Thursday in Lent

1Verse 1. After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” 2Verse 2. But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3Verse 3. Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4Verse 4. Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5Verse 5. And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6Verse 6. Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 12Verse 12. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him. 13Verse 13. Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14Verse 14. But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. 15Verse 15. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. 16Verse 16. In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 17Verse 17. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses. 18Verse 18. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land — from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates —

21Verse 21. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22Verse 22. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23Verse 23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24Verse 24. and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25Verse 25. God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. 26Verse 26. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 27Verse 27. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. 28Verse 28. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29Verse 29. Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30Verse 30. since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Verse 31. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.