Bible Friday 7/28: Accept No Substitutes

Studying this morning's four readings from the St. James Daily Devotional Guide (click to subscribe), I examined myself with these questions. Where is your self-examination leading today?

Psalms 73:1-28. Verse 25, what are some of the false allurements, spiritual or material, that I am prone to prefer above God? How shall I fortify myself against such decoys today?

Hosea 5:1-15. Verse 15, when have my sins put a deep gulf between me and God? What finally bridged that gulf?

Acts 21:26-36. Verses 31-33, Roman justice, though pagan, saves Paul from a religious lynching. Is civil government in this country still that fair? Am I suitably grateful to God?

Mark 12:1-12. Verse 7, kill the heir. Why is the worldly mind so determined to get rid of Jesus? What’s the expected payoff from doing so? Is my church awake to the gravity of this threat? My role?

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To go deeper, see interpretive notes by Bible scholar Patrick Reardon for many of this week's readings.