December 21, 2018 - RELEASE

Day 355 - (Today’s Bible readings: Judges 5:16-31; Psalm 142; Acts 12:1-17)
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!  (Psalm 142:7 ESV)

David cries out to the Lord, His refuge, and pleads for release from the prison of persecution. In the reading from Acts, Peter is miraculously delivered from an actual prison. 

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.  (Acts 12:7 ESV)

Similarly, Jesus proclaimed the reason He came down to earth that first Christmas with these prophetic words:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.  (Isaiah 61:1 ESV)

You can rejoice that Jesus has released you from the prison of sin, death and the devil!

He comes the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
(Hark the glad sound!  Lutheran Service Book #349 - 2)

Thank You Lord Jesus for releasing me from my self made prison of sin. Amen.

Pastor David Paape 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!