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This past Sunday, guest speaker Rob Snow, preached a message entitled "Journey in the Valley." Drawing from Psalm 84:5-7, Rob reminded us that God’s presence is not limited to the mountaintop moments of life but is with us even in the valleys of sadness, despair, and uncertainty. He explained that the valley of Baca, an arid place watered by tears, becomes a place of springs as God meets His people there and leads them from strength to strength. Pastor Rob emphasized that God knows our valleys and hears our groaning, pointing to His presence throughout Scripture and ultimately to Jesus, who experienced the deepest valley on the cross. Yet through Christ, the valley becomes a place of redemption, making it possible for us to be with God on the mountain. This message encourages us to trust that God is present with us in every valley and that He can bring hope, renewal, and redemption even from our deepest places of sorrow.

✍️ Notes
Title: Journey in the Valley – Rob Snow

“Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.” Psalm 84:5-7

On the Mountain with God:
Israel journeys to the temple mount to experience his presence. Israel experiences God’s shalom when in his presence: “all is right because God reigns.” (Psalm 84:2)

In the Valley with God:
⭑ Baca is an arid valley watered only with tears
⭑ But this sadness doesn’t last long

In the Valley with God:
“As they go through the valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs; the early
rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will
be seen in Zion.” (Ps 84: 6-7)

God Knows the Valleys
⭑ Psalms of lament account for 1/3 of the Psalms (Ps 13:1-2)
⭑ Psalm 84 affirms that God’s presence is not beyond the place of sadness and despair.
⭑ Even more, the presence of God.

God Knows the Valleys
⭑ God heard their groaning. (Exodus 2:24)
⭑ “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)
⭑ “That very Spirit intercedes wit groanings too deep for words.” (Rom 8:26)

God Knows the Valleys
⭑ God, in the person of his son Jesus, experienced a great and terrible valley on the cross.
⭑ But that valley made it possible to be on the mountain with him.
⭑ The valley is the place of redemption.

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This past Sunday, Pastor Sebastian Martinez, preached a message entitled "How’s your Walk?" Pastor Sebastian challenged us through 1 Kings 18 to consider whether we are wavering between two opinions or wholeheartedly following the Lord. He contrasted Baal as appealing but ultimately unavailable and powerless with the Lord, who hears, answers, and acts. Through Elijah’s faith and prayer on Mount Carmel, we were reminded that the Lord is faithful and desires to turn our hearts back to Him. This message encourages us to walk wholeheartedly with the Lord through both the valleys and the mountains, trusting Him and choosing to follow Him wholeheartedly in every season.

✍️ Notes
Title: How’s your Walk? – Sebastian Martinez

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
21 Elijah went before the people and said,

“How long will you waver between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” 1 Kings 18:20-24

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you.Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response;  no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. 1 Kings 18:25-29

1. Appealing but unavailable, promising but powerless
2. The God who’s answered & acts

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them,  “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time.  35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench. 1 Kings 18: 30-38

3. Wholehearted through the valleys & mountains

1 Kings 18:39
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord-he is God! The Lord-he is God!"

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This past Sunday, Pastor Hunter Gillis, preached a message entitled "The Evergreen Faithfulness of God." Pastor Hunter reminded us through Psalm 121 that our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, who watches over us faithfully and never grows weary. He encouraged us to recognize God’s faithfulness not only on the mountaintops but also in the valleys, trusting His presence through every season. Drawing from Psalm 23, Pastor Hunter emphasized that God’s faithfulness is best expressed in us when we allow Him to lead us down the mountain rather than remain at the top, and when we follow Him through the valley instead of trying to escape it. This message invites us to trust God’s unwavering presence and goodness, knowing that He faithfully guides, comforts, and sustains us through every high and low.

✍️ Notes
Title: The Evergreen Faithfulness of God – Hunter Gillis

 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:1-4 (NIV)

Even though I walk Through the darkest valley I will fear no evil. For you are with me, Your rodand staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4-5 (NIV)

⭑ The Mountains

 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:1-4 (NIV)

God’s faithfulness is best expressed through us when he sends us down the mountain not camping on top.

⭑ The Valleys

 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 (NIV)

⭑ God's faithfulness is best expressed in us by leading us through the valley instead of escaping it.

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This past Sunday, our Lead Pastor, Ben Johnson, preached a message entitled "What Kind of People Ought We Be?" Pastor Ben encouraged us to live with eternity in view, drawing from 2 Peter 3:8–14 and God's promise of a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. He reminded us that while the Lord is patient, His return is certain, calling us to respond by living lives that reflect His heart. Pastor Ben highlighted three key characteristics every believer should pursue: being holy, set apart for God; hopeful, confidently looking forward to Christ's return and His promises; and ready, making every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Him. This message challenges us to live faithfully today as we eagerly anticipate the day when God makes everything new.

✍️ Notes
Title: What Kind of People Ought We Be? – Ben Johnson

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives… as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:8-14 (NIV)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV)

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Acts 2:20-21 (NIV)

1. Holy
“You ought to live holy and godly lives...”
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your
God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. Deuteronomy 7:6 (NIV)

2. Hopeful
“… as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
“…we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

3. Ready
“… make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

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This past Sunday, our Lead Pastor, Ben Johnson, preached a message entitled "The Hope of His Coming." Pastor Ben reminded us of the incredible hope we have in Christ’s promised return, encouraging us with the assurance of 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 that one day we will be with the Lord forever. He highlighted both the promise and the picture of Christ’s coming, reminding us that Jesus will return for His people just as He promised. Pastor Ben also challenged us to prepare for His coming by staying close to God, living holy lives, and boldly sharing the hope of the Gospel with others. This message encourages us to live with expectation, confidence, and readiness as we await the return of Jesus Christ.

✍️ Notes
Title: The Hope of His Coming – Ben Johnson
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)

Promise of His coming
“For the Lord will come down from heaven.”

The dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
VS.  Therefore encourage one another with these words. 

“See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones” Jude 1:14 (NIV)

“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:8 (NIV)

“He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28 (NIV)

“I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3 (NIV)

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Revelation 22:12 (NIV)

Picture of His coming
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14: 1-3 (NIV)

Preparation for His coming
“So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NIV)

⭑ Stay close
…as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
⭑ Get ready
“All who have this hope in him purify themselves…” 1 John 3:3
⭑ Talk about Him
“We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20
The bridegroom is coming!

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This past Sunday, Guest Speaker Mark Hazzard preached a message entitled "Be Ready." Speaker Mark Hazzard walked us through Matthew 24, where Jesus reminds His disciples that while no one knows the day or hour of His return, His followers are called to live with watchfulness and readiness. Drawing from Jesus’ comparison to the days of Noah, We are challenged  not to become distracted or complacent but to recognize the urgency of the times and remain faithful in our walk with Christ. He also encouraged us to consider those in our circle of influence who do not yet know Jesus, reminding us that the call to be ready includes sharing the hope of the Gospel with others. This message invites us to live each day prepared for Christ’s return, faithfully serving Him and pointing others to Him while there is still time.
 
✍️ Notes
Title: Be Ready – Mark Hazzard
Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Matthew 24:1-3 (NKJV)
 
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:36-44

In my opinion, one of the most critical signs that we are in the last days…is that people will not pay attention to the signs that we are in the last days.

⭑Are you ready for the return of Jesus?
⭑Are there people in your circle of influence who don’t know Jesus?

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:44

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This past Sunday, our Lead Pastor, Ben Johnson, preached a message entitled "Signs of the Times." Pastor Ben walked us through Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24, reminding us that what we believe about the end times influences how we live today. He highlighted Jesus' warnings that deception, global unrest, persecution, and false prophets will increase, while the Gospel continues to be proclaimed to all nations. Rather than living in fear, Pastor Ben encouraged us to remain watchful, steadfast in our faith, and ready for Christ's return, holding firmly to His promise that He will come again in power and glory.

✍️ Notes
Title: Signs of the Times – Ben Johnson
"Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:1-14 (NIV)

 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matthew 24:30-31 (NIV)

⭑ What you believe about the end, influences how you live now.
⭑ Deception will increase
⭑ Global chaos will increase
⭑ Persecution will increase
⭑ Many will turn away and hate – false prophets
⭑ The Gospel will be preached

Be Ready
“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:42 (NIV)

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This past Sunday, our Lead Pastor, Ben Johnson, preached a message entitled "Marriage Matters." Pastor Ben unpacked Ephesians 5:25–33, reminding us that God's design for marriage reflects the profound relationship between Christ and His Church. He encouraged us to believe right by embracing God's purpose for marriage, build right through the foundational principles of love and respect, and love right by following Christ's example of sacrificial, selfless love. This message challenged us to honor God's design for marriage by cultivating relationships marked by humility, mutual respect, and Christlike love that points others to the Gospel.

✍️ Notes
Title: Marriage Matters – Ben Johnson
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her
to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:25-33

⭑ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy (25.26)

⭑ This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. (32)

1. Believe Right
For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother an be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. (31)

“Haven’t you read,”he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. Matthew 19:4-6 (NIV)

2. Build Right Building Blocks: Love & Respect
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

3. Love Right
⭑ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… (Ephesians 5:25)

⭑ Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another. (Ephesians 5:21)

Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness…And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage. Ephesians 5:22-28

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This past Sunday, Pastor Jeremiah Niengor preached a message entitled "Dear Family Member." Through Hosea 2:14–15, Pastor Jeremiah walked us through the story of God's relentless pursuit of His people despite the relational fracture caused by sin. He showed us that God's response is not to abandon us, but to pursue us – to allure us, bring us into the wilderness, speak tenderly to us, give generously, and transform our places of trouble into doors of hope. Pastor Jeremiah reminded us that the wilderness is not a place of punishment but a place where God has our full attention and restores intimacy with Him. He also emphasized that while love operates on covenant, God's love is so faithful that even when the covenant is broken, He pays the price anyway. This message reminded us that although humanity's deepest wound is relational rupture, God never stops coming after His children, offering restoration, hope, and the invitation to return to Him.

✍️ Notes
Title: Dear Family Member – Jeremiah Niengor
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. Hosea 2:14-15

Scene 1: The Letter

Scene 2: The Fracture

If Relation fracture is humanity’s deepest problem, then the question become: How does God respond?

Scene 3: The Pursuit

I will allure - God pursues
I will bring - God doesn’t abandon
I will speak - God restores intimacy
I will give - God is generous
I will make - God transforms

The wilderness isn’t punishment. It’s where God has your full attention.

“He is not a passive recipient of your rejection. He is an active participant in your reclaiming.”

Scene 4: The Door

The deepest human wound is relational rupture. And God moves toward it.

Scene 5: The Price

Love operates on covenant. And when covenant is broken, love pays the price anyway.

“Maybe the greatest surprise in Hosea isn’t that God’s people wandered. It’s that God never stopped coming after them.”

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This past Sunday, our Lead Pastor, Ben Johnson, preached a message entitled “Act Like Men, Marks of a Godly Man.” Pastor Ben unpacked Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong,” while reminding us that everything we do must be done in love. He explained that biblical manhood is not about dominance or pride, but about living with courage, humility, and steadfast faith in Christ. Pastor Ben encouraged us to remain spiritually alert, grounded in God’s Word, and clothed in the character of Christ, as described in Galatians 3:27-28. He also highlighted that godly men lead with love, reflecting God’s heart by pursuing justice, mercy, and humility, while caring for the vulnerable as seen in Micah 6:8 and Psalm 68. This message challenged us to pursue a life marked by strength, faithfulness, and Christlike love.

✍️ Notes
Title: Act Like Men, Marks of a Godly Man – Ben Johnson

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (ESV)

I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires… 1 Kings 2:2-3 (NIV)

And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus… Galatians 3:27-28(NLT)

Watchful: “Be watchful,”

Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then… Ephesians 6:13-14 (NIV)

Leads with Love: “Let all that you do be done in live.”

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

… His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows… Psalm 68:4-6

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