Devotional for today

I forgot to post for the 9th (it was a great time in the Word so let me know if you want me to post it) and then didn't read my Bible yesterday so here it is today.

Judges 9
What a mess! Abimelech leads Israel without trusting or talking to God and leads them into crazy wars and a bloody mess. It is a wonderful challenge taken to the extreme of what forgetting God and venturing out looks like and how wicked leaders can make a big mess.

Psalm 111 - Praise God for His sovereign (possessed of supreme power) and personal work
God's sovereign work in this psalm is highlighted by His creation and that amazingly, He causes us to remember His goodness and provision. The warning from the OT continually is that Israel (and we) need to remember what God has done in the past to encourage us in the present. And here we see the amazing truth that God helps those who love Him remember Him.
God's personal work in this psalm is simply redemption (111:9). This redemption is a promise, a covenant sealed in the blood of His Son.

Romans 16
I am consistently challenged by Paul's final greetings in his letters because in these simple greetings are words that reflect real care for people. May God continue to encourage and challenge me to love people like that, that they may know that I care and that God cares for them even more. Finally, in the simple doxology Paul reminds us that God wants to
1. Strengthen us in the gospel (v.25)
2. Help us obey Him (v.26)
3. Remind us that He is the only wise God as evidenced through Christ (v.27)

May you be encouraged by God's Word today and provoked to read it for yourself and discover the truths there that will guide you through each day.