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Isaiah 53:5-6 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Lesson: It could have been us who died because of our sin, but Christ took our place and paid for our sin in full when He died for us on the cross of Calvary. Because of this, salvation is made available to us, which we now enjoy because of our faith in Him. Let us forever be grateful to Him.

2 Samuel 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD;  to my God I called.  From his temple he heard my voice,  and my cry came to his ears. Lesson: God allows distressing times in our lives to draw our attention to Him. It is during these moments that we realize that calling upon Him in prayer is the best option. When we do so, God is there to rescue us.

James 2:3-4 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Lesson: Favoritism must never be a part of how we deal with others.  It is a form of discrimination and disrespect. On the other hand, we must deal with people fairly, equally, graciously and lovingly regardless of their age, color, looks, and social standing etc...

1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Lesson: The model for us in loving one another is the love of God for us. The way God has loved us is the way we should love one another. He should be our standard, not human love. While God's love is unconditional, sincere, and selfless, human love is often the opposite.

Lessons in Hebrews Hebrews 13:5-6 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”6 So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?” Lesson: The antidote to materialism and covetousness is to be content with what God gives us. We can find contentment when we realize that God is our sufficient resource for everything we need. We only need to trust that He is able. NDJ

Lessons in Psalms Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Lesson: Our comfort in times of distress is that we have a God who can sustain us when we call upon Him for help. Although we may be shaken by the adversities we face, God will never allow us to be moved, for He will help us stand the test.  NDJ