# 21 2023 Dev. Prov.16:3 Love and Faithfulness! Read all of chapter sixteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16 is about the way God wants us to live, it is summed up in verse 6 “Love and Faithfulness.” In this chapter of couplets almost all lines complement each other, one line reinforcing the other, both negative and positive statements. Proverbs is about a way of being and a way of becoming, either good and better or bad and worse.

Vs.1-9 The Lord is in control of our lives. He gives “the proper answer… motives are weighed… will establish your plans… detests all the proud of heart.”

V.6 We are all sinners, we strive not to sin and we ask for forgiveness when we do sin. Can sins be undone? Yes and no! When we ask for forgiveness: they are removed “as far as east is from the west” Further, “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.” Thanks be to God!

“When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way…” They are blessed.“With righteousness… their steps are established…” God controls our lives when we trust Him.

Vs.10-15 Kings (leaders Rom 13) are ordained by God. “The lips of the king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.” That is true when a leader is upright and truthful.  He demands, “honest scales (honest justice)…detest wrongdoing (is not corrupt)…takes pleasure in honest lips…is a messenger of death (is not lawless)… When the king’s (God’s) face  brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.”

Vs.16-23 Wisdom, “How much better to get wisdom than gold… The highway of the upright avoids evil… Pride goes before destruction… better to be lowly in spirit… whoever gives heed to instruction prospers… the wise of heart are called discerning…prudence is a fountain of life… their lips promote instruction.”

Vs.24-30 A kind word: “Gracious words are a honeycomb… There is a way that appears to be right… The appetite of laborers works for them… A scoundrel plots evil… A perverse person stirs up conflict…A violent person entices their neighbor… Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity…” Our words and actions affect all those we come in contact with.

Vs.31-33 These three verses are a summary: Righteousness, patience, God in control: “ Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.” Amen and Amen!

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# 20 2023 Dev. Gen.26. Rehoboth, God Makes Room! Read all of chapter twenty six first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Gen.26:12 “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him.”

Gen.26 God renews the Abrahamic covenant with Isaac. Isaac makes the same mistakes as Abraham but God uses them to protect him. Further, this chapter is a summary of Isaac and Rebekah’s life after the death of Abraham. By the time of Esau’s marriage Isaac is 120 yrs. old.

Vs.1-6 There was  famine that caused Isaac to think about moving down to Egypt as Abraham did. God intervened and told him to stay in Gerar. God makes the same covenant with Isaac He made with Abraham. “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed…” This is a reference to the impact of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.

Vs.7-11 Isaac, like Abraham was worried about his life because of his beautiful wife. He was found out and it gets him into trouble with the leaders. Thanks to God’s grace the leader makes a pronouncement: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

V.12-16 God blesses Isaac as he did Abraham, he became so rich there was not enough room in the land of the Philistines for Isaac’s people, and herds. 

Vs.17-22 So Isaac moved and reopened the wells Abraham had dug but were filled by the Philistines. Isaac dug a well in the valley but Abimelek herders claimed it, so Isaac moved on and dug another well but they claimed that one as well. So Isaac moved on and dug yet another well and no-one claimed it so he named it Rehoboth, “the Lord has given us room.” This also happened to Abraham, but he confronted Abimelek about it, Isaac was content to move on.

Vs.23-33 Again Isaac moved on to Beersheba, there God appeared to Isaac, God assured him: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you: I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” Isaac built an alter there and called on the name of the Lord. He also started to dig another well. 

Abimelek, decided that it would be in his interest to make a treaty with Issac, God intervened, Isaac now had the upper hand, since Abimelek approached him and Isaac pointed out his hostility. Isaac made them a feast and the next day the men swore an oath that they would not harm each other.  That  day Issac’s servants came and told him ‘We’ve found water!’” Isaac called it Shibah: meaning oath or seven. The place is called Beersheba. Today it is a city in southern Israel of over 200,000 residents and has archeological sites from 1200 to 600 BC.

Vs.34-35 When Esau was forty years old he married two local women. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah. That sets the stage for the next chapter.  One thing is clear, for 120 years God is taking care of Isaac, his family and his people with him. God is faithful! Amen.

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# 19 2023 Dev. Prov.15:1-2. The Eyes Of The Lord! Read all of chapter fifteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Proverbs 15:1-2 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stores up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”

Proverbs 15 is about patience, a soothing tongue, the lips of the wise, the discerning heart, and many more character traits. Much of Proverbs is a series of opposing couplets of opposite ways of thinking and living. In this chapter there are 9 verses that stand alone where the second line reinforces the first line. 6 verses are positive, 3,23,24,30,31and 33. 3 verses are negative, 10,11, and 12. Proverbs are about  ways of living that is  pleasing to God and is contrasted with ways of living that is not pleasing to Him.

Vs.1-2 “A gentle answers turns away wrath… The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge…” The answer for a peaceful life!

V.3 stands alone, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” We don’t think much about the fact that God is everywhere 24/7. 

Vs.4-9 What is positive in these verses? “The soothing tongue, life… heed correction, prudence… the righteous, treasure… the lips of the wise, knowledge… prayers of the upright pleases Him, He loves those who pursue righteousness.” What is negative? “A perverse tongue crushes the spirit, one who spurns discipline, a fool… the wicked, ruin…hearts of fools, not upright…the Lord detests the sacrifices of the wicked, the Lord detests the way of the wicked.” The Lord decides what is good or bad!

Vs.10-12 These verse are negative: “Stern discipline, who leaves the  path; the one who hates correction will die.” There is a second death. “Death and destruction lie open before the Lord- how much more the human heart”! The eyes of the Lord are on us! “Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise.” Wisdom is a gift we cultivate. 

Vs.13-22 These verses are about well-being as opposed to a life of turmoil and conflict. A positive life: “the face cheerful, knowledge, a cheerful heart, fear of the Lord, love, who is patient calms a quarrel, the path of the upright is a highway, a straight course, joy, success.” A negative life: “Heartache… the mouth of the fool feeds on folly… oppressed… turmoil…hatred… conflict… blocked with thorns… a foolish man despises his mother…no sense… lack of counsel.” The positive life and the negative life are choices we make!

Vs.23-24 are positive, standing alone. “A person finds joy in giving a an apt reply-and how good is a timely word. The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.” A word for the wise!

Vs.25-29 The care of the Lord: “the Lord tears down the house of the proud, but sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. The Lord… detests the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight. The greedy bring ruin… but the one who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.” Wisdom is to seek the Lord!

Vs.30-33 These 4 verses sum up Ch.15:  v.30  Good news “brings joy to the heart…gives health to the bones.” v.31 “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.” Amen! 

V.32 “Those who disregard discipline (teaching) despises themselves.” Amen!

 V.33 “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear (to seek and listen to) the Lord, and humility comes before honor. Amen and Amen!

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# 18 2023 Dev. Gen.25. God Answers Prayer! Read all of chapter twenty five first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this is also part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Gen.25:22 “The babies jostled each other within her, ‘why is this happening to me?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord.”

Gen.25 is about Abraham’s family line, it is perhaps not surprising that Abraham took Keturah as wife after Sarah died, he lived 48 more years. He fathered six more sons. There is a lot of speculation about who she was, some Jewish tradition identify here as Hagar, the first concubine and that Isaac influenced him to marry her. It all seems unlikely and the Scriptures are silent about it. However, “Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.”

Vs.1-11 Abraham remarries, has six more sons, he sends them all away from Isaac and gives them gifts, more than likely significant gifts. Abraham dies at 175 yrs. old and Issac and Ishmael bury him in the cave Abraham  bought to bury Sarah. It is significant that Abraham lived in the promised land for 100 yrs. God blesses Isaac, “who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi which means; “the well of him that lives and sees me” or “the well of the vision of life”. This is the well to which Hagar fled when she ran away from Sarah, and where the angel of the Lord found her.

Vs.12-18 The family line of Ishmael is here described, based on God’s promise to Hagar, “I will make him a great nation”. Ishmael had twelve sons forming twelve tribes. Ishmael lived 137 years, “his descendent’s settled in the area of Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt… And they lived in hostility to all the tribes related to them.” The names given to his sons are Arabic names, indicating the Arab’s of today are related to them.

Vs.19-34 describes the family line of Isaac. Isaac was 40 yrs. old when he married Rebekah but she was barren for the first 20 years of marriage, so Isaac prayed to the Lord and God answered his prayer and she became pregnant. The Scripture tells us, “the babies jostled each other within her, and she said, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord.” How she did that inquiry we are not told, perhaps at one of the alters Abraham had built. “The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.'” Typically God chooses the under dog, the youngest, as He does in this case. God answers both Isaac and Rebekah’s prayers. God answers our prayers, but not always in the way we want.

When they were born, the first born was covered with red hair so they named him Esau, meaning red. The second child was born “with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob,” a Hebrew idiom for “he deceives”. See note.

They grew up as two very different people, Esau, a hunter, Jacob a home buddy. Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Unfortunately, it was a dysfunctional family. 

One day Esau came home hungry and asked Jacob for the stew he was cooking. He was willing to give Esau the stew if he gave up his birthright. “He ate and drank, and he got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.”  Esau, also known as Edom, became a nation but God says in Malachi 1:1-5 – Jacob loved, Esau hated. God knows the heart, he knows our hearts and he answers our prayers. Amen, thanks be to God!

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# 17 2023 Dev. Prov.14:26. The Fountain of Life! Read all of chapter fourteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Proverbs 14:26-27 “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is the fountain of life, turning  a person from the snares of death.”

Proverbs 14 has in this chapter also 29 verses of couplets of opposing ways of living, right verses wrong by God’s standards, standards to think about in our time. There are also seven verses that are not in opposition. Three verses 7, 17 and 19 are negative and four that are positive vs 10, 26, 27 and 33. We take vs. 26-27 as the theme of this Proverb.

Vs.1-6. Verse 1 is a wake up call and is supported by verse 2 about foolishness and wisdom. In verse 4 we see that oxen bring abundance, vs. 5 speaks to honesty and falsehood and verse 6 compares mockers and knowledge.

Vs. 7 stands as a negative couplet, “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.”

Vs.8-9 “The wise give thought to their ways… the folly of fools is deception.” Fools do not repent… goodwill is for the upright.”

V.10 Stands as a positive couplet, “Each hearts knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.” Only God knows our hearts.

Vs.11-14 “the wicked will be destroyed… the upright will flourish.”“There is a way that appears right, but in the end it leads to death.” Many people say a way is right, even church leaders, but it leads to death, my heart aches, “rejoicing may end in grief.” Referring to the “right way the faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.”

Vs.15-16 “the simple believe anything, the wise fear the Lord and shun evil…”

V.17 stands as a negative couplet, “A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one devises evil schemes is hated.”

V.18 “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.”   

V.19 stands as a positive couplet, “Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.”

Vs.20-25 “The poor are shunned even by their neighbors… It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor. But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. But mere talk leads only to poverty. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but a false witness is deceitful.”

Vs.26-27 stand as positive couplets, “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.” This is the main message of Proverbs fourteen. Thanks be to God!

Vs.28-32 “but one who is quick-tempered displays folly…A heart of peace gives life to the body. Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their maker…but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.”

V.33 stands as a positive couplet, “wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.” There is no excuse for foolishness in the life of followers of Jesus. 

Vs.34-35 Righteousness exalts a nation… A king delights in a wise servant. May God delight in us today! 

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# 16 2023 Dev. Gen.24:18.God Provides! Read all of chapter twenty four, first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this is also part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Gen.24:18 ‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.’”

Gen.24 Abraham, “well advanced in years”, is concerned to get a wife for Isaac, not from the people around him but from his extended family in Paddan Aram. His servant was not to take Isaac back to his homeland but bring the woman  to Canaan. Abraham, was convinced that God would send His angel to prepare the way, thereby assuring his success.  

Vs.1-9 is a conversation between Abraham and his senior servant, the one in charge of all of Abraham’s affairs. At that time an oath as important as what Abraham wanted was based on an intimate gesture by putting his hand under Abraham’s thigh. As far as Abraham was concerned, although not mentioned here, this was a covenantal affair concerning his son Isaac and the promise of God concerning the land.

Vs.10 -14  The servant knew where to meet the women of the place, the well. Think about the position of the well in many situation in both the Old and the New Testament. The manager of Abraham’s affairs also demonstrated the faith of Abraham, he prayed, but he laid out a fleece so to speak. If this and that would happen he would know that God answered his prayer. Not so different from many of us today.

Vs.15-21 Sure enough, before he finished his prayer God answered it. Most of us are looking for answers like that. Perhaps it was his prayer, he was concerned to fulfill his masters desire. What do we desire in our prayers? God’s answer was right infront of him, yet, he took some time to ponder what he was seeing. It must have seemed unbelievable to him at first glance, but he wanted to be sure. 

Vs.22-27 He must have been very sure, he gave her a fortune of gold before he asked her name. As it turned out Rebecca is Abraham’s brother’s grand daughter. She invites him to her house but before he goes he takes time to worship Abraham’s God and obviously his God in thankfulness for leading him. This is a fantastic and edifying  story that has much to teach us. Amen.

Vs.28-33 “The young woman ran and told her mother’s household” When Laban, her bother, saw the gold he was ready to execute a scam like the schemer he turned out to be to Jacob, his nephew. But Eleazar insisted on following the culture. To eat with someone at that time was the height of acceptance by both parties. He would not eat until he stated his business, so that there would be no misunderstanding. 

Vs.34-54 The servant tells his story. Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘this is from the Lord… Here is Rebecca; take her and go…’” Only then, after many more gifts, were that ready to eat together. But in the morning they would not let here go. 

Vs.55-61 Laban and Bethuel had given their answer according to the culture, Rebecca was not consulted. They gave a different answer in the morning, “let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.’” That was an unusual request. Eleazar agreed because he had discussed this possibility with Abraham and had agreed on the outcome. But God intervened, Rebecca is the upstanding person here, submitting to what was obviously God’s will. To their credit they blessed Rebecca and they departed.

Vs.61-66 Isaac meets them, they marry and Isaac is comforted after his mother’s death. God is good and He provides for His people.

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# 15 2023 Dev. Prov.13:12.“The Tree Of Life!” Read all of chapter thirteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Proverbs 13 We are writing this devotion on Good Friday and pondering how this passage relates to Easter. This is God’s Word, it relates to Easter and to every season of our lives: it speaks of wisdom, faithfulness and unfaithfulness, righteousness and the unrighteous, pride, understanding and so much more.  In this chapter  also, the proverb consists of 25 verses, couplets of opposing ways of living, right verses wrong, by God’s standards, a standard to think about at this time of the year. 

Vs.1-11 “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction…” Wisdom is a gift from God that is developed over time, and experience. “Those who guard their lips guard their lives… righteousness guards the person of integrity…”. Riches may become a snare. “The light of the righteous shines brightly… Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Dishonest money dwindles away…”. This is wisdom in action and is an understanding of the ways of God!

V.12 stands alone, is not in opposition and is the middle of these precepts. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Easter is a time of hope, we know how it turns out, Sunday and the resurrection is coming. But we do not know the future, Christ will return, He is on the way. Will He come in our lifetime? No one knows, only the Father, but the hope of the followers of Jesus is in conjunction with our faith, Amen!

“But a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” The tree of life stands in the middle of all things: “down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” Rev.22:2. “Fulfilled is a tree of life” which refers to the most important part of life but also to our small and human desires. Thanks be to God!

Vs.13-25 The Psalmist goes on with his precepts: “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.” V.14 is the only other verse that is not in opposition. “All who are prudent act with knowledge… Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame…”. This is something that we have forgotten in our time.  “Walk with the wise and become wise… Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their child is careful to discipline them.” All these precepts lead to a life of peace, joy, abundance and in the end leads us to the tree of life. Thanks be to Christ who died. so that we may live! Glory to God in this Easter Season!

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# 14 2023 Dev. Gen.23:4. Sarah’s Tomb! Read all of chapter twenty three, first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this is also part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from The NIV.

Gen.23:2  Abraham said; “I am a foreigner and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

Gen.23. Abraham grieves over Sarah, she lived for 127 years and she is the only woman in the Bible that speaks of her age at death. This chapter is a long negotiation to buy a burial site for Abraham and family. People wanted a cave for burial so they could lay their loved ones on a shelf carved in the cave. Caves normally were a place to bury many family members. In this case: “The cave of Machpelah, in the West Bank city of Hebron, is the burial place of the Matriarchs and Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. According to Jewish mystical tradition, it’s also the entrance to the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve are buried.” (Wikipedia) The Bible confirms those buried there but the mystical Jewish tradition is a tantalizing thought.

Vs.1-16 It is a long drawn out negotiation, Abraham starts out with the reality of his situation, “I am a foreigner and stranger among you.” Abraham wants to buy the cave of Machpelah, the owner Ephron, wants to give it away to Abraham, but Abraham knows better, it is all a pretense. But Abraham trusts that God will give his offspring the land so his purchase is an act of faith. The price is exorbitant, 400 shekels of silver, typically  at the time a years wage is about 10 shekels. Abraham does not quibble over the price he is buying for future generations.

Vs.17-20 So the deed is made out to Abraham, the cave, the field, and the trees in the field. Very third world, the trees don’t normally come with the field. In Nigeria the trees belong to the planter of the trees, unless they are sold as well. It was done in the presence of the community, at the city gate, making this a legal and binding transaction. 

“By faith he (Abraham) made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” Heb. 11:9-10. 

We all are wanderers and strangers on this earth, our home is in a better land not of this world, yet like Abraham we live here by faith.

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# 13 2023 Dev. Prov.12:14. Walk Your Talk! Read all of chapter  twelve first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Proverbs 12:14 “From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.”

Proverbs 12 consists of 28 couplets of opposing ways of living, right verses wrong, by God’s standard. All verses are in opposition to each other except verse 14 in the middle of the Psalm and verse 28 at the end of the psalm. 

Vs.1-9 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge…” The psalmist begins with what is most despised today, people are wise in their own eyes, no correction is tolerated. “A person is praised according to their prudence…”

Vs.10-13 “The righteous care for the needs of their animals…They work their land… the wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers…evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble.”

V. 14 stands alone in the middle of the Psalm. It covers the way we talk, the things we say to each other and to others. From the lips of the righteous “people are filled with good things,” The psalmist goes on to “the work of their hands brings them reward” what we do with the blessings God has given us for ourselves and to help others. God calls us to be a blessing!

Vs.15-20 Here the psalmist seems to start again from the beginning. “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” These verses speak of prudence, honesty, reckless words, truthful lips, deceit, “but those who promote peace have joy.”

Vs.21-27 “No harm overtakes the righteous… the Lord detests lying lips… the prudent keep their knowledge to themselves… diligent hands will rule… anxiety weighs down the heart… the righteous choose their friends carefully… The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.” Righteousness and prudence are our friends!

V.28 stands alone, “in the way of righteousness there is life…” Righteousness in this life has it’s reward, Peace, good relationships, the joy of life, the blessings of family, the blessings of work, and the approval of God. But it does not end in this life, it leads us in the “path that is immortality.” Eternal life! Praise be to God! 

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