matthewsix

Matthew 6 

1 “Watch out! 

Don’t do your good deeds publicly, 

to be admired by others, 

for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 

2 When you give to someone in need, 

don’t do as the hypocrites do:

blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets 

to call attention to their acts of charity! 

I tell you the truth, 

they have received all the reward they will ever get. 

3 But when you give to someone in need, 

don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 

4 Give your gifts in private, 

and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

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 don't 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 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.

SO MUCH stuff in this

Matthew 5 

1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

closing instruction, epistle to Hebrews

Hebrews 13 

1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 

2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, 

for some who have done this have entertained angels 

without realizing it! 

3 Remember those in prison, 

as if you were there yourself. 

Remember also those being mistreated, 

as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

4 Give honor to marriage, 

and remain faithful to one another in marriage. 

God will surely judge people who are immoral 

and those who commit adultery.

5 Don’t love money; 

be satisfied with what you have. 

For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
    I will never abandon you.”

6 So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,
    so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. 

Think of all the good that has come from their lives, 

and follow the example of their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same 

yesterday, 

today, 

and forever. 

9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. 

Your strength comes from God’s special favor, 

not from ceremonial rules, 

which don’t help those who follow them.

discipline

 Hebrews12 

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, 

let us strip off every weight that slows us down, 

especially the sin that so easily trips us up. 

And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 

2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, 

the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Because of the joy awaiting him, 

he endured the cross, 

disregarding its shame. 

Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 

3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; 

then you won’t become weary and give up. 

4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? 

He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

7 As you endure this divine discipline, 

remember that God is treating you as his own children. 

Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 

8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, 

it means that you are illegitimate 

and are not really his children at all. 

9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, 

shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, 

and live forever?

10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, 

doing the best they knew how. 

But God’s discipline is always good for us, 

so that we might share in his holiness. 

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! 

But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living 

for those who are trained in this way.

12 So take a new grip with your tired hands 

and strengthen your weak knees. 

13 Mark out a straight path for your feet 

so that those who are weak and lame will not fall 

but become strong.

faith

 yeah... I know it's long - read all of it - it'll be worth it...

Hebrews 11 

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.

21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,[d] and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

boldly enter

Hebrews 10 

19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, 

we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place 

because of the blood of Jesus. 

20 By his death, 

Jesus opened a new and life-giving way 

through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 

21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 

22 let us go right into the presence of God 

with sincere hearts fully trusting him. 

For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood 

to make us clean, 

and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, 

for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. 

Remember the great reward it brings you! 

36 Patient endurance is what you need now, 

so that you will continue to do God’s will. 

Then you will receive all that he has promised.

fourteen

John 14 

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. 

Trust in God, 

and trust also in me. 

2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. 

If this were not so, 

would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 

3 When everything is ready, 

I will come and get you, 

so that you will always be with me where I am. 

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. 

“We have no idea where you are going, 

so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, 

“I am the way, 

the truth, 

and the life. 

No one can come to the Father except through me. 

7 If you had really known me, 

you would know who my Father is.

From now on, 

you do know him 

and have seen him!”

8 Philip said, 

“Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

9 Jesus replied, 

“Have I been with you all this time, Philip, 

and yet you still don’t know who I am? 

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! 

So why are you asking me to show him to you? 

10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father 

and the Father is in me? 

The words I speak are not my own, 

but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 

11 Just believe that I am in the Father 

and the Father is in me. 

Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12 “I tell you the truth, 

anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, 

and even greater works, 

because I am going to be with the Father. 

13 You can ask for anything in my name, 

and I will do it, 

so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 

14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, 

and I will do it!

love

John 13 

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: 

Love each other. 

Just as I have loved you, 

you should love each other. 

35 Your love for one another 

will prove to the world 

that you are my disciples.”

Hmmm... I would say we're missing the boat 

when it comes to this new commandment of Jesus...