Just in case ANY of you missed this at the bottom of our recent Victory Call’s, we wanted to take a day to encourage you to join the fun. The team needs you.

Family Freedom Walk

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th.

You can help in two ways.

1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a FRIENDLY COMPETITION between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call).

Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team.

If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website
https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184

fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM.

COME ON, LADIES WE CAN DO IT!!!

Springtime is just around the corner and I am looking forward to planting flowers in the garden beds in the front of my house. I don’t actually “love” digging around in the dirt but I do love the results!

There are times when I need to move a big rock or some ornamental structure to clean or change things up a bit. Have you ever noticed when you move something like that and expose whatever is underneath to the light, all those creatures of the dark scramble to get back to the darkness? Well, sin is like that.

John 3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Sin hates the light but loves the darkness. Evil grows and thrives in the cover of darkness. There in the darkness sin finds its companions very easily…lies, sexual immorality, plots, schemes, stealing, cheating, partying, sinful thoughts…you name it…it loves the dark. But take a light and shine on it and it tries to hide…as fast as possible.

John 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

That “Light” is Jesus and He came to shine His light into the darkness and expose those evil deeds. The evil tries to hide itself but that is impossible. Even when the darkness is just in the heart…thoughts of covetousness, lust, envy, unforgiveness, anger, hate…the light of Christ shines into the heart and exposes it as well.

1 Corinthians 4:5 …He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motive of men’s hearts…

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Not only does the Light expose what is hidden in the dark, but the Light will also be our guide to show us the way and to keep us from falling back into the darkness. There is great comfort in this Light because it will always be with us and never leave us.

In this truth, we as believers in Jesus Christ can rejoice! Jesus is “the Light of the world.”

MaryAnn

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

DIGGING DEEPER
Psalm 51:
5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

As of March 31st, for those of us that have been tracking and memorizing the passages, I calculated that we have committed to memory 83 verses the first 3 months of this year!! 83 verses! Perhaps you missed a few here and there or perhaps you selected just one verse out of the passage to memorize. Let me say, FANTASTIC!!! Good job. Keep up the good work! Whether you have memorized 83, 53, 23 or 3, that is more than you would have memorized if you didn’t even try. To those of you who haven’t yet joined the journey with us, jump right in. It’s never too late to start. You don’t need to go back, just start right here with us this week.

It’s work, I agree, but the benefits will be experienced for the rest of our lives. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

This week’s meditation and memorization continues from last week in Psalm 51:5-9:
5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

“Psalm 51 is one of seven poems called penitential psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143). To David’s credit, he recognized how horrendous his sin against God was, blamed no one but himself, and begged for divine forgiveness.” [The MacArthur Bible Commentary ~ John MacArthur, pg. 633]

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.

According to Warren Wiersbe: “This Psalm is considered one of the Penitential Psalms as it came out of David’s sin with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it up…David’s whole being was affected by his sin. You will discover this as you read the entire chapter: his eyes (v.3), his mind (v.6), his ears (v.8), his heart (v.10), and his mouth (v.13-15).”1

Wiersbe continues: “sin hurts the sinner, hurts others and hurts God.”

As you read the account of David’s sin in 2 Samuel chapters 11-12 you will see the progression of this sin and the significant impact of one indiscretion. I can’t help but wonder about this as it relates to my own life. How often have I sinned and what has been the cost in unrealized blessings?

The one thing I find hope in as I read this account is the fact that God’s love for David did not wane in the least. Yes, David most surely suffered the consequence of his sin, and yet we know that David continued to walk in relationship with God and find favor with Him, even in the midst of loss and tragedy.

Ponder This:
Are the pleasures of sin worth paying so high a price? Consider the ways in which you may be tarrying and therefore neglecting the business the Lord has given to your hands.

How often do we rebuke the sin we see in others when we ourselves are guilty?

Apply This Truth to Your Thinking:
Before God let’s do inventory and purpose today to confess and repent of all that He reveals to us as sin. Then let’s rejoice with Him as He rejoices and sings over us with joy!

Stephanie

1 With the Word-A Devotional Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

Matthew 14:25-33 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I was struck by Peter’s statement: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus replied “Come.”

In that moment Peter asked the Lord for confirmation of His presence and essentially as for a sign from God, “Lord if it is you.” Jesus gave Peter the sign – He said, “come”

We know that Peter heard and discerned God’s calling at that moment, because he stepped out of the boat – he was in God’s will – wouldn’t you agree? But what happened next? Though Peter clearly heard God’s voice from the lips of Jesus, yet he began to doubt. Instead of remaining focused on Christ he started to look around him at the humanly impossible thing he was doing. As his faith waivered, he began to sink. He sank because he lost focus on Christ, not because he misunderstood the voice of the Lord.

We may believe we know God’s will or calling in our life, we may start out well but as we begin to do in our strenth that which can only be done in God’s strength, we waiver and then ultimately we question if it was God’s voice at all. We begin to think we misheard or misunderstood what God’s will is. We can be square in the center of God’s will and sink because we lost focus on the only One that can accomplish His will in us and through us. We doubt. Do you feel like you are sinking? It may not be because you misunderstood God’s call but that you took your eyes off of Him to accomplish it.

Diane

DIGGING DEEPER
4) Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

I teach Sunday School to 2nd and 3rd graders. We have been discussing “heart issues.” The topic of our conversation comes from “man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” God looks down into the heart and sees what is there. We may fool others around us, but God knows the truth.

David is the example of one who loved God and lived his life accordingly. He had a desire to walk with God and please him. David depended upon God and never lost sight of the fact he could do nothing aside from God.

David sought God early in his day. He had a relationship with God. David also had a grateful heart. He gave praise and thanks to God in all circumstances. He knew God was worthy of all praise and thanksgiving.

David also had a repentant heart. When he sinned he did not place blame on others, but confessed before God his wrongdoing with a repentant heart and sought the Lord’s forgiveness. Psalm 51.

God wants us to be a people after His own heart. We must continually be in fellowship with Him and allow Him to change our hearts from the inside to the outside. Just as David walked with God daily, we must do the same. I am ready to set the example to my Sunday School children and those around me, that all may know I have a personal relationship with God. Are you?

PF

DIGGING DEEPER
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

When Diane first asked me if I’d be interested in writing for Victory Call, I hesitantly said “yes,” with the disclaimer that I didn’t think I had anything new or profound to say. I get 2 or 3 emailed devotionals daily, plus the books I read. And I struggled to think that I would have anything new to say – or that I would end up plagiarizing someone else.

And it’s not that God isn’t doing anything in my life – but it’s slow, and painstaking, and not particularly earth-shaking.

Lately, as I’ve been struggling to come up with something to write, the thought kept popping in my head, “God loves me – what’s more profound and earth-shaking than that?” I mean, really – can you think of anything bigger, better, or more important to be reminded of? I went on a hunt for verses that tell us about God’s love – there are way too many to list them all. Here’s just a sampling (bold text my emphasis):

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6 (NIV)

Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Deuteronomy 10:15 (NIV)

But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Nehemiah 9:17 (NIV)

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Psalm 25:6 (NIV)

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5 (NIV)

Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, Isaiah 43:4 (NIV)

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)

In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV)

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

RS

DIGGING DEEPER

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk – call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the “DESIGNATION” area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America’s KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America’s KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!

Psalm 51 – a very familiar psalm. It is often preached on and quoted. Perhaps it is already near and dear to your heart. We will be focusing on it over the next 4 weeks.

I hope you are continuing to persevere. Don’t give up when it gets difficult.

Persevere.

You will be changed.

Psalm 51:1-4
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.

Commentary:
This Psalm is written by David after he was confronted by Nathan regarding his adultery with Bathsheba. David pours out his heart repenting of his offense to God. Rather than share a typical commentary quote, let me share a quote from Paul David Tripp’s book, “Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy” which I commend to you. It is an excellent meditation on Psalm 51. (This book is available through America’s KESWICK’s online bookstore – http://www.americaskeswick.org/233853.ihtml)

“Before you can ever make a clean and unamended confession of your sin, you have to first begin by confessing your righteousness. It’s not just your sin that separates you from God; your righteousness does as well. Because, when you are convinced you are righteous, you don’t seek the forgiving, rescuing, and restoring mercy that can be found only in Jesus Christ.” (pg. 22)

Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

This week our focus passage has been Psalm 46:8-11 and the chapter ends with the word, Selah.

According to biblegateway.com it is a word used seventy-four times in all of scripture and some interpret it to mean “silence” or “pause.”

I discovered this meaning a few years ago, so whenever I come across it in the Psalm I do just what it means, I pause and silently ponder what preceded it.

When I think of it as the ending word for this week’s scripture, (which I hope you have pondered on all week), it fits right in with our “Points to Ponder and Apply” section.

So here it is:
“Come and behold the works of the LORD!” Ponder the works of the Lord in your life today.

“There is nothing that so sustains the soul, so elevates the spirit, so encourages the weary, so expands the mind, so lifts the depressed, so fills the hungry, so satisfies the thirsty, and so enables us to realize the fullness of what it means to be human, as a clear, steady, sustained gazing upon the beauty and glory of God.” ~ Timothy Shorey

Be still and silent, and in that stillness KNOW THAT HE, GOD, is GOD!

What I can tell you with certainty is this: if you apply this practice to your day, to this moment in time called today, you will taste and see that the Lord, He is good. You will know in your inmost parts a peace that passes all understanding. Selah.

Stephanie

The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the Lord by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. (Lev. 23:5-8)

From the time I was a young girl I knew that Jesus celebrated the Passover, only we called it His last supper. I was always curious about what He did at that meal and why He would have chosen the Passover meal to be His last meal. I asked a Jewish friend of mine about Passover. She gave me a book that I had to read from back to front that explained all about it. I decided at that time each year I would celebrate Passover. I have learned more and more as I celebrated each Passover. Jesus obediently chose Passover for His last supper. In this short devotional I could never present how rich this feast is and how clearly it points to Jesus. My prayer is that you will receive a passion to enter into the celebration of Passover and receive the blessing of knowing more fully what is meant when Paul said Jesus became our Passover Lamb.

Passover is the first feast of the New Year cycle in the Hebrew calendar. It falls in the month of Nisan. In 1 Cor. 5:7-8 Paul encourages the church to celebrate Passover saying Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Sad to say but most Christians do not know much about this wonderful feast and how it points to Jesus, the Lamb of God, our Redeemer. He became our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin. Passover before the time of Christ, and for Jewish people today, is a celebration of how God delivered His people out of the hands of their enemy, the Egyptians (Ex. 12). Today we can celebrate not only the history of the deliverance of the Jewish people, we celebrate Jesus, Lamb of God, and our Lord who paid a debt we could not pay. He became the Lamb and laid Himself on the cross as a sacrifice. For by His shed blood we receive deliverance from the hands of the enemy of this world. His blood redeems us and transfers us into the promise of eternal life. We celebrate a release from bondage and oppression. We begin our journey as a new creation.

For me Passover is a time to praise and give thanks to the Lord my God, who continues to be my deliverer. It is a time to gain faith for the future work He has for me. Passover is a celebration of Jesus my Lord.

This year Passover begins at sundown on March 29. If you have never celebrated Passover I would encourage you to do so this year. I would encourage you to prepare for it by:
1. Preparation. The Jewish people clean their homes. It is a good time to repent of any known sin committed in our homes room by room and thank God for His forgiveness for each sin. (Ps. 51:10)
2. Dedicate or re-dedicate yourself, your home and property to the Lord your God. (Joshua 24:15)
3. Invite the Lord to fill your heart, mind and home with His glory. Sing worship songs, read the Psalms, take communion as a family, fast from the media and do not allow anything before your eyes or ears that would dishonor the continued presence of God. (Ps. 24)

There are many websites to assist you in celebrating Passover. Books that I have used include the following: The Cycles of God by Robert Heidler; God’s Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan; Jesus in the Feasts of Israel by Richard Booker.

Submitted by: Patricia L. Wenzel

Digging Deeper (Psalm 51:10-17)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 16 For thou delightest not in sacrifice; Else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (NKJ)

DIGGING DEEPER
11(W) The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.