Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭28-33

“Fools will call for me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me. That is because they hated knowledge. They refused to fear and respect the Lord. They ignored my advice and refused to be corrected. They filled their lives with what they wanted. They went their own way, so they will get what they deserve. “Fools die because they refuse to follow wisdom. They are content to follow their foolish ways, and that will destroy them. But those who listen to me will live in safety and comfort. They will have nothing to fear.” (‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭28-33‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭26-27, 33‬

“If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life! Whoever will not carry the cross that is given to them when they follow me cannot be my follower.

“It is the same for each of you. You must leave everything you have to follow me. If not, you cannot be my follower. (‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭26-27, 33‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭149‬:‭2-4‬

Let Israel be happy with their Maker. Let the people of Zion rejoice with their King. Let them praise him by dancing and playing their tambourines and harps. The Lord is happy with his people. He did a wonderful thing for his humble people. He saved them! (‭Psalms‬ ‭149‬:‭2-4‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭8-9, 13-20

The Lord is kind and merciful, patient and full of love. The Lord is good to everyone. He shows his mercy to everything he made.

Your kingdom will never end, and you will rule forever. The Lord can be trusted in all that he says. He is loyal in all that he does. The Lord lifts up people who have fallen. He helps those who are in trouble. All living things look to you for their food, and you give them their food at the right time. You open your hands and give every living thing all that it needs. Everything the Lord does is good. Everything he does shows how loyal he is. The Lord is near to everyone who sincerely calls to him for help. He listens to his followers and does what they want. He answers their prayers and saves them. The Lord protects everyone who loves him, but he destroys all who do evil.
 (‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭8-9, 13-20‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭28

But Jesus said, “The people who hear the teaching of God and obey it—they are the ones who have God’s blessing.” (‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭3-5‬

Lord, help me control what I say. Don’t let me say anything bad. Take away any desire to do evil. Keep me from joining the wicked in doing wrong. Help me stay away from their feasts. If good people correct me, I will consider it a good thing. If they criticize me, I will accept it like a warm welcome. But my prayer will always be against the wicked and the evil they do.
(‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭3-5‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23-26

Jesus continued to say to all of them, “Any of you who want to be my follower must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you every day for following me. Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me will save it. It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are destroyed or lost. Don’t be ashamed of me and my teaching. If that happens, I will be ashamed of you when I come with my divine greatness and that of the Father and the holy angels.
(‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23-26‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭5, 7‬

You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder.

Your Spirit is everywhere I go. I cannot escape your presence. (‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭5, 7‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭49-50, 52-55

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said, “Your daughter has died! Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.” Jesus heard this and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid! Just believe and your daughter will be well.”

Everyone was crying and feeling sad because the girl was dead. But Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She is not dead. She is only sleeping.” The people laughed at him, because they knew that the girl was dead. But Jesus held her hand and called to her, “Little girl, stand up!” Her spirit came back into her, and she stood up immediately. Jesus said, “Give her something to eat.” (‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭49-50, 52-55‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭7‬:‭47-48, 50

I tell you that her many sins are forgiven. This is clear, because she showed great love. People who are forgiven only a little will love only a little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Jesus said to the woman, “Because you believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace.”
 (‭Luke‬ ‭7‬:‭47-48, 50‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭27-36‬

“But I say to you people who are listening to me, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Ask God to bless the people who ask for bad things to happen to you. Pray for the people who are mean to you. If someone hits you on the side of your face, let them hit the other side too. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop them from taking your shirt too. Give to everyone who asks you for something. When someone takes something that is yours, don’t ask for it back. Do for others what you want them to do for you. “If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them! If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that! If you lend things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get any special praise for that? No, even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount! “I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful. Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy. (‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭27-36‬ ERV)

1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭45-47

David said to the Philistine, “You come to me using sword, spear, and javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel. You have said bad things about him. Today the Lord will let me defeat you. I will kill you. I will cut off your head and feed your body to the birds and wild animals. And we will do the same thing to all the other Philistines too. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel. All the people gathered here will know that the Lord doesn’t need swords or spears to save people. The battle belongs to the Lord, and he will help us defeat all of you.” (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭45-47‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭129‬:‭1-2

All my life enemies have attacked me. Say it again, Israel. All my life enemies have attacked me, but they have never defeated me. (‭Psalms‬ ‭129‬:‭1-2‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭4-6, 8-10

When Jesus finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into the deep water. If all of you will put your nets into the water, you will catch some fish.” Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish and caught nothing. But you say I should put the nets into the water, so I will.” The fishermen put their nets into the water. Their nets were filled with so many fish that they began to break.

The fishermen were all amazed at the many fish they caught. When Simon Peter saw this, he bowed down before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were amazed too. (James and John worked together with Simon.) Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on your work will be to bring in people, not fish!” (‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭4-6, 8-10‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭1-2‬

If it is not the Lord who builds a house, the builders are wasting their time. If it is not the Lord who watches over the city, the guards are wasting their time. It is a waste of time to get up early and stay up late, trying to make a living. The Lord provides for those he loves, even while they are sleeping. (‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭1-2‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭1-8

I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. Your Protector will not fall asleep. Israel’s Protector does not get tired. He never sleeps. The Lord is your Protector. The Lord stands by your side, shading and protecting you. The sun cannot harm you during the day, and the moon cannot harm you at night. The Lord will protect you from every danger. He will protect your soul. The Lord will protect you as you come and go, both now and forever! (‭Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭1-8‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1-4

You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection. I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.” God will save you from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases. You can go to him for protection. He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield. (‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1-4‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭92‬

If I had not found joy in your teachings, my suffering would have destroyed me.
(‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭92‬ ERV)

Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭73-79

This was the promise he made to our father Abraham, a promise to free us from the power of our enemies, so that we could serve him without fear in a way that is holy and right for as long as we live. “Now you, little boy, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go first before the Lord to prepare the way for him. You will make his people understand that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven. “With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will shine on us. It will bring light to those who live in darkness, in the fear of death. It will guide us into the way that brings peace.” (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭73-79‬ ERV)

2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7-10

But I must not be too proud of the wonderful things that were shown to me. So a painful problem was given to me—an angel from Satan, sent to make me suffer, so that I would not think that I am better than anyone else. I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. But the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me. Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.
(‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7-10‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭34-38

Help me understand your teachings, and I will follow them. Obeying them will be my greatest desire. Help me follow your commands, because that makes me happy. Give me the desire to follow your rules, not the desire to get rich. Don’t let me look at worthless things. Help me live your way. Do what you promised me, your servant, so that people will respect you. (‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭34-38‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭117‬:‭1-2

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people. He loves us very much! The Lord will be faithful to us forever! Praise the Lord! (‭Psalms‬ ‭117‬:‭1-2‬ ERV)

Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭1-5

So what can we say about Abraham, the father of our people? What did he learn about faith? If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to boast about himself. But God knew different. That’s why the Scriptures say, “Abraham believed God, and because of this he was accepted as one who is right with God.” When people work, their pay is not given to them as a gift. They earn the pay they get. But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right. (‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭1-5‬ ERV)

2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭15, 17-19, 21

He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.

When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.

Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God.
(‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭15, 17-19, 21‬ ERV)

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭7-11

We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We often don’t know what to do, but we don’t give up. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. So we constantly experience the death of Jesus in our own bodies, but this is so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies. We are alive, but for Jesus we are always in danger of death, so that the life of Jesus can be seen in our bodies that die. (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭7-11‬ ERV)

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬

And our faces are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings more and more glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭2-5, 7‬

The Lord does wonderful things, more than anyone could ask for. The things he does are great and glorious! There is no end to his goodness. He does amazing things so that we will remember that the Lord is kind and merciful. He gives food to his followers. He remembers his agreement forever.

Everything he does is good and fair. All his commands can be trusted. (‭Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭2-5, 7‬ ERV)

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭14-15‬

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume. Our offering to God is to be the perfume of Christ that goes out to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost.
(‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭14-15‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭26-28, 31

Lord my God, help me! Show your faithful love and save me! Then they will know that you did it. They will know that it was your power, Lord, that helped me. They curse me, but you can bless me. They attacked me, so defeat them. Then I, your servant, will be happy.

He stands by the helpless and saves them from those who try to put them to death.
(‭Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭26-28, 31‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭10-21

Some of God’s people were prisoners, locked behind bars in dark prisons. That was because they had fought against what God said. They refused to listen to the advice of God Most High. God made life hard for those people because of what they did. They stumbled and fell, and there was no one to help them. They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles. He took them out of their dark prisons. He broke the ropes that held them. Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people. He breaks down their bronze gates. He shatters their iron bars. Some people became fools and turned against God, and they suffered for the evil they did. They became so sick that they refused to eat, so they almost died. They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles. He gave the command and healed them, so they were saved from the grave. Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people. (‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭10-21‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭106‬:‭39-46, 48‬

They were unfaithful to him, and they became dirty with the sins of other nations. So the Lord became angry with his people. He rejected those who belonged to him. He gave his people to other nations and let their enemies rule over them. Their enemies controlled them and made life hard for them. He saved his people many times, but they turned against him and did what they wanted to do. His people did many bad things. But whenever they were in trouble, he listened to their prayers. He always remembered his agreement, and because of his faithful love, he comforted them. Other nations took them as prisoners, but the Lord caused them to be kind to his people.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He always was and will always be worthy of praise. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord! (‭Psalms‬ ‭106‬:‭39-46, 48‬ ERV)

Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭4-9‬

“Tell Ahaz, ‘Be careful, but be calm. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let those two men, Rezin and Remaliah’s son, frighten you! They are like two burning sticks. They might be hot now, but soon they will be nothing but smoke. Rezin, Aram, and Remaliah’s son became angry and made plans against you. They said, “Let’s go fight against Judah and divide it among ourselves. Then we will make Tabeel’s son the new king of Judah.”’” But the Lord GOD says, “Their plan will not succeed. It will not happen because Aram depends on its capital Damascus, and Damascus is led by its weak king Rezin. And don’t worry about Ephraim. Within 65 years it will be crushed, no longer a nation. Ephraim depends on its capital Samaria, and Samaria is led by Remaliah’s son. So you have no reason to fear. Believe this, or you will not survive.” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭4-9‬ ERV)

Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9-11

If you openly say, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved. Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” (‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9-11‬ ERV)

Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭27-28

Lord, all living things depend on you. You give them food at the right time. You give it, and they eat it. They are filled with good food from your open hands. (‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭27-28‬ ERV)

‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭5-11‬

There are different ways to serve, but we serve the same Lord. And there are different ways that God works in people, but it is the same God who works in all of us to do everything. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person. The Spirit gives this to each one to help others. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person and to another he gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy, and to another the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what is not. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages, and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what to give each one.
(‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭5-11‬ ERV)