3 5 6 ® DEVOTIONS 3 5 6 ® A Scripture, song, meditation, prayer, and special 3 DEVOTIONS verse for every day of the year. 365 Devotions 6 is an ideal guide for your personal time with God. 5 The easy-to-use format supplements daily Scripture passages with practical devotional thoughts that will DEVOTIONS inspire you and encourage personal growth in Christ. A Standard Resource ® US $7.99 ISBN 978-0-7814-1542-2 RELIGION 140889 Christian Life I will refresh the weary and Devotional satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31:25 Printed in USA 365 Devotions 2017 cover.indd 1 6/27/16 9:19 AM DEVOTIONS® January He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. —Psalm 146:6 Gary Wilde, Editor Margaret K. Williams, Project Editor Photo © iStock | Thinkstock® DEVOTIONS® is published quarterly by Standard Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio, www.standardpub.com. Copy- right © 2015 by Standard Publishing. All rights reserved. Topics based on the Home Daily Bible Readings, International Sunday School Lessons. Copyright © 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series. Printed in the U.S.A. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permis- sion of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copy- right © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). All rights reserved. 2629317-Devo-Body-Jan 2017-DMbk.indd 1 6/22/16 2:17 PM January 1 Each One a Favorite Oh, Give Thanks! He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! (1 Chronicles the goodness of the LORD (Psalm 33:5, KJV). 16:34, NKJV). Scripture: Psalm 33:1-9 Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:23-34 Song: “Rock of Ages” Song: “Thanks for Thy Word, O Blessed Redeemer!” Haley helped herself to a big chunk of fudge and savored the Being an atheist is so fashionable these days. Some of these folks wide smile on Grandma’s face. But the real icing on the fudge was actually take delight in mocking God, making Him seem small and yet to come, when Grandma said, “Shhh! This piece is just for you. vindictive. And I’ve observed that many atheists want to make ev- I made it especially for you!” Haley relished that moment of such eryone agree with them. For example, they may use laws and court personal favor. Sweeter than sweet indeed! decisions to impose their will. Or they’ll rewrite history to portray Only in succeeding seasons did Grandma Williams’s lineage believers as being unsophisticated or bigoted. Yet throughout his- learn the fullness of her secret. True to Grandma’s word, each child tory, when atheists seize control of countries, carnage and horror was her favorite—Haley and Rachel; Nathan, Alex, and Cory; Kerri result. and Christopher and Zaley. How frightening to think what this world today would look like I suspect Patsy Williams wants her descendants to model the if it were not for God and His goodness. Imagine a world without same amazing “mantle of worth” that God designed for each of His access to the Bible, or with no knowledge of God’s amazing love, own children. Perhaps it was like the surprise covering He’d made wisdom, and plan of salvation for our lives. when Moses asked to see the Lord’s glory. While Scripture doesn’t Yet through God’s gracious self-revelation we can see history as say he was the sole believer who ever requested such favor, the His story. We learn from the transformation of men and women Lord enclosed Moses in a special cleft and made glory—“all [God’s] throughout history who’ve loved Him. We learn from the wisdom goodness”—pass nearby (see Exodus 33:19-22). and insight of prophets and apostles, from natural law, and from Since God is no respecter of persons, we too can boldly approach His grace. Ultimately, we see the Father through His Son, and we His throne of grace, one at a time, and taste the wonders of His long to be like Jesus—to see the whole world be as blessed as we goodness through the redemption of His only Son, Jesus. are in Him. Father, into Your holy presence I come to find the fullness of joy. I am thankful for Lord, what joy to give thanks! You have saved me to the uttermost—saved me from Your loving presence through Your indwelling Holy Spirit. In Christ’s name, amen. myself and set me on higher ground. You are greatly to be praised! In Christ, amen. January 1. Kay King of Eddy, Texas, teaches and writes from her “life verse,” Psalm 45:1a, 1b (LB January 2–8. Maria Anne Tolar and her husband live in Portland, Oregon. Along with her other and KJV): “My heart overflows with a beautiful thought! . My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” writing projects, she is currently working on a young adult novel. 2629317-Devo-Body-Jan 2017-DMbk.indd 2 6/22/16 2:17 PM January 2 Each One a Favorite Oh, Give Thanks! He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! (1 Chronicles the goodness of the LORD (Psalm 33:5, KJV). 16:34, NKJV). Scripture: Psalm 33:1-9 Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:23-34 Song: “Rock of Ages” Song: “Thanks for Thy Word, O Blessed Redeemer!” Haley helped herself to a big chunk of fudge and savored the Being an atheist is so fashionable these days. Some of these folks wide smile on Grandma’s face. But the real icing on the fudge was actually take delight in mocking God, making Him seem small and yet to come, when Grandma said, “Shhh! This piece is just for you. vindictive. And I’ve observed that many atheists want to make ev- I made it especially for you!” Haley relished that moment of such eryone agree with them. For example, they may use laws and court personal favor. Sweeter than sweet indeed! decisions to impose their will. Or they’ll rewrite history to portray Only in succeeding seasons did Grandma Williams’s lineage believers as being unsophisticated or bigoted. Yet throughout his- learn the fullness of her secret. True to Grandma’s word, each child tory, when atheists seize control of countries, carnage and horror was her favorite—Haley and Rachel; Nathan, Alex, and Cory; Kerri result. and Christopher and Zaley. How frightening to think what this world today would look like I suspect Patsy Williams wants her descendants to model the if it were not for God and His goodness. Imagine a world without same amazing “mantle of worth” that God designed for each of His access to the Bible, or with no knowledge of God’s amazing love, own children. Perhaps it was like the surprise covering He’d made wisdom, and plan of salvation for our lives. when Moses asked to see the Lord’s glory. While Scripture doesn’t Yet through God’s gracious self-revelation we can see history as say he was the sole believer who ever requested such favor, the His story. We learn from the transformation of men and women Lord enclosed Moses in a special cleft and made glory—“all [God’s] throughout history who’ve loved Him. We learn from the wisdom goodness”—pass nearby (see Exodus 33:19-22). and insight of prophets and apostles, from natural law, and from Since God is no respecter of persons, we too can boldly approach His grace. Ultimately, we see the Father through His Son, and we His throne of grace, one at a time, and taste the wonders of His long to be like Jesus—to see the whole world be as blessed as we goodness through the redemption of His only Son, Jesus. are in Him. Father, into Your holy presence I come to find the fullness of joy. I am thankful for Lord, what joy to give thanks! You have saved me to the uttermost—saved me from Your loving presence through Your indwelling Holy Spirit. In Christ’s name, amen. myself and set me on higher ground. You are greatly to be praised! In Christ, amen. January 1. Kay King of Eddy, Texas, teaches and writes from her “life verse,” Psalm 45:1a, 1b (LB January 2–8. Maria Anne Tolar and her husband live in Portland, Oregon. Along with her other and KJV): “My heart overflows with a beautiful thought! . My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” writing projects, she is currently working on a young adult novel. 2629317-Devo-Body-Jan 2017-DMbk.indd 3 6/22/16 2:17 PM January 3 All That God Is Justice to the Gentiles Give to the LORD the glory due His name (Psalm 96:8, NKJV). He will not fail nor be discouraged (Isaiah 42:4, NKJV). Scripture: Psalm 96:7-9 Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-4 Song: “There Is Glory in My Soul” Song: “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?” When I began memorizing Scripture, certain simple words began I tend to read too many news and political websites on the Inter- to mystify me.