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The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Never Give Up’ Day 1: 1 Corinthians 9:24 – “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” Day 2: 2 Chronicles 15:7 – “But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” Day 3: Galatians 6:9 – “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Day 4: Luke 18:1 – “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Day 5: Isaiah 40:29-31 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Day 6: Colossians 3:23, 24 – “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Day 7: Hebrews 12:1-3 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Secure Your Future’ Day 1: Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Day 2: Romans 8:38, 39 – “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Day 3: John 10:28, 29 – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” Day 4: Titus 3:4-7 – “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Day 5: John 5:24 – “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” Day 6: Colossians 1:13, 14 – “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Day 7: 1 Peter 1:3, 4 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

I am not sure if this resonates with a lot of people but, after reading my daily devotional, a memory of days gone by popped into my mind and I thought I would write on it. Today’s verse comes from the Book of Hebrews chapter 12 in verses 5-11. And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. When I was young, I remember thinking I was being so hard done by when I was punished by my parents. There were times I got a swat on the behind, got things taken away from me or was grounded for my actions. I thought it cruel that my parents were so strict and I got punished while others I knew received no punishment at all for what they did and, much of the time, my stumbles were much less terrible than theirs. My sin was minor compared to the massive sins of those and yet I was still held accountable. That was completely unfair, right? As I grew older, I came to realize just how much my parents loved me. When I became a father, my son would make his mistakes and I would, out of love, correct him so that he would not come to harm through his errant actions. I love him so much that I will discipline even though it hurts us both at times. He is now grown up and I can only hope that the lessons of the past are not lost. There is nothing wrong with correction. It is tough to go through the process of being disciplined and it is also very tough to be the enforcer but it is done through love. It does pain the Father to discipline but it is done through an infinite love. When we come through the other end, we are so much better for it and much wiser as well. The really wonderful thing about the Father, He will not burden us with more than we can handle and His reason for correction is always with our best as the final outcome. Fear not the discipline for it leads to a better living in the end. This Sunday, we welcome Rev Glenn Reeder as Pastor Todd and Natalie are away on holidays. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Praise Brings Proper Focus’ Day 1: Isaiah 25:1 – “O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.” Day 2: Psalm 145:1-3 – “I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.” Day 3: Psalm 95:1, 2 – “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.” Day 4: Psalm 103:1-5 – “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” Day 5: Psalm 9:1, 2 – “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.” Day 6: Psalm 63:3, 4 – “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.” Day 7: Psalm 100:1-5 – “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Praise Brings Proper Focus’ Day 1: Isaiah 25:1 – “O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.” Day 2: Psalm 145:1-3 – “I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.” Day 3: Psalm 95:1, 2 – “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.” Day 4: Psalm 103:1-5 – “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” Day 5: Psalm 9:1, 2 – “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.” Day 6: Psalm 63:3, 4 – “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.” Day 7: Psalm 100:1-5 – “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Many years ago, I worked with a non-profit group who always had a tough time keeping the doors open and the lights on. You see, it had a very good volunteer base and fantastic donors but what was missing was the next level of support that would not only give the organization some wiggle room in the budget but also help it to grow and help even more in need. The economy was rather tight and the funds available were getting spread thinner and thinner and while the pool did not grow, the needs within the community had. It was, at one time, rather simple because so many were more than willing to help out those in dire straights and the recipients were so grateful for the love and support. As things tightened up, it almost felt like we were looking for ways to sell the public on the desperation of those in need. In a planning session, someone mentioned that we should crank up an event with a few well-known celebrities and make a party out of it. We, myself included, thought this was a fabulous idea and the plans were put in place. The celebs were going to cost us a bit of money and the party was also going to cut into the money available, but it was going to be a great fundraiser. Invitations were sent out, response was incredible, and the celebration was a hit, but one thing was missing, the people we were trying to help and many of the hardworking staff and volunteers. This event came to mind as I was reading the book from Rev Bud Robinson “The Story of Lazarus”. “To show you that church members are bound by the things of this world, I was in a nice town in the month of October 1908, and there was a nice church in the beautiful city with 588 members on the roll. One night while I was in the town the prayer meeting was held and there were eleven persons present; the next night there was a church entertainment and according to the report of the town paper, there were 1, 100 out.” This is not just in churches but also in so many different areas of life. If you feed them, if you entertain them, if you woo them, they will come. Sound harsh? Sometimes the truth must be stated, the elephant in the room pointed out. Jesus started out with two, then four then twelve who followed Him and learned the Way. Jesus did not use expensive fog machines, have massive concerts with big name acts nor did he have image specialists to market Him. Jesus met in the streets, preached and healed people where they were and built relationships one heart at a time. Jesus fed souls and hearts. It was not a popularity tour, it was a truth tour and, after He left and the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they fed the bread of life to those who would listen in the streets and through the power of the Spirit, thousands were saved. So, here is a humble suggestion; when you go to church on Sunday, do not critique the music (Psalm 100 says make a joyful noise to the Lord) open your heart to the foundational message of the worship and the sermon (pastors seek the wisdom of the Lord for the Truth) and be in fellowship with those of faith so that you may celebrate together and support one another in prayer and worship. If the church leadership is more focused on entertaining rather than building relationships in Christian faith, how strong a foundation will there be for the community? Feast with the Lord, feed your soul and be fully alive in the joy of the Saviour. This weekend, we finish the Lazarus series by celebrating the joy of relationship. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

This stinks! In days gone by, the dream of owning a reliable car, a nice home in a good neighbourhood and some recreational toys to add enjoyment to life was attainable while working a forty hour work week, Only one person needed to work and the family life was the primary focus. To tell the truth, I have never lived in this reality but I was told it was the best of times. So, what changed? I am going to hypothesize and, if you think I am wrong, please let me know. As life got better, people saw a way to capitalize on the prosperity of society and costs started to rise. As costs rose and living became more expensive, something had to give. Spouses had to go to work to help bring in more cash, children were suddenly needing afterschool care which added more expenses which meant either cutting back on other things or putting in overtime. Overtime led to more expenses for the employer which led the company to cut back on full time and increase salaried positions. These spots helped employers avoid overtime and could get more out of people without having to compensate them for the extra time they put in. Many young couples looked at the price of starting a family and would decide to put it off until they could afford kids. This has, for the past fifty years, been building and, even though it has been a subtle change, the agents that bind have so tightened so much that society has accepted it as the norm even though it stinks so badly. There is a group of young adults who are bucking the system through quiet quitting. They want to get back to a simpler time when relationships and enjoying life were more important than working themselves to death. You see, as many seek after the wants of life, a growing number are wanting their needs fulfilled, a need for relationship and community. If the focus is on spending every moment of life to fulfill the temporary wants of life, we are essentially entombing ourselves in an ever-shrinking lifestyle that is controlled by the things of the world. As the bonds continue to dig in, the wounds caused by the ever-tightening bindings begin to fester and life truly begins to stink. The easiest way to cover the stench is to add scented oils to mask the smell. I must admit, the movement to taking back time, build relationship and focus on community is a ray of light that could become the turning point for a paradigm shift towards peace and forgiveness. The world can fool themselves into thinking that happiness comes by way of “more stuff” but I refer to these wise words; “three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:13. Many will believe that if they can keep up with the Jones, they can be happy but, truth be told, if we ask the Jones, they would most likely say they are not really happy but feel crushed in the clamp of misplaced focus. This weekend, we will examine not the failures of the world but rather at what life can look like once the stench of old bonds is washed off. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

A few months ago, I was out with friends and we were having a great time chatting, laughing and basically being ourselves. One of the guys referred to me as Padre and the conversation stuttered for a moment. Most of the guys know what I do but it was the new guy who took a stutter step at the mention of religious affiliation. I smiled and waited for the shift and it didn’t take long for his behaviour to change. Every time someone cracked a joke, it seemed he nervously looked over to see my reaction. What you need to understand is this, I am used to it, in fact, I have come to expect it. Later in the evening, I got up to order more wings and he got up to come with me. He wanted me to know that he went to church as well and told me that his preacher was nothing like me. I braced myself for a lecture on how my demeanor was not representative of the clergy or the friends around the table were not all fine Christians. The conversation did not go that way however. He wanted to know how I could be so open with my faith in the setting we were in surrounded by people who, by his assuming, were not all Christian. Simple response, God uses us all in different ways and gifts us with the talents needed to be relevant in our community. We all have the ability to affect lives but we do not always do it in the same way. Some of us are able to go into certain environments and boldly proclaim God’s message without pounding a pulpit and we do so through the strength of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Matthew 9:9-12 NLT Jesus showed the way to getting His message out there. Sunday church is only a small part of the plan. We need to live boldly in our communities, living our faith each moment of the day and “preach” the gospel as God has gifted us. None of us can be Billy Graham but we can all be followers of Christ in our own special way. Yes, I will sit down with friends in a pub and share in their lives. Jesus went to where the people lived and affected the lives of thousands. He sent the disciples into the world to deliver the Good News. He did not tell them to go build a church building but rather build relationships, build a family. We returned to the table and the conversation took on a whole new life and through it all, my friend came to realize that all at the table were brothers in Christ. For those of faith, be bold and hold fast to the strength He provides. Honestly, it takes more courage to not believe. This week, we continue with a look at the story of Lazarus where we will explore Lazarus the bound. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Yesterday, we had our first board retreat for the church since before the great lockdown. There were numerous items on the docket that could have proved to be slightly divisive because, going into the meeting, there were comments made on both sides of a couple points that led me to think we could have a bit of a debate happen. The agenda was out there, notes and reports were prepared and, when the point came up for discussion, the conversation was calm and professional with all listening intently to the information being presented and, in the end, all were completely satisfied with the direction of the vote. No one person dominated the discussion and we all chose the best decision for the faith family and the church. Now, you may think, “okay, so what” but consider this; look around you and, with open eyes and a discerning heart, dig into some of the arguments that you have witnessed or even been involved in and ask yourself if the desired outcome was self centered or other centered. You may be surprised at what you discover. Ten people got together one day and formed a group to lobby the government to change a policy that they thought was infringing on their personal right. They gathered together to form a plan and get the ball rolling. They elected a leader, started to form up a vision statement but found out that they did not all fully agree on some points and cracks started to form in the group. Arguments started to erupt and, as lines were being drawn, one person stood up and declared, “If you don’t like it, then you can leave!” A few left with the person and started their own group and, once again, cracks developed because they wanted the direction of the group to service personal needs rather than the needs of the whole. We see this in so many things these days and it divides families, communities and countries. If the rally call is “it’s my way or the highway” the guarantee is that conflict and strife will always be a key part of the movement and the chance of a unified front will never be achieved. Consider the church. In the days of Christ, a group of 12 went forth under the banner of the Saviour and the faith grew. It did not take long for personal preference to trump divine principle and the faith movement split. Look, I am being honest here. Read the Epistles of Paul as he tried to get the churches to focus on Christ’s message rather than society’s preferences. Strife, chaos and division are the tools of the evil one and it works. Our focus should remain on the Son of God and His example. My suggestion is quite simple and you can either take it or leave it – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Pro 3:5,6. If your vision is “my way or the highway”, look around, you may be the only one on that road. We invite you to join us this Sunday for a message from Rev. Glenn Reeder. Pastor Todd will be away this weekend at a conference. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘In His Presence There is…’ Day 1: 2 Thessalonians 3:16 - PEACE – “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” Day 2: Psalm 16:11 - JOY – “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Day 3: Isaiah 40:31 - STRENGTH – “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Day 4: Psalm 37:7 - REST – “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Day 5: Psalm 46:1 - HELP – “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Day 6: Proverbs 3:25, 26 - CONFIDENCE – “You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.” Day 7: Proverbs 2:1-6 - WISDOM – “My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

If there was a simple rule such as “you shall not do any work on the Sabbath”, it would seem to me like a fairly easy thing to follow. For six days God created and on the seventh He rested. Did God know something we didn’t? Talk to most experts in the field of medicine and they will tell you that a day of rest, complete rest, helps reduce stress, reduces inflammation and the risk of heart disease, boosts your immune system, adds years to your life, restores mental energy, you're more creative, you'll focus better and improve short-term memory. So, when I looked at what you can do on the Sabbath according to the Mishnah, there were a ton of things that were allowed so that life could go on and the Lord’s command did not get broken. They talked the simple rule of resting to death and got to the point where you needed a cheat sheet just to remember them all. There is more stress in trying to relax as God commanded then there was in the simple act of rest. When we start to over-regulate the law, do we not create more opportunity to “sin”. As we cast judgment upon those who are breaking the law of man, are we not committing them to death on a spiritual level? Follow me if you will. God says rest, man defines rest and states what does or does not define acts against the law. So, what about the actions of Jesus in Matthew 12:9-12. Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” This does not give us freedom to breach the law for it is written “love God with every ounce of your being and love your neighbour”. This means do nothing to bring grief to those around you. This is the difference between preaching (or living) spiritually alive or being mired in spiritual death. Rest in the Lord, know He has only your best interest at heart and do not add to His message; it is perfect already. God says rest, then rest – it is that simple. Spiritual life can be found in the message of the Saviour for the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. Take some time to look up “The Story of Lazarus – Bud Robinson”. There is a free version on the web ( https://place.asburyseminary.edu/firstfruitsheritagematerial/96/ ) and plan to join us this Sunday for week two of what should be a fascinating series. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘God’s Promises - He is Not a Man That He Should Lie’ Day 1: Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Day 2: Psalm 32:8 – “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” Day 3: Psalm 37:23, 24 – “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Day 4: Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Day 5: Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.” Day 6: Psalm 50:15 – “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” Day 7: Isaiah 54:10 – “‘For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’ says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘A Very Present Help’ Day 1: Job 5:11 – “He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer.” Day 2: Psalm 27:13, 14 – “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Day 3: Romans 15:13 – “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Day 4: Psalm 147:3-6 – “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! The Lord supports the humble, but he brings the wicked down into the dust.” Day 5: 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 – “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Day 6: Psalm 9:9, 10 – “The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.” Day 7: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation