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Clinging to Christ Leads to Life

Scripture: Proverbs 6-7, Mark 9.

Gospel summary: We cannot hope to please God relying upon our own self-effort, for we are too weak and too prone to pride. Jesus marched his way to the cross to give us an Advocate with the Father, filling us with his righteousness and absorbing the just condembation we deserved for our sins. We must relinquish all self-trust and cling with whole-hearted desperation to Jesus if we wish to endure in this demon-haunted and snare-filled world.

Prayer: Father in heaven, you alone are my source of strength in this world. Teach me the folly of relying on my own power to live the Christian life and help me find true power in the dust at the foot of the cross. Give me grace to humble myself each day and cling to the all-powerful Son of God. Left to myself, I would proudly march to my own destruction, but clinging to Christ will lead me to eternal life. For the glory of Christ I pray, amen.

Key verse: "All things are possible for one who believes" (Mark 9:23b).

Hymn: "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" by Robert Robinson

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