking God to direct his steps today.  May we take heed to His warning.

“And he said unto them,

Take heed, and beware of covetousness:

 for a man’s life consisteth not

in the abundance of the things

which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying,

The ground of a certain rich man

brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying,

What shall I do,

because I have no room

where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said,

This will I do:

I will pull down my barns,

and build greater;

and there will I

bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul,

Soul, thou hast much goods laid up

for many years;

take thine ease,

eat,

drink,

and be merry.

20 But God said unto him,

Thou fool,

this night thy soul shall be required of thee:

then whose shall those things be,

which thou hast provided?

21 So is he

that layeth up treasure for himself,

       and is not rich

toward God.”  Luke 12:15-21

May you hear the voice of The Lord?

Amen and Amen!!!

A Prayerful Heart??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #241

19 Friday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus Never Fails, Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!, Prayer, Prayer or Panic?, The Word, Though HE slay me--still will I trust HIM, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done

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A Prayerful Heart???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #241

Just a few thoughts that I pray will call us all to Pray!  Paul told us to “Pray without ceasing…”, and while that doesn’t mean to go around with your eyes closed, or to be prostrate on the floor all day; rather it means to have an attitude of prayer on our minds—when I’m driving, when I’m walking, even when I’m cleaning as I ponder people, places and things I lift these things up in prayer to my Lord, ever interceding for those in need, our nation, those who are suffering and grief laden, for me to be a better witness to those around me, to those God sends across my path.  So I’d like to share a few passages on prayer and a prayer that I wrote many years ago that I try to pray each day.  In fact, it’s taped to my bathroom mirror, for I need the daily reminder— “today”!

Father,

Your will for today IS mine.

 Your pleasure for today IS mine.

  Your work for today IS mine.

Tomorrow IS yours alone to reveal.

Yesterday IS ours alone—

Mine to release to you

Yours to weave into the image

 Of Jesus Christ my Lord.    Blanche Brittain

Our Lord said it best, and it is the pattern for us to pray—not to be repeated in rote repetition, but to teach us that we are to come to God in praise for who HE is, to seek HIS Kingdom (and only those who are born again, can truly call Him Father, see John 1:10-14, and John 3:16-19), and HIS will in all we do.  To seek His faithful provision in every day—daily!  To repent and seek His forgiveness (for we all sin each day!). And to acknowledge HIS sovereign control in all things!!!  Get it, ALL things!  He’s at work whether we understand it or not.  I can’t speak for you, but I trust Him—not the government or the weatherman!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day

our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6:9-13

Spend some time with Jesus and The Father today through the power and direction of The Holy Spirit; for when we don’t have the words, HE does!

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself maketh intercession

for us with groanings

which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession

for the saints

according to the will of God.”  Romans 8:26-27

PRAY!!!  Amen and Amen!!!

Is It PRAY Day??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #205

05 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Form of godliness?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Daniel Prayed--Do You?, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Daniel's Prayer, Jesus Knows, Peace of God, Peace of Jerusalem!, Perilous Times Are Here, Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!, Prayer, Prayer or Panic?, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, Time, Time Is Grace!, will you?

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Is It PRAY Day???      A Word from THE WORD!!! #205

If there was ever a time that we needed to fall on our knees and pray?  I would just like to share some words of challenge, hope and instruction that we may call upon our God with a heart willing to behave and seek HIM in love, conviction, and righteousness.

Some prayer directions that might help us seek HIM:

When are we to pray?

“Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Why are we to pray?

“Confess your faults one to another,

and pray one for another,

that ye may be healed.

The effectual fervent prayer

of a righteous man

availeth much.”  James 5:16

“Epaphras,

who is one of you,

a servant of Christ,

saluteth you,

always labouring fervently for you in prayers,

that ye may stand

perfect

and complete

in all the will of God.”  Colossians 4:12

“We give thanks to God

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

praying always for you,” Colossians 1:3

What are we to pray for?  As we’ve seen above, we are to pray for one another, for spiritual growth and maturity of the brethren, for our own faithful life of righteousness, and that of the family of God!  Our life must line up with our praying, and there is one thing that we are to pray always—and right now, we need to double up (in my humble opinion!)!  If it’s important to God, it ought to be important to us.

“And I will bless them that bless thee,

and curse him that curseth thee:

and in thee

shall all families of the earth

be blessed.”  Genesis 12:3

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem,

which shall never hold their peace

day nor night:

ye that make mention of the LORD,

keep not silence,

7 And give him no rest,

till he establish,

and till he make Jerusalem

a praise in the earth.”  Isaiah 62:6-7

And may we ever stand fast praying:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

they shall prosper that love thee.”  Psalm 122:6

We are to pray because it is our lifeline to God, and our obligation to a lost and dying world—especially our world today!  And a few words from some praying men’s examples.

“O my God, incline thine ear,

and hear;

open thine eyes,

and behold our desolations,

and the city which is called by thy name:

for we do not present our supplications before thee

for our righteousnesses,

but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear;

O Lord, forgive;

O Lord, hearken and do; defer not,

for thine own sake, O my God:

for thy city

and thy people are called by thy name.” Daniel 9:18-19                          (And if you really want to see a heart set unto prayer, I encourage you to read all of Daniel 9—one of the most heart-rending prayers and models of all scripture.)

Our prayers are to be according to God’s will, while asking in faith for that which HE has laid upon our hearts.

“And he went a little further,

and fell on his face,

and prayed, saying,

O my Father, if it be possible,

let this cup pass from me:

nevertheless not as I will,

but as thou wilt…

….41 Watch and pray,

that ye enter not into temptation:

the spirit indeed is willing,

but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time,

and prayed, saying,

O my Father,

if this cup may not pass away from me,

except I drink it,

thy will be done.

43 And he came and found them asleep again:

for their eyes were heavy.

44 And he left them,

and went away again, and

prayed the third time,

saying the same words.” Matthew 26:39 & 41-43

The very best way to pray according to God’s will, is to know God’s Word!  Then trust the precious Holy Spirit will make intercession when we can’t find the right words—He is ever willing to take our heart to God!

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart,

that I might not sin against thee.”  Psalm 119:11

“Let the words of my mouth,

and the meditation of my heart,

be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD,

my strength,

and my redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14

And Jesus’ admonition and instruction about prayer:

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth,

as it is in heaven…

….13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory, for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6:9-10 & 13

And Paul’s great assurance:

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us

with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession for the saints

according to the will of God.”  Romans 8:26-27

And in closing our confidence is ever in our God’s open arms, and His ear!

“For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore

come boldly unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16

I pray that we who claim the name of Jesus Christ The Lord for our salvation, will call upon our God while there is still time to see deliverance.  Are we really the “my people” who will call upon God for wisdom, forgiveness, strength, and deliverance?

“If

my people,

which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

Amen and Amen!!!

Redemption Or Rehearsal??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #194

06 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Confidence, Contentedness, Contentment, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Greed, Green pastures, Holiness, Holy, Holy Living, I will lift up mine eyes, Inspiring Others, Prayer, Prayer or Panic?, Preach Christ and HIM crucified!, Redeemed By HIS Blood, Redemption or Rehearsal?, Redemption Through HIS Blood, Reflecting HIS glory

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Redemption Or Rehearsal??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #194

 

We live in a culture of “rehearsal”, in my opinion!  What do I mean?  Well, people are practicing to be someone else, to get to somewhere else, to work up to some other level of accomplishment, to be the fastest, the prettiest (and these days that is a totally subjective thing), the richest, the best, the most popular, the one with the most toys, awards, money, media presence, time in the spotlight, and of course most are working to get to heaven.  So, people rehearse for the role they have chosen.  I miss the days when you could just be “you” and take the ups with the downs; a day when friends loved you with or without the warts; a day when truth was more important than illusion, or facade, or performance, or “imitation anything”.  Jesus calls us to follow HIM, not the world, no matter the call of the glitter or the glamour.

One of the things that Jesus repeated over and over was and is the call to “follow me”; what followed may have varied, from person to person, but the call was to “follow” Jesus; so let’s consider a few of those calls.

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren,

Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother,

casting a net into the sea:

for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them,

Follow me,

and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And

they straightway left their nets,

and followed him.  

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren,

James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother,

in a ship with Zebedee their father,

mending their nets;

and he called them.

22 And

they immediately left the ship and their father,

and followed him.”  Matthew 4:18-22

“And he that taketh not his cross,

and followeth after me,

is not worthy of me.”  Matthew 10:38

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

In “Blanche’s Paraphrase”, you can’t rehearse your way into heaven!  There is only “One Way” to heaven and His name is Jesus; and only when we answer His call to salvation can we truly have abundant life, clear direction, and eternal life.  You can never make your own way, or rehearse to “be” good enough, rich enough, powerful enough, or successful enough to make your way into the “heaven awards”!

Paul has a lot to say about following Jesus as well.  Oh, that I had learned to follow HIM more closely and not been caught up in the rehearsal of the world!  How about you?  Have you been distracted from following Jesus by the world’s glitter—it’s a lie and not truth.  We must draw close to our Lord and Savior to know truth, seeking HIM in HIS WORD!  Help us Jesus, to hear your voice and draw nearer to You!

“Be ye followers of me,

even as I also am of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 11:1

Paul gave a great word of encouragement and challenge to his son-in-the-ministry, Timothy, from which we can learn a lot, if we will but take heed and examine ourselves rightly.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment

let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich

fall into temptation and a snare,

and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,

which drown men

in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money

is the root of all evil:

 which while some coveted after,

they have erred from the faith,

and pierced themselves through

with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God,

flee these things;

and follow after

righteousness,

godliness,

faith,

love,

patience,

meekness.”  1 Timothy 6:6-11

Contentment is almost a lost virtue, will we learn to be content rather than greedy (and yes, we all are afflicted with the ‘greedy bug’ from time to time—an affliction that we need to recognize and avoid); are we truly pursuing “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness”?

What are we praying for?  Are we focused on wealth more than holiness; focused on greed more than righteousness; has our heart been side-tracked by the world?  Jesus’ simple model prayer can be a great help, may we seek Him and His ways—following our Lord.  And if you don’t know Him, you can come to Him in repentance of sin, and faith in HIS substitutionary (in your place), atoning (making payment for a debt) sacrifice (the very payment with HIS own blood at Calvary).  If you hear His voice don’t turn Him away!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father

which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day

our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is

the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6:9-13

May our hearts be totally devoted to HIM who redeemed us with His own blood; rehearsal may work for a “performance”, but it won’t bring you eternal life—only Jesus can do that.  Won’t you come to Him today?  If you are HIS, won’t your draw near to Him who loves you and gave Himself for YOU?  May we live like we are part of the Redeemed of The Lord.

“And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons judgeth

according to every man’s work,

pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,” 1 Peter 1:17-20

Praise to our Redeemer—forever and ever!  He’s coming for us soon!

“And they sung a new song, saying,

Thou art worthy to take the book,

and to open the seals thereof:

for thou wast slain,

and hast redeemed us

to God by thy blood out of every

kindred,

and tongue,

and people,

and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:

and we shall reign on the earth.”  Revelation 5:9-10

Amen and Amen!!!