Paybacks

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV)

Seek & Find

11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NASB)

Be Reconciled to God

19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (NIV)

19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (NASB)

~ 2 Corinthians 5:19-20

A New Song

He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

(NIV)

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.

(NASB)

Psalm 40:3

One in Christ

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ~ Galatians 3:26-28 (NASB)

A Special Gift

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (NIV)

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (NASB)

~ 1 Peter 4:10

Unless the LORD Builds the House...

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. ~ Psalm 127:1 (NIV) 

Have Mercy on Me, Lord...

have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.

(NIV)

Be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry all day long.

(NASB)

~ Psalm 86:3

Serve the Lord in Truth

 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. (NIV)

Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. (NASB)

~ 1 Samuel 12:24

One Body

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body,and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. ~ Romans 12:4-8 (NIV)

Thinking About Yourself?

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ~ Romans 12:3 (NIV)

Heaven Is His Throne.

48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

49 ‘Heaven is My throne,
And earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My repose?
50 ‘Was it not My hand which made all these things?’

~ Acts 7:48-50 (NASB)

Love God...Love All

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. ~ John 4:20-21 (NIV)

Devoted

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ~ Acts 2:42 (NIV)

Great News!

‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ~ Acts 2:21 (NASB)

How to Make a Decision...

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. ~ Acts 1:14 (NIV)

Do Not Worry

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:34 (NASB)

Do NOT Worry

31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ~ Matthew 6:31-33 (NASB)

Does Worrying Help?

27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ~ Matthew 6:27-30 (NASB)

Don't Worry...

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? ~ Matthew 6:25-26 (NASB)

Do Not Give Up

1 The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. 5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

~ 2 Chronicles 15:1-7 (NIV)

What Can Man Do to Me?

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. 

6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ~  (NIV)

5 5 From my distress I called upon the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
6 6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear;
What can man do to me?

(NASB)

~ Psalm 118:5-6 

First Love

2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. ~ Revelation 2:2-5 (NASB)