Songs for today: The First Noel / God with Us / God With Us / Infant Holy Infant Lowly

Today’s Country: Republic of Uganda

A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.
•••
To show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
•••
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.
•••
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.
•••
He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
•••
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
•••
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor from the Lord.
from Proverbs 18

“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
•••
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
from Revelation 4

I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
•••
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
•••
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
from Revelation 5

Songs for today: Strange Way to Save the World / While You Were Sleeping

Today’s Country: Tuvalu

Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
•••
Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.
•••
The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
•••
A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
•••
He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
from Proverbs 17

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come,
the Almighty.”
from Revelation 1

I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
•••
hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
•••
hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
•••
hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
•••
he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I also have received from My Father;
and I will give him the morning star.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
from Revelation 2

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
•••
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
•••
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
from Revelation 3

Songs for today: Silent Night / Christmas Time Again

Today’s Country: Turkmenistan

The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord weighs the motives.
Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
•••
Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
•••
It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a throne is established on righteousness.
•••
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
He who gives attention to the word will find good,
And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
•••
A worthless man digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire.
A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
from Proverbs 16

A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name.
•••
from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts.
•••
for I am a great King,” says the Lord of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.”
from Malachi 1

the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
•••
Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?
•••
This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
•••
Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the Lord of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
from Malachi 2

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify
•••
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “
•••
You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.
from Malachi 3

behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.
•••
“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”
from Malachi 4

Songs for today: O Little Town of Bethlehem / How Great Our Joy / Do You Have Room?

Today’s Country: Republic of Turkey

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
•••
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
•••
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
•••
Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
•••
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
•••
He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.
from Proverbs 15

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
•••
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
from Jude

Songs for today: O Holy Night / I Wonder as I Wander / Fullness of Grace

Today’s Country: Republic of Tunisia

The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
•••
A trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness utters lies.
•••
There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
•••
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
•••
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.
•••
A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is rottenness
•••
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
from Proverbs 14

Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the Lord of hosts, their God.’
“In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. The Lord also will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah. In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
from Zechariah 12

Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
And against the man, My Associate,”
Declares the Lord of hosts.
“Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;
And I will turn My hand against the little ones.
“It will come about in all the land,”
Declares the Lord,
“That two parts in it will be cut off and perish;
But the third will be left in it.
“And I will bring the third part through the fire,
Refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are My people,’
And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
from Zechariah 13

For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.
And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.
•••
And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.
from Zechariah 14

Songs for today: O Come O Come Emmanuel / Emanueal, God with Us

Today’s Country: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Through insolence comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers by labor increases it.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
•••
The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
•••
He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
•••
He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
from Proverbs 13

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
And the bow of war will be cut off.
And He will speak peace to the nations;
And His dominion will be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
from Zechariah 9

I will strengthen the house of Judah,
And I will save the house of Joseph,
And I will bring them back,
Because I have had compassion on them;
And they will be as though I had not rejected them,
For I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
“Ephraim will be like a mighty man,
And their heart will be glad as if from wine;
Indeed, their children will see it and be glad,
Their heart will rejoice in the Lord.
“I will whistle for them to gather them together,
For I have redeemed them;
And they will be as numerous as they were before.
“When I scatter them among the peoples,
They will remember Me in far countries,
And they with their children will live and come back.
“I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
And gather them from Assyria;
And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon
Until no room can be found for them.
“And they will pass through the sea of distress
And He will strike the waves in the sea,
So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up;
And the pride of Assyria will be brought down
And the scepter of Egypt will depart.
“And I will strengthen them in the Lord,
And in His name they will walk,” declares the Lord.
from Zechariah 10

the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the Lord. I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
from Zechariah 11

Songs for today: O Come All Ye Faithful / Celebrate the Child Who is the Light

Today’s Country: Kingdom of Tonga

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.
•••
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
•••
A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
•••
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
•••
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
•••
In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
from Proverbs 12

Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother.’
from Zechariah 7

‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Old men and old women shall again sit
In the streets of Jerusalem,
Each one with his staff in his hand
Because of great age.
The streets of the city
Shall be full of boys and girls
Playing in its streets.’
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east
And from the land of the west;
I will bring them back,
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
They shall be My people
And I will be their God,
In truth and righteousness.’
•••
now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.
‘For the seed shall be prosperous,
The vine shall give its fruit,
The ground shall give her increase,
And the heavens shall give their dew—
I will cause the remnant of this people
To possess all these.
And it shall come to pass
That just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.
Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.’
“For thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Just as I determined to punish you
When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And I would not relent,
So again in these days
I am determined to do good
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Do not fear.
These are the things you shall do:
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,’
Says the Lord.”
•••
Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”
from Zechariah 8

Songs for today: Joy to the World / Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven

Today’s Country: Togolese Republic

When pride comes, then comes shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
The integrity of the upright will guide them,
•••
A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
He who is surety for a stranger will suffer,
But one who hates being surety is secure.
•••
The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
•••
The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.
•••
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise.
from Proverbs 11

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
•••
Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will keep My command,
Then you shall also judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;
I will give you places to walk
Among these who stand here.
‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you,
For they are a wondrous sign;
For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
For behold, the stone
That I have laid before Joshua:
Upon the stone are seven eyes.
Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbor
Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”
from Zechariah 3

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
from Zechariah 4

I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts;
“It shall enter the house of the thief
And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name.
It shall remain in the midst of his house
And consume it, with its timber and stones.”
from Zechariah 5

Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out,
And He shall build the temple of the Lord;
Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.
He shall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule on His throne;
So He shall be a priest on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’
from Zechariah 6

Songs for today: Hallowed Manger Ground / Sing We Now of Christmas

Today’s Country: Kingdom of Thailand

… righteousness delivers from death.
… The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
… the hand of the diligent makes rich.
… He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
… Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
… The memory of the righteous is blessed,
… The wise in heart will receive commands,
…He who walks with integrity walks securely,
… The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
… love covers all sins.
… Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
… Wise people store up knowledge,
… The labor of the righteous leads to life,
… He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
… he who restrains his lips is wise.
… The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
… The lips of the righteous feed many,
… The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
… a man of understanding has wisdom.
… the desire of the righteous will be granted
… the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
… The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
… The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
… The way of the Lord is strength for the upright,
… The righteous will never be removed,
… The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
… The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
from Proverbs 10

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.
•••
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘I am zealous for Jerusalem
And for Zion with great zeal.
I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease;
For I was a little angry,
And they helped—but with evil intent.”
‘Therefore thus says the Lord:
“I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy;
My house shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts,
“And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ’
“Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“My cities shall again spread out through prosperity;
The Lord will again comfort Zion,
And will again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ”
from Zechariah 1

thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”
from Zechariah 2

Songs for today: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear / He Is Born

Today’s Country: United Republic of Tanzania

“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”
from Proverbs 9

I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
•••
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
from 3John