one

 

Psalm 1

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!
    They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

made right

Romans 1 

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. 

It is the power of God at work, 

saving everyone who believes.... 

17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. 

This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. 

As the Scriptures say, 

“It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

1 john's closing thoughts

1 John 5 

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, 

so that you may know you have eternal life. 

14 And we are confident that he hears us 

whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 

15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, 

we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

16 If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

loving one another

1 John 4 

7 Dear friends, 

let us continue to love one another, 

for love comes from God. 

Anyone who loves is a child of God 

and knows God. 

8 But anyone who does not love 

does not know God, 

for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us 

by sending his one and only Son into the world 

so that we might have eternal life through him. 

10 This is real love—not that we loved God, 

but that he loved us 

and sent his Son 

as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, 

since God loved us that much, 

we surely ought to love each other. 

12 No one has ever seen God. 

But if we love each other, 

God lives in us, 

and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him 

and he in us. 

14 Furthermore, 

we have seen with our own eyes 

and now testify 

that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 

15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, 

and they live in God. 

16 We know how much God loves us, 

and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, 

and all who live in love live in God, 

and God lives in them. 

17 And as we live in God, 

our love grows more perfect. 

So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, 

but we can face him with confidence 

because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, 

because perfect love expels all fear. 

If we are afraid, 

it is for fear of punishment, 

and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 

19 We love each other because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, 

“I love God,” 

but hates a fellow believer, 

that person is a liar; 

for if we don’t love people we can see, 

how can we love God, 

whom we cannot see? 

21 And he has given us this command: 

Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

1J3

1 John 3 

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

loving (blog #3)

1 John 2

 2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
    because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
    because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
    because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
    because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
    and you have won your battle with the evil one.

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

scum (blog #2)

Matthew 9 

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

46 (blog #1)

 

Psalm 46

1 

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! 

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. 

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. 

absorb this

1 John 1 

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, 

whom we have heard and seen. 

We saw him with our own eyes 

and touched him with our own hands. 

He is the Word of life. 

2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, 

and we have seen him. 

And now we testify and proclaim to you 

that he is the one who is eternal life. 

He was with the Father, 

and then he was revealed to us. 

3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard 

so that you may have fellowship with us. 

And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 

4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus 

and now declare to you: 

God is light, 

and there is no darkness in him at all. 

6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God 

but go on living in spiritual darkness; 

we are not practicing the truth. 

7 But if we are living in the light, 

as God is in the light, 

then we have fellowship with each other, 

and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, 

we are only fooling ourselves 

and not living in the truth. 

9 But if we confess our sins to him, 

he is faithful 

and just 

to forgive us our sins 

and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

10 If we claim we have not sinned, 

we are calling God a liar 

and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

2 passages

Matthew 7 

1 “Do not judge others, 

and you will not be judged. 

2 For you will be treated as you treat others. 

The standard you use in judging 

is the standard by which you will be judged.

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye 

when you have a log in your own? 

4 How can you think of saying to your friend, 

‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ 

when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 

5 Hypocrite! 

First get rid of the log in your own eye; 

then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 

22 On judgment day many will say to me, 

‘Lord! Lord! 

We prophesied in your name 

and cast out demons in your name 

and performed many miracles in your name.’ 

23 But I will reply, 

‘I never knew you. 

Get away from me, 

you who break God’s laws.’

don't worry

Matthew 6 

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, 

where moths eat them and rust destroys them, 

and where thieves break in and steal. 

20 Store your treasures in heaven, 

where moths and rust cannot destroy, 

and thieves do not break in and steal. 

21 Wherever your treasure is, 

there the desires of your heart will also be.

22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

growing

2 Peter 1 

3 By his divine power, 

God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. 

We have received all of this by coming to know him, 

the one who called us to himself 

by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

4 And because of his glory and excellence, 

he has given us great and precious promises. 

These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature 

and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. 

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, 

and moral excellence with knowledge, 

6 and knowledge with self-control, 

and self-control with patient endurance, 

and patient endurance with godliness, 

7 and godliness with brotherly affection, 

and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

8 The more you grow like this, 

the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, 

forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

10 So, dear brothers and sisters, 

work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. 

Do these things, 

and you will never fall away. 

11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

humble yourself

1 Peter5 

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, 

and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 

7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

8 Stay alert! 

Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. 

He prowls around like a roaring lion, 

looking for someone to devour. 

9 Stand firm against him, 

and be strong in your faith. 

Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. 

So after you have suffered a little while, 

he will restore, 

support, 

and strengthen you, 

and he will place you on a firm foundation.

living for God

1 Peter 4 

1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, 

you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, 

and be ready to suffer, too. 

For if you have suffered physically for Christ, 

you have finished with sin. 

2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, 

but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 

3 You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—

their immorality and lust, 

their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, 

and their terrible worship of idols.

4 Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. 

So they slander you. 

5 But remember that they will have to face God, 

who stands ready to judge everyone, 

both the living and the dead. 

6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—

so although they were destined to die like all people, 

they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

7 The end of the world is coming soon. 

Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 

8 Most important of all, 

continue to show deep love for each other, 

for love covers a multitude of sins. 

9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. 

Use them well to serve one another. 

11 Do you have the gift of speaking? 

Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. 

Do you have the gift of helping others? 

Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. 

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. 

All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.