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Jesus Identifies With Our Needs

A devotional by InTouch Ministries for reading on June 23rd

Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as `we are, yet' without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help `us' in time of need.

We often forget that during His stay on earth, Jesus experienced need just as we do. Although Christ was fully God, He was at the same time completely human, with all of humanity’s weaknesses and shortcomings. Though He didn’t sin, He identified with our suffering.

When Jesus had finished a 40-day fast in the wilderness, He experienced physical hunger and an onslaught of temptation from the devil (Matt. 4:1-2). Later, after an exhausting day of healing people and feeding a crowd of more than 5,000, the Son of God required time alone with His Father for spiritual strength and refreshment (Matt. 14:23). And in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ was under tremendous spiritual and emotional pressure as He faced the daunting task of paying for the sins of mankind through His death on a cross (Matt. 26:38-39).

In each weakness, Jesus turned to His Father. The Word of God was His defense in temptation, prayer was His source of strength for ministry, and submission to the Father’s will was His pathway to victory over sin and death. By passing through every difficult situation without sin, He became our Great High Priest, who intercedes for us and invites us to draw near to God’s throne for help in time of need.

Whatever your needs may be, you can follow Christ’s example and experience the Father’s provision. The Word of God is your protection, prayer is your strength, and submission to the Father is the way to victory over sin. Draw near with confidence, and let the Lord shower you with His grace.

Bible in One Year: Psalms 71-75 Chapter 71 1 In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge: Let me never be put to shame. 2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me: Bow down thine ear unto me, and save me. 3 Be thou to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; For thou art my rock and my fortress. 4 Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah: `Thou art' my trust from my youth. 6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb; Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: My praise shall be continually of thee. 7 I am as a wonder unto many; But thou art my strong refuge. 8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honor all the day. 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my strength faileth. 10 For mine enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take counsel together, 11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: Pursue and take him; for there is none to deliver. 12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me. 13 Let them be put to shame `and' consumed that are adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt. 14 But I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more. 15 My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, `And' of thy salvation all the day; For I know not the numbers `thereof'. 16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Jehovah: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 18 Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not, Until I have declared thy strength unto `the next' generation, Thy might to every one that is to come. 19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee? 20 Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth. 21 Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me. 22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, `Even' thy truth, O my God: Unto thee will I sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises unto thee; And my soul, which thou hast redeemed. 24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; For they are put to shame, for they are confounded, that seek my hurt. Psalm 72 `A Psalm' of Solomon. Chapter 72 1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, And thy righteousness unto the king's son. 2 He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with justice. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness. 4 He will judge the poor of the people, He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear thee while the sun endureth, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6 He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; All nations shall serve him. 12 For he will deliver the needy when he crieth, And the poor, that hath no helper. 13 He will have pity on the poor and needy, And the souls of the needy he will save. 14 He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence; And precious will their blood be in his sight: 15 And they shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: And men shall pray for him continually; They shall bless him all the day long. 16 There shall be abundance of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure for ever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him; All nations shall call him happy. 18 Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things: 19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever; And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. Psalm 73 A Psalm of Asaph. Chapter 73 1 Surely God is good to Israel, `Even' to such as are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pangs in their death; But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as `other' men; Neither are they plagued like `other' men. 6 Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish. 8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily. 9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full `cup' are drained by them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches. 13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency; 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning. 15 If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end. 18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction. 19 How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image. 21 For my soul was grieved, And I was pricked in my heart: 22 So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was `as' a beast before thee. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden my right hand. 24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven `but thee'? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth; `But' God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that play the harlot, `departing' from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord Jehovah my refuge, That I may tell of all thy works. Psalm 74 Maschil of Asaph. Chapter 74 1 O God, why hast thou cast `us' off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast gotten of old, Which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance; `And' mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual ruins, All the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary. 4 Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thine assembly; They have set up their ensigns for signs. 5 They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees. 6 And now all the carved work thereof They break down with hatchet and hammers. 7 They have set thy sanctuary on fire; They have profaned the dwelling-place of thy name `by casting it' to the ground. 8 They said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether: They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. 9 We see not our signs: There is no more any prophet; Neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. 10 How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? 11 Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? `Pluck it' out of thy bosom `and' consume `them'. 12 Yet God is my King of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters. 14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces; Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. 15 Thou didst cleave fountain and flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers. 16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: Thou hast prepared the light and the sun. 17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter. 18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, And that a foolish people hath blasphemed thy name. 19 Oh deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast: Forget not the life of thy poor for ever. 20 Have respect unto the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of violence. 21 Oh let not the oppressed return ashamed: Let the poor and needy praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee all the day. 23 Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: The tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually. Psalm 75 For the Chief Musician; `set to' Al-tash-heth. A Psalm of Asaph; a song. Chapter 75 1 We give thanks unto thee, O God; We give thanks, for thy name is near: Men tell of thy wondrous works. 2 When I shall find the set time, I will judge uprightly. 3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I have set up the pillars of it. Selah 4 I said unto the arrogant, Deal not arrogantly; And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: 5 Lift not up your horn on high; Speak not with a stiff neck. 6 For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the south, `cometh' lifting up. 7 But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and lifteth up another. 8 For in the hand of Jehovah there is a cup, and the wine foameth; It is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: Surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them. 9 But I will declare for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. Psalm 76 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph, a song.




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