John 10

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

² But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
³ To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
⁶ This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
¹² But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
¹³ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
¹⁷ Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
¹⁸ No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
¹⁹ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
²⁰ And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
²¹ Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
²² And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
²³ And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
²⁴ Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
²⁵ Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
²⁶ But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
³⁰ I and my Father are one.
³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
³² Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
³³ The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
³⁴ Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
³⁵ If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
³⁶ Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
³⁷ If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
³⁸ But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
³⁹ Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
⁴⁰ And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
⁴¹ And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
⁴² And many believed on him there.

Psalm 107 .... Redeemed!

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
³ And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
⁴ They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
⁵ Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
⁶ Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷ And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

⁸ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
⁹ For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
¹⁰ Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
¹¹ Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
¹² Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³ Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
¹⁵ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶ For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
¹⁷ Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
¹⁸ Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
²⁰ He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
²¹ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
²² And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
²³ They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
²⁴ These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
²⁵ For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
²⁶ They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
²⁷ They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
²⁸ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
²⁹ He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
³⁰ Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
³¹ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
³² Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
³³ He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
³⁴ A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
³⁵ He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
³⁶ And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
³⁷ And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
³⁸ He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
³⁹ Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
⁴⁰ He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
⁴¹ Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

⁴² The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
⁴³ Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Early On Their Knees

"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." 

- E. M. Bounds 

Ephesians 5

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

⁴ Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

¹⁴ Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

¹⁵ See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷ Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

²² Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

²⁹ For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

³⁰ For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

³² This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.