Reclaiming Meditation – Just Keith Harris

Refresh & Restore — November 25, 2021

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.^[1]
Philippians 4:8-9

Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

Happy Thanksgiving, Sojourner!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! It is so nice to have a day when people take the effort to focus on what they are thankful for instead of allowing themselves to look at things that cause stress or distress in our lives. What is interesting to me, especially as an adult (and one who must fight against jaded negativity), is that all of the things that cause trouble do not disappear, yet the forced focus on what one is thankful for gives a reprieve from all of the normal ills.

To a certain extent, that is what Biblical meditation is supposed to do. It is not a form of escapism where we ignore the ills of society. It is a show of trust in focusing on Him who is sovereign, focusing on the Savior. It is not us ignoring our problems but followers of Christ choosing His ways and His words over ignorance and submission to our troubles.

Another reason I love Thanksgiving is the food. There are dishes and desserts that I only get to eat at holidays. Some of these are just because of their difficulty to make and expense. Holidays justify both of these as labors of love. The primary reason is that many holiday foods, at least the ones I am hoping for as I type this, do not belong in our regular diets (and I’ll definitely need a regular diet by January). This brings to mind Don Whitney’s thoughts on Bible intake from Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life:

“There simply is no healthy Christian life apart from a diet of the milk and meat of Scripture. The reasons for this are obvious. In the Bible God tells us about Himself, and especially about Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God. The Bible unfolds the Law of God to us and shows us how we’ve all broken it. There we learn how Christ died as a sinless, willing Substitute for breakers of God’s Law and how we must repent and believe in Him to be right with God. In the Bible we learn the ways and will of the Lord. We find in Scripture how to live in a way that is pleasing to God as well as best and most fulfilling for ourselves. None of this eternally essential information can be found anywhere else except the Bible. Therefore if we would know God and be Godly, we must know the Word of God—intimately.”^[2]

So, pies are tasty, but pies minus needed nutrition will kill me. The reasons for this are obvious, and there is no substitute for my soul, nothing that will or can satisfy the new heart Christ gave me, than the Word of God regularly.

Thomas Watson, a Puritan pastor, put it like this: “The reason we come away so cold from reading the Word is, because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.”^[3] It is my hope that the verses today – all of which center around being thankful for God, specifically His name – will warm you, fill you with His Spirit, and leave you thankful for Him above all else and to Him for everything else.

¹⁰Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. ¹¹Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹²Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.^[4]
1 Chronicles 29:10-13

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Psalm 7:17

⁶With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
Psalm 54:6-7

We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.
Psalm 75:1

¹Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
²Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
³Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
⁵For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. ⁶If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. ⁷Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7

³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39

¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
⁵And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ⁷The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:1-8

¹Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Hebrews 1:1-4

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:4-8 –

His Name is Jesus!

He is God!

He is Savior!

He is Lord.

And He is alive!

Hallelujah, and amen!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:1–4 & Php 4:8–9.

^[2] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1991), 28.

[3] Thomas Watson, “How We May Read the Scriptures with Most Spiritual Profit” (1674).

^[4] ESV, 1 Ch 29:10–13.

Refresh & Restore — November 18, 2021

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-3

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.^[1]
Philippians 4:8-9

Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings, Sojourner!

I hope that our first look at the idea of Biblical meditation has been helpful. This week, I want to take it a bit deeper by looking at it in a historical sense to help us see that this is not a new idea but an idea that has been hijacked by the world and falsely-religious customs.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church describes meditation as “associated with prayer, because some of the favourite biblical texts are themselves prayers, and thinking about Christian truth sharpens a desire for God’s gifts, and thinking about life reveals man’s need of God”.^[2] I think this is a particularly good description first because it helps us know what to do with what we are meditating on (pray), and, second, because it helps us gauge the appropriate end result (namely, a right view of God and a desire to worship/follow Him).

In that same article, there are four lenses through which meditation has been viewed throughout church history: 1) the memorization of Scripture to be used or recited, 2) holding onto verses/passages for reminders of truth and inspiration when needed, 3) thinking on the things of God to increase understanding and devotion to God, and 4) applying the truths found in Scripture to our various responses in our lives. I definitely think this is the scope of why various Sunday school teachers, pastors, and disciple-makers encourage the memorization of Scripture.

Those ideas fit so well with Psalm 119, the magnificent center chapter of the Bible that centers around the magnificence of the Bible. Psalm 119:9 asks and answers how a young man can “keep his way pure” by showing that it is in guarding that way – his life – “according to [God’s] Word”. Psalm 119:11 speaks of storing up God’s Word in one’s heart to keep from sinning against Him, which sounds a lot like meditation and memorization. Psalm 119:15 shows an effort to “meditate” on God’s precepts and “fix…eyes” on His ways. There are many more verses, just in that single chapter of the Bible that emphasize the same truth over and over, that we need God’s Word at the forefront of our minds if it will ever impact our lives (vv. 27, 30, 37, 43, 48, 52, 54, 59, 74, 78, 92-93, 97, 99, 105, 114, 116, 123, 133, 140, 143, 153, 164, 166, 174-176).

And that is our goal: to elevate God’s Word to its proper place by spending time in it and thereby elevate Him to where He should be if He is our Lord and Savior to stir our hearts up in worship and obedience to His Word as we forget this world and our desire to sin.

It is my prayer that, through our verses today, you will be able to “set your minds on things that are above” (Colossians 3:2), that you will be able to think and meditate on things that are “true”, “honorable”, “just”, “pure”, “lovely”, “commendable”, excellent, and “worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8) – His name is Jesus! Our verses for meditation today are on the hope that comes from “the blessed hope…our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:13-14 ^[3]).

Matthew 11:25-30 –

²⁵At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Isaiah 53:4-6 –

⁴Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
⁵But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
⁶All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

John 3:16-21 –

¹⁶“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Philippians 2:5-11 –

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 2:1-7 –

¹And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Titus 3:4-7 –

⁴But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Colossians 2:13-15 –

¹³And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Ephesians 2:8-10 –

⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 5:1-5 –

¹Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

John 16:33 –

³³I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”^[4]

Hallelujah, and amen!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:1–4 & Php 4:8–9.

^[2] F. L. Cross and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 1072.

^[3] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Tt 2:13–14.

^[4] ESV, Matt 11:25-30, Is 53:4–6, Jn 3:16–21, Eph 2:1–7, Phil 2:5-11, Tt 3:4–7, Col 2:13–15, Eph 2:8–10, Ro 5:1–5, Jn 16:33.

Refresh & Restore — November 11, 2021

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.^[1]
Psalm 19:14

²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.^[2]
Hebrews 12:2-3

Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings, Sojourner!

I am especially excited about this brief study because its contents and substance has helped me so much over this past year. At the same time, it has also been my joy during that time to get to share with you about our Savior and King Jesus Christ and how we can be refreshed by time spent in His presence through the study of the Word and restored to the purposes He has for us. Over the next few weeks, it is my hope that what has helped me will help you and that you can find solace in Him through meditating on His Word.

It may seem odd to take part in a Bible study looking at the value of meditation because of the way it is featured in Eastern mysticism. But Biblical meditation is much, much different. Traditional meditation has you look inside yourself, but Biblical meditation looks to God through His Word – and sees Him looking back at us to change us (Hebrews 4:12-13). Traditional meditation seeks to find one’s center inside themselves, but Biblical meditation helps us remember that Christ is at the center of everything (Colossians 1:15-20).

I love the way that Don Whitney describes this in his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life:

“While some advocate a kind of meditation in which you do your best to empty your mind, Christian meditation involves filling your mind with God and truth. For some, meditation is an attempt to achieve complete mental passivity, but biblical meditation requires constructive mental activity. Worldly meditation employs visualization techniques intended to ‘create your own reality’. And while Christian history has always had a place for the sanctified use of our God-given imagination in meditation, imagination is our servant to help us meditate on things that are true (Philippians 4:8). Furthermore, instead of ‘creating our own reality’ through visualization, we link meditation with prayer to God and responsible, Spirit-filled human action to effect changes.”^[3]

We see it in the words of David in Psalm 19, which is an entire psalm written in worship and celebration of God’s Word. Our first verse for today comes from Psalm 19. In it, David looks at the glory of God in creation and extends that glory to the Word, which is described as “perfect, reviving the soul” (v. 7a), “sure, making the wise simple” (v. 7b), “right, rejoicing the heart” (v. 8a), “pure, enlightening the eyes” (v. 8b), “clean, enduring forever” (v. 9a), “true, and righteous altogether” (v. 9b), and more valuable than any amount of gold while being sweeter than the most delicious honey (v. 10). It is only in that Word that those who serve the Lord will find “great reward” (v. 11) – Jesus, God Himself, is the reward! Meditating on this (v. 14) is how our words and hearts can be “acceptable in [God’s] sight”. Meditating on Him as our “rock” and “redeemer” will see that we are not moved.

So, today, I am going to stop talking and share with you some verses that focus us on our “great reward” – that “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV₈₄). They are going to be bite sized chunks, short enough that you can read one several times and keep it in your mind throughout the day. Or, as I find helpful, you can read them or listen to them at various times throughout the day to “turn [your] eyes from looking at worthless things” and find “life in [His] ways” (Psalm 119:37). Either way, here are some precious verses that speak much of Jesus. May you find Him in them.

²⁵At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:25-30

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5

¹Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Hebrews 1:1-4

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹²training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.^[4]
Hebrews 12:1-2

Hallelujah, and amen!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 19:14.

^[2] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Heb 12:2–3.

^[3] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1991), 47.

^[4] ESV, Mt 11:25–30, Jn 1:1–5, Heb 1:1–4, Col 1:15–20, Php 2:5–11, Tt 2:11–14, Jn 1:14, Heb 12:1–2.