Lesson 1: Oppression – The Background and the Birth of Moses

1.6 Summary

God’s Plan in the Shadow of Oppression

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Introduction – When Blessing Turns

What happens when times of blessing turn into suffering? When what once brought security suddenly becomes a threat? Israel’s story in Egypt begins with growth and blessing—but in this lesson, it ends in chains and tears. Yet in the midst of darkness and oppression, God’s plan begins to shine. Lesson 1 of the book of Exodus shows that God is never inactive—even when He seems hidden.

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Bible Study: Exodus 1–2

1.1 God’s People in Egypt – From Blessing to Oppression

Bible Text: Exodus 1:1–7
Commentary:
What begins with blessing—a growing lineage of Jacob in Egypt—soon becomes a threat in the eyes of the new king. These verses show how outward blessings can lull us into a false sense of security, while political and social realities can suddenly shift.
Spiritual Insight: God’s blessing does not always mean protection from hardship, but His presence remains—even when the outer circumstances turn hostile.
Application: Never take blessing for granted—see it as a calling to trust in God’s faithfulness, even when times change.

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1.2 Historical Background – God’s Faithfulness in History

Bible Text: Exodus 1:8–14
Commentary:
A new Pharaoh does not know Joseph—this shows how short-lived human gratitude is. Power shifts often bring instability, and Israel’s blessing becomes a burden to Egypt. Enslavement begins.
Spiritual Insight: Even through political upheavals, God remains sovereign. His faithfulness does not end when people forget Him.
Application: Don’t rely on political stability or human recognition—rely on God’s faithfulness through all ages.

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1.3 The Hebrew Midwives – Courage to Stand for Truth

Bible Text: Exodus 1:15–21
Commentary:
Two ordinary women—Shiphrah and Puah—bravely defy the most powerful man in the world. They obey God rather than man. Their disobedience to the king saves lives.
Spiritual Insight: God honors quiet, courageous obedience. Their names were remembered—the Pharaoh remained nameless.
Application: When you face a choice between covering up injustice or standing for truth—remember the midwives. God honors faithfulness, not power.

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1.4 Moses Is Born – A Child of Hope

Bible Text: Exodus 2:1–10
Commentary:
In the midst of fear and murder, Moses is born—a “good” child (Hebrew: tov), chosen by God. Through divine providence, he is raised in the house of his enemy. The irony of God’s sovereignty.
Spiritual Insight: God protects, guides, and works even when everything seems lost.
Application: God’s plan often starts quietly, in hidden ways. Be faithful in what seems small—it may be the beginning of something great.

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1.5 Change of Plans – When Plans Fail

Bible Text: Exodus 2:11–25
Commentary:
Moses uses violence to fight injustice—and fails. From the palace, he falls into the wilderness. But this “fall” is not the end; it’s God’s school. His real preparation begins in Midian.
Spiritual Insight: God doesn’t reject us for our failures—He uses them to shape us.
Application: Maybe you made a wrong choice. Maybe your path looks different than you planned. But God is greater—He can turn your detour into His direction.

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Spiritual Principles

• God’s faithfulness endures—even in times of oppression.

• God often works in hidden ways—in history and in our personal lives.

• Civil courage rooted in faith has eternal value.

• God’s plans exceed our failures and brokenness.

• He prepares deliverers long before we see them.

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Application for Daily Life

• Trust God’s plan—even when you don’t understand it. Blessings can turn into trials, but that doesn’t mean God has left you.

• Be ready to stand against injustice. You don’t need to be a hero—quiet faithfulness can change history.

• Don’t see your detours as defeats but as preparation. God even uses our failures.

• God’s timing is often hidden, but never random. Hold on—He is working.

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Conclusion

This lesson shows that God remains active—even when everything seems lost. He works in the hearts of brave people, preserves life, and writes history with individuals who trust Him. Where humans enslave, God begins to deliver. Where hope dies, He sparks new hope.

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Thought of the Day

“When you think your path has ended, it might be that God is just beginning His story in you.”

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Illustration: “The Boy in the Container”

The sun burned mercilessly on the rusty metal walls of the camp. In one corner, between old shipping containers, lived people without names—refugees from war zones, stateless, forgotten. They had washed up in Europe like driftwood no one wanted to pick up.

Elina was 28, a nurse working for a humanitarian organization. Her job took her daily to the camp on the edge of the city—a place most residents only knew from the news and preferred to forget. Elina was different. She couldn’t ignore the suffering. It haunted her in dreams, called to her like a voice from the wilderness.

One Tuesday morning, she discovered something she would never forget.

Behind an abandoned washroom, she heard a faint whimpering. She followed the sound and found a little boy, barely a year old. He was naked, malnourished, his skin covered in insect bites. Next to him was a note: “His name is Yamin. I cannot keep him. Please save him.”

Elina didn’t hesitate. She wrapped him in her jacket, took him to the medical tent, and later reported him to the authorities—reluctantly, knowing what that meant: bureaucracy, endless procedures, an uncertain future. Children like Yamin often vanished into institutions, their stories buried in files.

But something inside her said: “This child is not an accident.”

A Whisper in the Heart

Weeks passed, and Elina cared for him like her own child. She knew his looks, his fears, his little hands clinging to her. Yamin didn’t speak, but his eyes told stories—of a world that had rejected him.

She often thought of Moses. Hidden in the reeds. Protected by God, though all boys were to be killed. Was Yamin such a child—hidden, yet chosen?

Elina felt she couldn’t let him go.

But resistance came. From child services. From the organization. From friends. “You can’t save every child.” – “This is not your responsibility.” – “Are you willing to risk your career for a boy without a passport?”

But at night, when everything was still, she heard a quiet but firm voice in her heart: “Do not be afraid. I am with you.”

In the Wilderness

A year later, everything had changed. Elina had lost her job after publicly advocating for more rights for children in the camp. She had endured lawsuits, hostility. But she had been allowed to keep Yamin—officially as a foster mother, unofficially as his entire world.

They now lived in a small apartment, far from the camp. Life was not easy. Money was tight, the future uncertain. But Elina had peace. She knew she was on the right path—even if it felt like a wilderness.

Yamin began to speak. First just words—then full sentences. At age three, he surprised her one evening, saying: “Mama, God sent me to you.”

She wept. For a long time. And for the first time, she understood: It wasn’t about saving the world. It was about being faithful—to one child. And God would take care of the rest.

A Quiet Deliverer

Many years later, people would read about Yamin. As a lawyer for children’s rights, a voice for the voiceless, a man with a story no one expected.

In interviews, he often said: “I’m not here by luck. Someone refused to give up on me. And God carried me.”

But the true hero of his story was rarely mentioned. She now lived quietly, volunteering at a small clinic. Her name was Elina. And once, in the shadows of the world, she had saved a child—like a Hebrew midwife, quietly and faithfully.

Final Thought

God’s story often doesn’t begin with trumpets, but with a quiet decision in a broken heart. In the faithfulness of a woman. In the courage of an ordinary person. In a container child nobody wanted—except God.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-1-oppression-the-background-and-the-birth-of-moses-1-6-summary-exodus-living-faith/

July 4, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Exodus 29 – Consecration, Sacrifice, and Presence – God’s Path to Priestly Nearness

The consecration of the priests, the holiness of the altar, and the daily offering before the face of God

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Bible Text – Exodus 29 (KJV)

1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,

2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.

3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.

4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:

6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.

8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.

9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.

11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.

14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:

23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord:

24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.

25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the Lord: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord: and it shall be thy part.

27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:

28 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the Lord.

29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.

30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.

31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.

32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.

34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.

36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.

37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.

38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.

39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.

45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.

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Introduction

Exodus chapter 29 gives detailed instructions for the ordination of the priests and the establishment of the daily sacrificial system. Amid rituals, animals, blood, and clothing, one thing becomes clear: God wants to be near His people. Yet this nearness is not arbitrary; it happens under conditions of purity, dedication, and divine order. The appointment of Aaron and his sons as priests and the sanctification of the altar express God’s desire to dwell among His people—and at the same time His holiness, which makes access to Him anything but casual.

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Commentary

1. The Consecration of the Priests (Verses 1–35)

God commands a multi-day, sacred consecration process to establish Aaron and his sons in the priesthood. The elements of the ceremony are multi-layered:

• Purity and Preparation (v. 4): Washing with water before the Tent of Meeting.

• Robing (vv. 5–6): The priestly garments signify dignity, responsibility, and belonging.

• Anointing with Oil (v. 7): A sign of divine calling and spiritual empowerment.

• Sin Offering and Burnt Offering (vv. 10–18): Animals are slaughtered to atone for sin and sanctify the altar.

• “Filling the Hands” (v. 24): A symbolic act of placing the priestly calling into their hands.

• Sprinkling with Blood and Anointing Oil (vv. 20–21): A powerful image of purification and empowerment by both blood and Spirit.

Especially significant is the combination of sacrificial blood and anointing oil—atonement and commissioning joined. This combination is foundational for any spiritual office.

2. The Consecration of the Altar (Verses 36–37)

The altar itself is to be “purified” and sanctified over seven days. The place of sacrifice must be as holy as the one offering. This emphasizes God’s demand for holiness—not just of the heart, but of sacred space.

3. The Daily Offering (Verses 38–42)

Twice daily, young lambs are to be sacrificed, along with grain and drink offerings. This regular practice serves as:

• A daily reminder of dependence on God

• A continual invitation to fellowship with Him

• A basis for God’s self-revelation (vv. 42–43)

4. God’s Promise of Presence (Verses 43–46)

The goal of all consecration, ritual, and sacrifice is clearly stated:

“I will dwell among the children of Israel and be their God.” (v. 45)

The consecration is not an end in itself. God sanctifies people and place so that real communion between Creator and creature becomes possible. This is the climax: a God who dwells among His people—a glimpse of Immanuel, “God with us.”

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Summary

Exodus 29 gives a detailed description of the priestly ordination process and the establishment of the daily sacrificial service. The ritual washing, robing, anointing, and offerings all reflect God’s demand for holiness and His desire for nearness. The chapter closes with a divine promise: God wants to dwell among His people—but this nearness is tied to obedience, holiness, and ongoing dedication.

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Message for Us Today

We live in a time when many seek God’s nearness—yet often without awareness of His holiness. This chapter reminds us:

• God is holy – Access to Him requires cleansing and devotion.

• Calling is not status, but service – The priests had their “hands filled” not to rule, but to serve.

• God’s presence has a purpose – Not just inspiration, but transformation through relationship.

• Spiritual rhythm matters – The daily offering shows us: spiritual life needs consistency.

Christ fulfilled all these sacrifices once and for all. But the call to holiness and daily fellowship still remains (cf. Romans 12:1).

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Reflection Questions

“Where God wants to dwell, space must be prepared.”

Are you willing to shape your life as a place of meeting with God? What might need to be cleansed, dedicated, or reordered so He can truly dwell—not just on Sundays, but every day?

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June 28 – July 05, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 14

Destruction of Sodom

Read online here

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Introduction

Sodom was beautiful, wealthy, and cultured—yet it was lost in guilt, sin, and ultimately in God’s judgment.
The story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom is more than a historical event.
It is a warning, an invitation, and a mirror for our own time.
Amid prosperity, pleasure, and religious indifference, we still hear God’s voice today:

“Flee for your life! Don’t look back.” (Genesis 19:17)

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Commentary

1. The Allure of Sodom – Outward Wealth, Inward Decay

Sodom was “like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10)—fertile, beautiful, and convenient. But:

• Abundance led to pride.

• Idleness corrupted character.

• Wealth fueled selfishness and moral decay.

Sodom was prosperous—but spiritually dead.

2. God’s Warning – Grace Before Judgment

God sent angels to rescue Lot.
Lot was righteous, but hesitant.
His family was attached to comfort and possessions.

God’s grace is real—but it has a window of opportunity.

3. Lot’s Wife – A Heart in Sodom

She was on the path of rescue, but her heart looked back.
One last glance cost her life.

It’s not about where your feet are—but where your heart is.

4. The Consequences of Wrong Choices

Lot’s descendants (the Moabites and Ammonites) became enemies of God.
One wrong step led generations into ruin.

Personal decisions can have consequences that span generations.

5. The Contrast: Abraham and Lot

Abraham lived by faith as a stranger and pilgrim.
Lot sought comfort—and nearly lost everything.

Faith chooses what is eternal, even when it is hard today.

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Summary

The downfall of Sodom is:

• a testimony to God’s patience—but also His justice,

• a mirror of today’s moral condition,

• a call to repentance,

• a reminder: wealth without God is dangerous,

• a warning: do not delay when God calls!

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Message for Us Today

We live in a world like Sodom—marked by prosperity, selfishness, and moral relativism.
God’s grace still calls today—not to condemn, but to save.
Don’t delay when God calls—the time of grace is limited.
Your choices affect your family, your descendants, and your eternity.
Seek the better homeland—the city whose builder and maker is God.

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Reflection Question

Where is my “Sodom”? Where do I choose comfort over obedience?
Do I hesitate like Lot—even though I know God’s voice?
Is my heart more attached to possessions, career, and security—or to God’s will?
Do I live like Abraham—a guest in this world, waiting for the heavenly?

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/04-07-2025-exodus-chapter-29-believe-his-prophets/

04.07.2025 | Heart Guarded – Life Protected | HEART ANCHOR

Take care of your inner being – for from it your life is shaped

Proverbs 4:23

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Bible Text

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
— Proverbs 4:23

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Introduction

Your heart – it’s more than just your biological organ. In the Bible, it represents your thoughts, your desires, your values, and your decisions.
What you think, what you hope for, what you love – all of this lives in your “heart.” That’s why Solomon warns us: Pay attention to what you let into it!
Because what lives in your heart will soon become visible in your life.

But how do you actually do that?
How do you protect your heart in a world full of distraction, chaos, comparison, superficiality, hatred, and pressure?

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Devotional – “What lives in your heart?”

When God asks us to guard our heart, it’s because He knows how fragile we are inside – and how easily we can lose our way.
Your heart can become a place of hope and love – or a dark room filled with bitterness and fear.

Ellen White writes:
“The thoughts determine the character. If they are pure and holy, the person will also be good and noble.”
(Education, p. 36)

Your inner life is not a neutral space.
Every thought, every decision, every image on your screen, every song in your headphones – all of it shapes your heart.
And one day, you will live out exactly what you have stored there.

So the real question is:
What are you feeding your heart?

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Story: “Two Wolves”

An old Native American sat with his grandson by the campfire.
He said:

“A fight is going on inside every one of us. A battle between two wolves.
One is evil – full of anger, envy, greed, lies, pride, and self-pity.
The other is good – full of peace, love, humility, joy, truth, and hope.”

The boy looked at his grandfather seriously and asked:

“Which wolf wins?”

The old man replied calmly:

“The one you feed.”

This little story sums up Proverbs 4:23:
What you allow into your heart will grow – and shape who you become.

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Thoughts – What does this mean for you?

Maybe you’re feeling right now that your heart is overwhelmed.
Too much pressure. Too much doubt. Too many outside voices.
And you wonder: How can I possibly guard my heart?

Here are four impulses for today:

Find stillness:
Take 5–10 minutes each day just you and God. No music. No phone. Let your heart be still.

Examine your words:
What do you say about yourself? What do you hear every day? Do these words bless your heart – or harm it?

Let Jesus into your heart:
Invite Him to cleanse you. Tell Him honestly what’s troubling or confusing you. He knows your heart – and loves you anyway.

Renew your thoughts:
Read one Bible verse each day. Let God’s truth be louder than the noise around you.

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Reflection Questions

Which “wolves” are you feeding in your daily life?

Are there thoughts or influences you know are hurting your heart?

What might your life look like if your heart were shaped more by God each day?

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Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You know my heart – with all its good and all its chaos.
You see my thoughts, my fears, my dreams, and my doubts.
Help me to stay alert. Teach me to guard my heart well – from the things that damage me.
Fill me with Your peace. Renew my mind.
Let me feel that I don’t have to fight alone – You want to protect my heart because You love it.
I want to walk in Your ways and trust You – from the inside out.
Amen.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/04-07-25-heart-guarded-life-protected-heart-anchor-youth-devotional/