Day 8--God is our Hope!

24.Q. How are these articles divided?
     A.  Into three parts: God the Father and our creation; God the Son and our deliverance; God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.

25.Q. Since there is but on God, why do you speak of three: Father Son and Holy Spirit?
     A.  Because that is how God revealed Himself in His Word, these three distinct persons are one, true eternal God.
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Matthew 16: 24-26

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
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Yet in spite of this, the rage and madness of sin may continue unabated.  Sin does this by the possession of the mind, suppressing any reflection of the consequences of its actions.  Sin also does so by secret, stubborn resolve to venture forward on its mad course, whatever the consequences.  In this way we see the force, strength and violence of sin in all its naked power.

John Owen--Sin and Temptation

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Lord Jesus Christ, who commanded us to love our enemies and all those who insult and hurt us, and to pray for them and forgive them; you yourself prayed for your enemies, who crucified you. Give us, we pray, a spirit of Christian reconciliation and meekness, so that we may forgive every injury and be reconciled with our enemies. Grant us Christian meekness and true love of our neighbor. Give to our enemies true peace and forgiveness of sins; and do not allow them to leave this life without true faith and sincere conversion. Help us to repay evil with goodness. —adapted from the Orthodox "Prayer for Enemies"
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For our Persecuted Family, pray that they will "count it all joy" in their suffering.