Category: Bible

When Not Seeing is Believing – 2025 Day 20 (John 20)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 20, John 20

“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

– John 20:24-31 ESV

When I was a teenage atheist, I refused to believe in anything I couldn’t see with my eyes, but now I see the many contradictions in my own worldview. Why did I believe my world history teacher when she taught about things that happened hundreds or even thousands of years ago? Why did I believe my chemistry teacher when he taught about how chemical elements worked?

At the time, my faith in an unseen, unknown event creating the universe seemed so intellectual and reasonable to me because I thought that the images of fossils and ape men I’d seen on TV and in my school textbooks were “scientific proof” of evolution. Now I’m astonished by the irony of my “faith” in evolution, which was just as much (if not more!) “a leap of faith” as my faith in Jesus now is. As a Christian, I’m believing the eyewitness testimonies of credible witnesses like John (John 19:35), but where are the eyewitnesses for evolutionary events?

Reading John 20, I noticed how John and Peter and Mary and Thomas believed because they saw.

I have such empathy for Thomas when I think about how much he had just been through. He just couldn’t fully trust his friends’ testimonies when they said, “We have seen the Lord.”

Judas, a fellow apostle, had just betrayed Jesus. Jesus, their messiah, had just been publicly beaten and executed on a Roman cross. And now Thomas has to figure out what is next for his life. How can you be a full-time disciple of someone who’s dead? Is this whole “Jesus is risen from the dead” thing real or just a hoax?

So Thomas demands, “Unless I see in his hands, the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Strong words. Strong demands. It’s not enough just to see the mark of the nails on Jesus’s hands. He has to place his own finger in those nail-pierced hands and place his own hand on His spear-pierced side. Merely seeing, apparently, is not believing, either.

And to think that Jesus then appeared to the disciples again when Thomas was there … And went directly to Thomas and gave him what he had requested. What a display of God’s grace and mercy and love!

And, even more so, what a blessing to have my own eyes opened, though I am among those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Will you pray with me?

Jesus, we are not worthy. I am not worthy. Thomas was not worthy.

With Thomas, we cry out, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus, You are not only our Messiah and Savior and Lord, but You are God. This is indeed the gift of faith, the precious, priceless gift to those who have not seen and yet believed.

Remembering the words of Hebrews 11:1, that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, we ask that You will open our eyes to have faith to be sure of what we hope for and fully convinced of the things that we have not seen, yet have read in Your Word. Help us to believe those eyewitness testimonies that have been passed down and preserved for us. Help us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that by believing we may have eternal life in His name.

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Behold the man! Behold our God! – 2025 Day 19 (John 19)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 19, John 19

“And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.

They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands.”

John 19:2-3 ESV

When I was growing up, I was such a sarcastic person. I regularly poked fun at others to get laughs and attention for myself at their expense, so reading this passage breaks my heart. Now I see the cruelty of these soldiers as they mock Jesus, pressing a crown of thorns on his head, dressing him in a purple robe, saying “Hail, King of the Jews,” and striking Him with their hands.

In verse 4, Pilate says, “Behold the man,” then moments later in verse 14, Pilate says, “Behold your king.”  Yet the chief priests, the Jewish chief priests, say, “We have no king but Caesar,” and my heart breaks again.

My heart breaks for all those people in our world who have turned their backs on the king who came to save them.

My heart breaks for the Jews who missed their Messiah who came for them, His own people. And my heart breaks for all of those Christians who are too busy to behold their king.

But my heart also breaks for Jesus Himself.

Can you imagine how it would feel to come into the world that you yourself had made, to take on human form and be born as a baby, to live among your own chosen people and speak to them week after week for more than 2 years, to perform miracle after miracle to really prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you indeed are the long awaited messiah, only to hear your own people say not only “Crucify him,” but “We have no king but Caesar”?

They did not say,
“We have no king but
Almighty God.”

They said, “We have no king
but Caesar.”

How about you? Who is your king?

  • The current (or soon-to-be) president of the United States — or another nation of the world?
  • Money?
  • Fame?
  • The news media?
  • Your kids?
  • Your stomach?
  • Your couch?
  • Your bed?
  • Your phone?

What do you live for and serve and obey?

Can you say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we will have no king but Jesus”?

Heavenly Father,

How I long to behold you, to see you face-to-face, to gaze upon Your glory. Hold me close to you. Bind me to you. Let me not wander away out of fear of the disapproval of man. May the fear of God be stronger than the fear of man in my life. Help me to remember that You are for me and if You are for me, what can man do to me?

Keep me from having a biting, sarcastic tongue. May my words be apples of gold in a setting of silver, full of grace and mercy and seasoned with salt.

I pray for the leaders of my nation and the leaders of all the nations of the world. I pray that they will bow the knee before King Jesus, that they will humble themselves before You. Lord, I praise You as Daniel did so many years ago – You are who changes times and seasons; You are who removes kings and sets up kings; You are who gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. (Daniel 2:21 ESV) Make our nation’s leaders like King Nebuchadnezzar who said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:47 ESV)

Let us behold You, seated on Your throne. Let us worship and adore You alone, for nothing compares to You.

In the name of King Jesus we pray,

Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Click here for a link to the “Behold, Our God” song and lyrics in English and Chinese.

Not of this World – 2025 Day 18 (John 18)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 18, John 18

"When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:6 ESV

Why would these soldiers draw back and fall to the ground with these simple words? Because Jesus truly is the great “I am,” the eternal one, the one whose words have power like no earthly man.

"Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."" - John 18:15-17 ESV

This “other disciple” is John. John, the author of the book of John, was known to the high priest and was allowed to enter into the courtyard with Jesus. Then, John bought Peter in. It seems to me that John is willing to identify himself with Jesus, but Peter isn’t. Peter insists even to a mere servant girl that he is not one of Jesus’s disciples.

I have to ask myself, am I more like John – willing to identify myself with Christ even with his enemies … or more like Peter, afraid to stand up for Christ even with a stranger.

Jesus says, “I am he,”
while Peter says, “I am not.”

"So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."" - John 18:33-36 ESV

This reminded me of John 1:10-12, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus’s own people, the Jews, had rejected him, yet here is Pilate, a Roman, asking Jesus if he is the king of the Jews.

Jesus’s kingdom is not over any specific group of people, and His kingdom is not in the here and now of this earthly world, Rather, Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the eternal King over all, the One who will reign for all eternity over all heaven and earth.

Which reminded me of Revelation 21. Here’s just a few verses — go read the whole chapter for yourself. 

"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." - Revelation 21:22-27 ESV

I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to see my Great King face-to-face, where all things will be new, where there will be no more crying or pain, no more war or persecution … forever and ever. Won’t you join me there?

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

We look forward to the day when Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for those who haven’t yet bowed their knees to Jesus and ask You to open their eyes to the reality of Christ as King.

We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk their lives and their livelihood to stand with Christ. We pray that You will help us to be bold, to not be ashamed of the gospel for it is the power to save both the Jew and the Gentile.

Thank You for inviting us into Your kingdom. You are the great, everlasting “I am.” And we are the “I am nots.” Help us to remember that. Help us to willingly humble ourselves before Your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

A Prayer for Protection over Your Children – 2025 Day 17 (John 17)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 17, John 17

How amazing it is to hear Jesus pray to His Holy, Righteous Father. Surely if He needed to pray, so do I! To read Jesus praying for His disciples, praying for the Father to protect them, encourages me to pray for those that I disciple, especially my children.

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

John 17:15 ESV

Two years ago, when I did this two-year Bible reading plan for the first time, my younger daughter was beginning her second semester of college. I guess that’s why John 17:15 really jumped out at me. She had been homeschooled her whole life. Except for two years at a neighborhood church preschool and the occasional tutorial class, she had grown up under my constant watchcare.

Now I’m preparing to release my 6’2″ baby boy. My last little bird is going to be leaving the nest and heading off to college this fall.

I’m just as nervous this time around about what his transition will entail, but I realize that ultimately, the safest place any of us can be is in the Father’s will, whether that’s in their Mama’s house, or on the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, or in a college classroom miles from home.

No matter their age, your child needs your prayers.

Please join me in prayer.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the precious gift that it is to be a mother, and the precious gift that these specific children are to me. Thank You for all the ways that I see Jesus in them.

I pray that You will be glorified in them today. So many people never crack open a Bible or step foot in a church, so I pray that they will see You in them. Make them a city on a hill that points people to You. Make them imitators of God as Your beloved children, walking in love as Christ loved them and gave Himself up for them. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Protect them from the schemes and temptations of the evil one, so that Your light can shine brightly out of them like a million-watt lightbulb. Remind them of all that scripture that I have poured into them over their years in my care. Help them to hear Your voice whispering – or shouting, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Send Your Holy Spirit to be their counselor and guide, showing them which way to go and which way not to go. Send Your Holy Spirit to be their comforter and advocate, so that they will not give way to fear, but will remember, “I am a child of the Lord of heaven’s armies. What can man do to me?”

When they are tempted to hide their light under a bushel, to deny their faith, to deny the Lord Jesus, convict them! Remind them that they belong to You and that You are their ever-present help in time of need. Help my children to call out to You and to trust You when they feel afraid or discouraged or lonesome. Help them to remember that You are always with them, and that You have promised to never leave or forsake them.

In the good and righteous name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord, we pray,

Amen

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Sorrow turned to Joy – 2025 Day 16 (John 16)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 16, John 16

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

– John 16:20-22 ESV

When I look at this picture, which was taken just moments after my youngest son was born, so many memories of that day flood back into my mind. After laboring into the wee hours of the night, I’d gotten my first epidural out of a crazy need for some rest, only to find myself overwhelmed by an intense feeling of panic when I couldn’t take a deep breath or feel my legs.

Yet, when that baby boy was delivered, all 8 pounds 15 ounces of him, I was even more overwhelmed by a feeling of ecstasy and joy, unexplainable to anyone who has never delivered a baby.

All the pain and exhaustion
was worth it, the very instant that little boy drew his first breath
and let out his first cry.

Just as friends try to prepare a new mom for the pain of labor and delivery, Jesus was trying to prepare His disciples for the great sorrow they would experience at His upcoming death and departure. An important part of that preparation that many experienced moms forget to share, is the immense JOY that you will experience after the pain is over.

Friends, listen to me, someday it will be worth it! Soon and very soon we are going to see the king! And there will be no more crying there. In this world we will indeed have tribulation, but we can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.

We don’t need to try to take shortcuts to avoid the pain, hiding our lights under bushels so no one can see them, drowning our sorrows in Facebook and food. Instead, we can rejoice today because we know with certainty that these labor pains are only temporary and that they will all be worth it when we see our Savior face to face.

Will you please join me in prayer?

Heavenly Father,

You are our hope in life and death. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Help us to fix our minds on things that are above. Help us to number our hours and days, knowing that these times are in fact short and these trials are indeed light, in comparison to the eternal weight of glory that is to come.

We pray for those who are in the depths of sorrow today, who are at the peak of the incredible pain of labor, who can’t seem to make out that light at the end of this valley of despair. Father, please, be their comfort and help them to see Your everlasting arms carrying them and Your loving hand guiding them through this dark valley. Use us to encourage them. Help us to grieve with those who grieve just as deeply as we rejoice with those who rejoice.

We pray for those who are without hope today because they are without Christ. We pray that You will open their eyes and soften their hearts to the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ who bore their punishment by His death on the cross. May today be their day of salvation, that many will rejoice with the angels over one lost sinner who repents!

In the holy and good name of Jesus we pray. Amen

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Read Through the Bible in Two Years – 2025 update!

Published on by kendraske3 Comments

I’m excited to announce that I’ve again improved my 2-year Bible reading plan, adding Psalms and Proverbs! The updated edition is available for download.

—

For the last several years, I have done a Read Through the Bible in One Year plan. I like plans like this that include a reading from the Old Testament and New Testament, plus a Psalm and Proverb. I think it’s important to read the entire Bible, every word of it, and I’m glad that I’ve done that, but, I’ve found that the whole Bible in one year is a lot to absorb. It doesn’t give me much time to reflect and meditate on what I’ve read, so this year I decided I wanted to do a “Read Through the Bible in Two Years” plan. Simple enough, right? Nope.

So, I made my own and I’d love to have you join me.

The plan is set up to read through each book of the Bible from beginning to end, alternating between Old Testament and New Testament books. I tried to keep the Old Testament books in chronological order. For example, Job is read after Genesis and before Exodus. I also intentionally placed New Testament books with related Old Testament books to help us see the connections in the text. For example, Hebrews is read between Leviticus and Numbers. I love to read one chapter of Luke every day from December 1-24, so each year ends with reading the book of Luke.

You’ll also notice that the Bible reading plan is set up week by week rather than day by day. One week you will devote every day to the four chapters of Philippians. In this weekly format, you could read the whole book on the first day of the week, then reread little parts the other six days … or you could read half of each chapter every day. You decide. Another week you’re assigned to read fourteen chapters of Leviticus – you might read several chapters one day and just one chapter another. Having a week by week format allows you this flexibility, but still keeps you on target.

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Read through the Bible in 2 years 2025Download

Counterfeit Christians. Reflections from 1 Kings 13.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 13

In 1 Kings 12, I was reminded of the dangers of following counterfeit gods, and in 1 Kings 13, I’m reminded of the dangers of following counterfeit Christians. I’m afraid that all too often Christians trust whatever a professing Christian author, blogger, podcaster, or pastor says, without giving it serious thought or prayer. We need to “test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV) 

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

1 John 4:1 ESV

Remember that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) It’s so important to know the Word. All the Word. Not just John 3:16 and Genesis 1:1. So that we can discern truth from error

I’m praying Ephesians 1:17 for you, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.”

Heavenly Father, We need Your wisdom. We need Your guidance. Please, Father, give us a hunger for Your Word. Give us an all-consuming desire for Truth in our innermost beings. May the half-truths of the world and the devil be repulsive to us. Please, Father, let us not settle for sorta, kinda, half-hearted faith, but make us passionate for a Holy Fire revival to sweep through our homes, churches, cities, and nations. For Your glory and fame we pray by the blood of Jesus Christ shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Amen.

The Tribe of Benjamin. 1 Samuel meets Judges.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 9-10.

Reading through the Bible book by book has helped me make connections that I’d missed before. The book of Judges ended with the terrible story about the Levite whose concubine was raped and murdered in the land of Benjamin. (Read Judges 19-21). Next, all the tribes of Israel went up against the Benjaminites. Thousands were killed on both sides and the tribe of Benjamin was defeated. In the end, though, Israel decided they didn’t want the tribe of Benjamin to be wiped out, so they devised a plan to repopulate the land of Benjamin by providing the few remaining men with virgin young women from Jabesh-Gilead plus those captured from Shiloh.

Now reading 1 Samuel, Israel demanded a king and God chose a man of Benjamin. Benjamin. And the Lord confirmed this in front of all the people, choosing the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, and Saul, the son of Kish, by lots.

Such a powerful example of God’s ways being higher than ours.

Lord, I often don’t understand what You’re doing, why You lead the way You do. Help me to trust You, to believe that You are at work even in the craziness of daily life in this crazy world. Help me to trust You and walk by faith day by day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Shane and Shane – Psalm 90

Do Not be Frightened … BUT WHY? (Joshua 1)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Joshua 1

Growing up, I fought a persistent battle with fear, especially fear of death. As an atheist, my life was the mere result of random chance. I thought I was the master of my own fate, and I knew I was not a very good master. I was just one of five billion people in the world, weak in both the physical and moral sense of the word.

Fear is a completely natural
by-product of a lack of faith in a
good, all-powerful God.

As God prepares Joshua for his new job as leader of the Israelite nation, God is so kind to remind Joshua that He is going with him and that He is a promise-keeping God.

Friends, if you are a child of God, God is with you, too. He will not leave you or forsake you. He is with you WHEREVER you go. But you need to be strong and courageous to do the things He has called you to do.

If he wants to reach the Promised Land, Joshua will have to step into the rushing Jordan River. Likewise, if you want to follow God, you will have to take that first step of obedience.

That first step is often the scariest. Speaking up when it’s easier to be silent. Knocking on a new neighbor’s door. Saying goodbye to a boyfriend who’s no good for you. These are hard things, but if we never take that first step we will never see where the road leads. And taking that first scary step is much, much less frightening when you know that the Lord has called you to it, and that He is with you.

I’m praying for you.

Heavenly Father, please help us to take that first step of obedience, to strike out into the unknown. Help us to be strong and courageous, believing without a doubt that You will never leave us or forsake us, that You are with us wherever we go. Please guide us by Your Holy Spirit. Convict us of our sin, our sins of unbelief, cowardice, and complacency. Help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. For the glory of Your Name, and in the power of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen

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The Need for Justice, Wisdom, and Humility

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Deuteronomy 16:17-18:14

The Lord knows man’s heart, and the Lord knows the future. He knows that we are prone to be partial and selfish and unjust. He knows how easy it is for us to go astray, whether we are a common laborer or housewife or the highest leader in the land.

So, in His mercy, He gave us the Law, His Word to memorize and to meditate on. Though the Israelites had never had a king, God knew that someday they would, and so He made provision especially for him, saying, “Don’t get a bunch of horses and wives and stuff because then your heart will turn away from Me.” But He didn’t stop there. God didn’t only have a ‘don’t do’ list. The Lord went on to say,

“And when [a Hebrew king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.

And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 ESV

This is a good word for us, too.

There is great value in not only reading the Word, but also in writing it. Take the time to write down the actual words of the Bible, along with your own personal thoughts.

Read the Word daily. Meditate on what it says. And obey its commands. Remember that the Lord your God is in your midst and fear Him, that you will be humble and it will go well with you.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word. We want to know it, that we may know You. We want to walk in Your ways. We want to be more like You. Help us to be merciful and humble and just. Keep us from pride and self-sufficiency. Help us to love and honor You, by loving our neighbors as ourselves. We lift up our nation’s leaders to You. We pray that You will guide and direct their steps. We pray that You will “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [You].” (Acts 26:18) In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.