Bible Passages to Read for Help

15 Passages to Read to Help Fight Pride

1. Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

2. Romans 12:16

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

3. Proverbs 11:2

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but a man of understanding remains silent.

4. 1 Peter 5:5

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

5. Galatians 6:1–3

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

6. Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

7. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.

8. Luke 14:8–11

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

9. Proverbs 26:12

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

10. Romans 12:3

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

11. 1 John 2:15–17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

12. James 4:13–16

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

13. Jeremiah 9:23–24

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

14. 1 Corinthians 1:26–31

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

15. Proverbs 15:25–33

The LORD tears down the house of the proud

but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,

but gracious words are pure.

Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,

but he who hates bribes will live.

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

The LORD is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes the bones.

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

10 Key Bible Verses on Glorification

1. Romans 8:29–30

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:29–30 explain why those who believe in Christ can be assured that all things work together for good: God has always been doing good for them, starting before creation (the distant past), continuing in their conversion (the recent past), and then on to the day of Christ’s return (the future). Foreknew reaches back to the OT, where the word “know” emphasizes God’s special choice of, or covenantal affection for, his people (e.g., Gen. 18:19; Jer. 1:5; Amos 3:2). See Rom. 11:2, where “foreknew” functions as the contrast to “rejected,” showing that it emphasizes God’s choosing his people (see also 1 Pet. 1:2, 20). God also predestined (i.e., predetermined) that those whom he chose beforehand would become like Christ.

The chain that begins with the word “foreknew” in Romans 8:29 cannot be broken. Those who are predestined by God are also called effectively to faith through the gospel (see 2 Thess. 2:14). And all those who are called are also justified (declared to be right in God’s sight). Because not all who are invited to believe are actually justified, the “calling” here cannot refer to merely a general invitation but must refer to an effective call that creates the faith necessary for justification (Rom. 5:1). All those who are justified will also be glorified (receive resurrection bodies) on the last day. Paul speaks of glorification as if it were already completed, since God will certainly finish the good work he started (cf. Phil. 1:6).

2. Colossians 3:4

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

The centrality of Christ in Colossians blazes into view again. Believers know that Christ is their life. Perfection in glory will be theirs when Christ returns (when they appear with him in glory).

3. 1 John 3:2

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

What we will be means having glorified bodies that will never be sick or grow old or die, and being completely without sin. No one like that has yet appeared on earth (except Christ himself after his resurrection). we shall be like him. In eternity, Christians will be morally without sin, intellectually without falsehood or error, physically without weakness or imperfections, and filled continually with the Holy Spirit. But “like” does not mean “identical to,” and believers will never be (e.g.) omniscient or omnipotent as Christ is, since he is both man and God.

4. Philippians 3:20–21

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body echoes Phil. 2:5–11. Those who follow Christ’s example of service will share in his vindication and glory as well. Perfection will come only at the resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:11–12; 1 Cor. 15:12–28). To subject all things to himself is messianic language drawn from the OT (e.g., Ps. 8:6; 110:1).

5. Hebrews 2:10

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

he, for whom and by whom all things exist. This is God the Father, who acts to “make perfect” the “founder of their salvation” (Jesus). many sons. The followers of the one unique Son of God are now also called “sons,” for they are adopted into the glory of the newly redeemed human family (see “brothers,” Heb. 2:11–12; and “children,” Heb.2:13; also Heb. 12:5–8). founder. The Greek can designate either an originator or a leader (see Heb. 12:2). salvation. See Heb. 1:14 and Heb. 2:3. suffering. Especially Jesus’ suffering of death (Heb. 2: 9, see Heb. 2:14–18). The concept of making perfect is applied elsewhere in Hebrews both to Jesus himself (Heb. 5:9; Heb. 7:28) and to his work in sanctifying his followers (Heb. 10:14; Heb. 12:23). In saying that Jesus was made perfect, the author is not suggesting that Jesus was sinful (cf. Heb. 4:15; Heb. 7:26) but that as he lived his life, his maturity and experience deepened, yet always with full obedience to the Father. As a human being, he needed to live his life and obey God (which he did perfectly) to become the perfect sacrifice for sins.

6. 1 Corinthians 15:42–44

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

imperishable. No longer subject to physical decay or aging.

dishonor . . . glory. These terms have to do with outward physical appearance: the Christian’s resurrection body will be physically attractive beyond anything imaginable.

7. Romans 8:16–18

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Read More

The witness of the Spirit gives the Christian’s spirit assurance that he or she is God’s child. All who are God’s children are also heirs of his promises, but a willingness to follow Christ in suffering is another sign of being God’s children.

The ultimate glory that Christians will receive is so stupendous that the sufferings of this present time are insignificant in comparison (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17). They look forward both to the resurrection of the body (1 Thess. 4:13–18) and to the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1–22:5; see Isa. 65:17).

8. 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Read More

Prayer, Assurance, and Conclusion. Just as the first half of the letter ended with a pastoral prayer that the Thessalonians be marked by holiness at the second coming of Christ (1 Thess. 3:11–13), this half does too. However, here Paul adds reassurance (1 Thess. 5:24). God of peace. God initiated the reconciliation of Christians with himself and is now at peace with them. Spirit, soul, and body represent the entirety of human nature. It seems unlikely that this is a tripartite division of human nature into body, soul, and spirit, where “spirit” and “soul” would refer to different parts; more likely Paul is simply using several terms for emphasis. For similar ways of expressing the totality of human nature see Matt. 10:28; Mark 12:30; 1 Cor. 7:34. There is no need for the Thessalonians to worry about whether they will be sufficiently holy and blameless at the coming of the Lord. God is faithful, and he will surely make it happen.

9. 2 Corinthians 3:18

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord. The word translated “beholding” (Gk. katoptrizō) can mean “behold” or “reflect” or “look at in a mirror,” and commentators support all three views. In this context, however, the connection with a mirror does not seem to be necessary to the word, and the meaning “behold” seems more consistent with the idea of having the veil removed and therefore being able to see God’s glory, in contrast to the unbelieving Jews who still have a veil blocking their vision.. Paul continues his comparison of all Christians (we all) with Moses by using Moses’ experience in Ex. 34:34 as the key to understanding the experience of the Christian. As a result of beholding the Lord through the ministry of the Spirit, the believer is being transformed (a process of sanctification over time, not an instantaneous change) into the same image of God that was distorted at the fall (see Gen. 1:26–27; 2 Cor. 4:4; 5:17; also 1 John 3:2). The “image” of God includes every way in which humans are like God, such as their moral character, their true knowledge, their many God-given abilities, and their dominion over creation (cf. Gen. 1:26–28), to be exercised with dependence on God as the Creator and giver of all things (see 1 Cor. 4:7).

10. Revelation 20:12–13

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

The dead, great and small, include both God’s saints (Rev. 11:18; Rev. 19:5) and the beast’s worshipers (Rev. 13:16; Rev. 19:18). Books recording their deeds will be opened (Dan. 7:10), providing the grounds on which each is judged (Rom. 2:6–11). God keeps an accurate record of every human deed, and will reward and punish with perfect justice. another book, the book of life.

The sea, Death, and Hades (the realm of the dead, cf. Rev. 6:8) will give up their dead as all people return to bodily existence to be judged (2 Cor. 5:10) by Jesus (Matt. 16:27; John 5:28–29; Acts 17:31). they were judged . . . according to what they had done. Unbelievers will be rightly condemned for their sins (cf. Rom. 3:23; Rev. 20:15). Believers, whose names are in the “book of life” (Rev. 20:12, 15), will enter into “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1) because the names in that book are of those who have been redeemed by “the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 13:8; cf. Rev. 21:27) for their sins (Rev. 1:5). Their recorded deeds attest to their trust in Christ and are also the basis for determining their rewards (cf. notes on 1 Cor. 3:14–15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12–16).

11 Passages to Read When You Feel Lonely

1. Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

2. Psalm 73:23–26

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

3. Mark 10:29–30

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

4. Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

5. Lamentations 3:22–24

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

6. 2 Corinthians 1:3–5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

7. Psalm 25:14–18

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,

and he makes known to them his covenant.

My eyes are ever toward the LORD,

for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

bring me out of my distresses.

Consider my affliction and my trouble,

and forgive all my sins.

8. 1 Peter 5:6–7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

9. Isaiah 53:3

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

10. Hebrews 4:15–16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

11. Psalm 139:1–16

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

10 Passages to Read with Someone Who Is Near Death

1. Psalm 23

1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

2. Revelation 21:1–7

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

3. Psalm 121

1I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

3He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

4Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

8The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

4. Isaiah 12

1You will say in that day:

“I will give thanks to you, O LORD,

for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away,

that you might comfort me.

2“Behold, God is my salvation;

I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation.”

3With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the LORD,

call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that his name is exalted.

5“Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;

let this be made known in all the earth.

6Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

5. Psalm 84

1How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD of hosts!

2My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

3Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my King and my God.

4Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise! Selah

5Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

7They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

8O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

9Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed!

10For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

12O LORD of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!

6. 2 Corinthians 4:13–18

13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

7. Psalm 16

1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

4The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names on my lips.

5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

6The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

8I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

10For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

11You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

8. John 14:1–4

1“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4And you know the way to where I am going.”

9. Psalm 46:1–7

1God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

6The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

10. Isaiah 43:1–7

1But now thus says the LORD,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

3For I am the LORD your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

4Because you are precious in my eyes,

and honored, and I love you,

I give men in return for you,

peoples in exchange for your life.

5Fear not, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you.

6I will say to the north, Give up,

and to the south, Do not withhold;

bring my sons from afar

and my daughters from the end of the earth,

7everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”

7 Passages to Read about God’s Protection

1. Psalm 23:1–6

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

2. Psalm 27:1–4

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me

to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

it is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident.

One thing have I asked of the LORD,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to inquire in his temple.

3. Psalm 46:1–11

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

4. Psalm 91:1–6

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

5. Psalm 121:1–8

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

6. Romans 8:37–39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7. Romans 14:8–9

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

11 Passages to Read to Help Fight Anger

1. James 1:19–20

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

2. Proverbs 14:29

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,

but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

3. Matthew 5:21–24

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

4. Psalm 103:8–10

The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

5. Proverbs 19:11

Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

6. Ecclesiastes 7:9

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,

for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

7. Ephesians 4:25–27

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

8. Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

9. Colossians 3:5–8

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

10. Proverbs 29:22

A man of wrath stirs up strife,

and one given to anger causes much transgression.

11. Ephesians 4:31–32

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

11 Passages to Read to Help Fight Worry

1. Philippians 4:6–7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2. John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

3. Matthew 6:25–34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, 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: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

4. Psalm 55:22

22 Cast your burden on the LORD,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

5. 1 Peter 5:6–7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

6. Matthew 11:28–30

28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

7. Isaiah 41:10

10 Fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

8. Romans 8:38–39

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

9. Luke 12:25–26

25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

10. Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

11. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

9 Passages to Read on Gratitude

1. Psalm 95:1-7

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

For the LORD is a great God,

and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth;

the heights of the mountains are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

2. Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

3. Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

4. Psalm 8:4-9

What is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

5. Hebrews 12:28-29

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

6. Psalm 103:1-8

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The LORD works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

7. 1 Chronicles 16:23-34

Sing to the LORD, all the earth!

Tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,

and he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

but the LORD made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his place.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him!

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth;

yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

8. Isaiah 12:2-6

“Behold, God is my salvation;

I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation.”

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the LORD,

call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that his name is exalted.

“Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;

let this be made known in all the earth.

Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

9. James 1:17-18

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

15 Passages to Read Together with Your Family

1. Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

2. Colossians 3:12–17

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

3. Ephesians 2:1–10

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

4. Genesis 1:26–31

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

5. John 1:1–14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

6. Romans 3:21–26

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

7. Matthew 5:1–16

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

8. Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

9. Luke 10:25–37

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

10. Romans 12:1–2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

11. James 1:2–8

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

12. Galatians 5:22–25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

13. Romans 8:31–39

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

14. John 15:1–17

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

15. Psalm 150

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD!

14 Passages to Read When You're Doubting Your Salvation

1. Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2. 1 John 3:18-22

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

3. Romans 5:6-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

4. John 10:27-30

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

5. Titus 3:4-7

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

6. Romans 8:37-39

7. Philippians 1:6

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

8. John 6:37-40

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

9. Isaiah 12:2

“Behold, God is my salvation;

I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation.”

10. 1 John 4:13-16

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

11. John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

12. Romans 10:9-13

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

13. James 1:12

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

14. 1 John 5:11-13

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

10 Passages to Read in the Face of Global Conflict

1. Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

2. Isaiah 43:1–5

1 But now thus says the LORD,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

3 For I am the LORD your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

4 Because you are precious in my eyes,

and honored, and I love you,

I give men in return for you,

peoples in exchange for your life.

5 Fear not, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you.

3. John 16:31–33

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

4. Psalm 31:14–24

14 But I trust in you, O LORD;

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in your hand;

rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

16 Make your face shine on your servant;

save me in your steadfast love!

17 O LORD, let me not be put to shame,

for I call upon you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go silently to Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be mute,

which speak insolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you

and worked for those who take refuge in you,

in the sight of the children of mankind!

20 In the cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you store them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD,

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

when I was in a besieged city.

22 I had said in my alarm,

“I am cut off from your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the LORD, all you his saints!

The LORD preserves the faithful

but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the LORD!

5. 2 Corinthians 4:7–10

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

6. Psalm 56

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;

all day long an attacker oppresses me;

2 my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many attack me proudly.

3 When I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

4 In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They stir up strife, they lurk;

they watch my steps,

as they have waited for my life.

7 For their crime will they escape?

In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back

in the day when I call.

This I know, that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise,

11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;

I will render thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death,

yes, my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

7. Isaiah 2:2–4

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days

that the mountain of the house of the LORD

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be lifted up above the hills;

and all the nations shall flow to it,

3 and many peoples shall come, and say:

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob,

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations,

and shall decide disputes for many peoples;

and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war anymore.

8. John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

9. Psalm 27:1–7

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me

to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up

above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

10. Revelation 22:20–21

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

12 Passages to Read to Help Fight Laziness

1. Colossians 3:23–24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

2. Romans 12:11

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

3. Proverbs 14:23

In all toil there is profit,

but mere talk tends only to poverty.

4. Philippians 2:14–16

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

5. Ephesians 4:28

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

6. Proverbs 6:6–8

Go to the ant, O sluggard;

consider her ways, and be wise.

Without having any chief,

officer, or ruler,

she prepares her bread in summer

and gathers her food in harvest.

7. Proverbs 20:4

The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;

he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

8. Galatians 6:2–10

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

9. 1 Corinthians 10:31

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

10. Proverbs 26:13–16

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!”

As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a sluggard on his bed.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

than seven men who can answer sensibly.

11. Hebrews 4:15–16

12. Matthew 25:14–30

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

12 Passages to Read to Help Fight Impatience

1. Romans 12:12

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

2. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.

3. Colossians 3:12–13

4. Galatians 5:22–23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

5. Psalm 37:7–8

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

6. Ephesians 4:1–3

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

7. James 5:7–8

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

8. Romans 15:5–6

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

10. Hebrews 4:15–16

11. Philippians 4:4–7

12. Psalm 27:14

Wait for the LORD;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the LORD!

10 Prayers from History to Pray for Your Loved Ones

1. A Prayer for Loved Ones

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

—Paul the apostle, Philippians 1:3–11

2. A Prayer for Family and Friends

Have mercy, oh Lord, on all those whom you have associated with us in the bonds of friendship and family. Grant that they, with us, may be so perfectly conformed to your holy will that, being cleansed from all sin, we may be found worthy, by the inspiration of your love, to participate together in the blessedness of your heavenly kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

—Old Gallican Rite

3. A Prayer of Dedication for Children

To you, oh Lord, I offer my first and last children. This is my firstborn, and this is my last child. To you, both have been consecrated by law, and they are offerings to you. So sanctify them for your service. Amen.

—Gregory of Nyssa (ca. 335–ca. 395), quoting Emmelia of Caesarea (d. 375)

4. A Prayer for Marriage

Oh eternal and gracious Father, you have set marriage apart as a holy mystery, a representation of the union of Christ with his church. Please let the Holy Spirit guide me in my life as a spouse that it may not become a sin to me, and do not let the liberties that you have righteously given by the holy Jesus become an occasion of licentiousness for my own weakness and sensuality. Please forgive all those irregularities and overly sensual applications that may, in some degree or other, upset my spirit or hinder my maturity as a Christian. Let me in all experiences and circumstances be serious about my service for you. Let me be affectionate and loving to my spouse, a guide and good example for my family, and in all quietness, sobriety, prudence, and peace, a follower of those holy couples who have served you with godliness and a good testimony.

Please let the blessings of the eternal God, the blessings of the right hand and of the left, be upon the body and soul of your servant, my spouse, and let those blessings remain there until we have come to the end of a holy and happy life. Please grant that both of us may live forever in the embrace of the holy and eternal Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

—Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)

5. A Prayer for the Conversion of a Father

Oh Lord, with your gracious and merciful eye, look upon the contrition of my heart. According to your certain promise, stay with me as I acknowledge you to be the maker and defender of all creation. Cause a spring of water to rise up within me; give words to me as I open my mouth and a mind so set on you, the chief cornerstone, so that your unworthy servant may be enabled to preach to my father, as I should, the mystery of your plan of redemption, and remove him by your power from the futile lies of wicked demons so that I may deliver him to you, his God and Lord, who does not desire the death of us sinners but waits for us to turn back and repent so that you will be glorified for all time. Amen.

—John of Damascus (ca. 675–749)

6. A Prayer for Students

Ineffable Creator, who, from the riches of your wisdom, designed three classes of angels and placed them above the heavens in a wonderful order and distributed the parts of the universe in the most elegant way, you who are the true source of light and wisdom, deign to shed upon my understanding a ray of your light to remove from me the double darkness of my birth, the darkness of both sin and ignorance.

You, who make the tongues of children speak eloquently and who infuse my lips with the grace of your blessing, give me a keen mind for understanding, a capacity to retain knowledge, a method and facility for learning, the subtlety of interpretation, and an abundant capacity for communication. Direct the beginning, oversee the progress, and bring the task to completion, you who are truly God and man, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

—Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

7. A Prayer for the People of God

Dear Lord, remember this city where your people dwell and every other city and country with your faithful followers in them. Oh Lord, remember all who sail and those who travel by land, those who are sick or who are close to death, and those who are captives in need of freedom. Remember, oh Lord, those who display good fruit, those who cultivate the soil of your holy church and do not neglect the poor. Grant that, in unity of voice and heart, we may glorify and praise your great and majestic name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—both now and forevermore. Amen.

—The Liturgy of Saint Chrysostom

Grant that, in unity of voice and heart, we may glorify and praise your great and majestic name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—both now and forevermore.

8. A Prayer for Family, Friends, and the Persecuted Church

I do not want to pray for myself only but for all people, as you have taught me. Shine the light of your gospel over the whole heart. Deliver those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake from the hands of those who hate them. Let the spirit of persecution be rooted out from the nations. When will the time come, Lord, that the freedom to worship you and the power of your gospel will be asserted and vindicated by the rulers of this world? When will it be that the governments of this earth will advance true faith with all their resources?

Maintain your gospel in its power and glory. Let the ministry of your word be accompanied by a demonstrable power of your Spirit so that the church on earth would be enlarged daily. Do so that the knowledge of you and of holiness would increase and abound among all people.

Look down in mercy on my dear family members and friends. Bless my parents, siblings, and family with all the gifts they need according to your providence and grace. Show your love to those who love me and enable me to forgive any who have hurt me. Let them repent of their sins, oh Lord, and partake of your forgiveness.

—Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

9. A Prayer for Friends and Others Who Are Dear to Us

We ask you to bless people everywhere, famous or unknown, rich or poor, so that they would all faithfully serve you and enjoy whatever you determine they need. We especially ask that you would arrange stability and peace in the affairs of this world through your providence. We ask this so that your church can joyfully serve you in all quietness.

We leave all we have with you, especially our friends and those who are dear to us. We desire that when we are dead and gone that they would similarly lift their souls to you. Teach those who come after us to praise, love, and obey you. And if we wake in the morning, may we praise you again with joyful lips, still offering ourselves to you as a more acceptable sacrifice through Jesus in whose words we beg you to hear us.

—John Wesley (1703–1791)

10. A Prayer for the Church

We ask that you send the Holy Spirit as a holy offering to the holy church. As we assemble, give to all the saints the fullness of the Holy Spirit for the confirmation of true faith so that we may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ, through whom glory and honor to the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit in your holy church are yours now and forever! Amen.

—Hippolytus of Rome (ca. 170–ca. 235)

10 Key Bible Verses on Sin

1. Galatians 5:19–21

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

“Works of the flesh” means actions flowing out of fallen human nature and its desires. Apart from the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, these are the actions toward which sinful humans instinctively gravitate. These are evidences of a desire to be in touch with the spiritual realm through humanly invented means: they supposedly have God as their ultimate object, but they reject the revealed way in which he should be worshiped. Because Christ is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), all other ways to God are false.

When people reject God, they turn in on themselves, and so relationships between human beings are destroyed as well. Envy comes about when people are not content with what God has given them, longing instead for what he has given others. Drunkenness and orgies are examples of how people misuse God’s good gifts in destructive and sinful ways, in rebellion against God as the gracious giver of all good things. In the Old Testament, wine was associated with joy and celebration (e.g., Neh. 8:10; Ps. 104:15; see note on John 2:3), but when abused was seen as being highly destructive (Prov. 20:1; Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:29–35), and drunkenness is consistently condemned throughout Scripture (e.g., Eph. 5:18). Sex is a precious gift for husband and wife, but when abused it also has highly destructive consequences for all involved (1 Cor. 6:18).

The present participle (Greek, prassontes, translated here as “do”) refers to those who “make a practice of doing” such things, as a pattern of life. Their outward conduct indicates their inward spiritual status: that they are not born of God, do not have the Holy Spirit within, and are not God’s true children.

2. James 1:14–15

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

“Lured and enticed” is a fishing metaphor for drawing prey away from shelter in order to trap them with a deadly hook. Here it is the person’s evil desire that ensnares; in 1 Pet. 5:8–9 it is Satan who “seeks to devour.” Sin is never God’s fault. The picture changes to a birth/rebirth metaphor, as full-grown desire bears its own child, sin, which itself grows into maturity and bears the grandchild, death. This dramatic depiction shows the terrible result when one gives in to temptation.

3. Genesis 3:6

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Like all the other trees in the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was “pleasant to the sight and good for food” (2:9). The irony is that somehow the serpent has made the woman discontent with the permitted trees, focusing her desire on this one. Its deadly appeal to her, apparently, is its ability to make one wise—wise, however, not according to the “fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7; 9:10). The fact that Adam was “with her” and that he knowingly ate what God had forbidden indicates that Adam’s sin was both an act of conscious rebellion against God and a failure to carry out his divinely ordained responsibility to guard or “keep” (Gen. 2:15) both the garden and the woman that God had created as “a helper fit for him” (2:18, 20). The disastrous consequences of Adam’s sin cannot be overemphasized, resulting in the fall of mankind, the beginning of every kind of sin, suffering, and pain, as well as physical and spiritual death for the human race.

4. Romans 6:12–14

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

The tension surfaces here between what God has already accomplished and the responsibility of his people to obey. They are still tempted by desires to sin and must not let those desires gain control. Each day they must give themselves afresh to God. “Sin will have no dominion over you” is not a command, but a promise that sin will not triumph in the lives of Christians. Because they live in the new era of fulfillment, they are no longer under the old era of redemptive history; that is, they are no longer under law, where the Mosaic law and sin ruled over God’s people. By contrast, under grace means living under the new covenant in Christ, in an era characterized by grace (compare Rom. 3:24; Rom. 4:16; Rom. 5:2, 15–21).

5. Colossians 3:5–6

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Based on their death and resurrection with Christ and the hope of a future life with him, Paul encourages the Colossians to continue eliminating sinful behaviors from their lives and cultivating Christian virtues. Paul calls the Colossians to make a decisive break with the sinful tendencies they have carried with them into their Christian lives. Because believers have died with Christ (Col. 2:20; Col. 3:3), they can get rid of sinful practices (Rom. 6:11; Rom. 8:13). The language of putting to death indicates that Christians have to take severe measures to conquer sin. Watchfulness and prayerfulness against it will be the first steps (see Matt. 26:41), with self-discipline following (Matt. 5:29–30). Sexual immorality (Greek, porneia) refers to every kind of sexual activity outside of marriage. Five of the items that Paul lists have to do with sexual purity, stressing the importance of bringing this area of life under the control and lordship of Christ. Greed, sexual sin, and other vices can intrude into one’s relationship with God, taking his place as a focus of devotion.

6. Romans 3:9-12

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Paul cites the OT to charge all with sin, both Jews and Gentiles, preparing the way for the claim that right standing with God is available only for those who trust in the atoning death of Christ. Even though God has promised to fulfill his saving promises to the Jewish people (vv. 1–4), they do not possess any inherent advantages, for they too are under the power of sin. Greeks here refers to the entire Gentile world in contrast to the Jews.

Paul focuses on the sinfulness of every human being, citing Ps. 14:1–3 and perhaps echoing Eccles. 7:20. When Paul says none is righteous, no one seeks for God, and no one does good, he means that no human being on his own seeks for God or does any good that merits salvation. Paul does not deny that human beings perform some actions that conform externally to goodness, but these actions, prior to salvation, are still stained by evil, since they are not done for God’s glory (Rom. 1:21) and do not come from faith (14:23).

7. 1 John 3:4-6

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

Lawlessness (Gk. anomia) is activity bereft of God’s guidance and in violation of his law. sin is lawlessness. Even Christians sin (1:9; 2:1), so it may seem like a trivial matter. But to disregard sin’s grave implications is disastrous.

Jesus appeared in order to take away sins, not only so that sin might be forgiven (1:9) but also so that it might cease to exercise its tyrannical bondage. A reminder that “God is light” (1:5), and his Son embodies his sinlessness.

True followers of Christ do not recklessly and habitually violate what their anointing (2:20, 27) has planted within them. Those who do habitually sin have neither seen him nor known him. They are not genuine Christians.

8. Romans 5:12–15

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

Adam brought sin and death into the world, but those who have believed in Christ are full of hope, for Christ has reversed the consequences of Adam’s sin and has given his own life and righteousness to secure their eternal glory. The extended parallel between the one man Adam’s sin and the one man Christ’s obedience shows that Paul considered Adam a historical person, not a fictional or mythological character; it also shows the importance of insisting on the historicity of Adam today (compare 1 Cor. 15:22, 45–49). These verses also show that Adam had a leadership role with respect to the human race that Eve did not have, for even though Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit before Adam did so (Gen. 3:6), it was “one man’s trespass,” that is, Adam’s sin, through which “sin came into the world” (Rom. 5:12) and through which “many died” (Rom. 5:15), “death reigned” (Rom. 12:17), and “many were made sinners” (Rom. 12:19).

Sin came into the world through one man, namely, Adam (Rom. 5:14; compare Gen. 3:17–19; 1 Cor. 15:21–22). And death through sin is contrary to secular thought that regards death as a “natural” part of human life. In the biblical sense, death is never natural, but is “the last enemy” (1 Cor. 15:26; compare 1 Cor. 15:54) that will be conquered finally and forever at the return of Christ (Rev. 21:4). “Death” in these verses most likely denotes both physical death and spiritual death together (Paul often connects the two).

Most evangelical interpreters think “that” and “so” means “and in this way,” and the phrase “all sinned” means that all sinned in Adam’s sin because he represented all who would descend from him (just as Christ’s obedience would count for all his followers, whom he represented, Rom. 5:15–19). Another interpretation is that all sinned personally because they were born into the world spiritually dead. The word translated “men” is the Greek word anthrōpos, which in the plural can mean either “people” of both sexes or “men,” depending on the context. It is translated “men” here (and in Rom. 5:18) to show the connection with “man” (anthrōpos, singular), referring to Christ.

9. 2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This verse is one of the most important in all of Scripture for understanding the meaning of the atonement and justification. Here we see that the one who knew no sin is Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) and that he (God) made him (Christ) to be sin (Greek, hamartia, “sin”). This means that God the Father made Christ to be regarded and treated as “sin” even though Christ himself never sinned (Heb. 4:15; compare Gal. 3:13). Further, we see that God did this for our sake—that is, God regarded and treated “our” sin (the sin of all who would believe in Christ) as if our sin belonged not to us, but to Christ himself. Thus, Christ “died for all” (2 Cor. 5:14) and, as Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24). In becoming sin “for our sake,” Christ became our substitute—that is, Christ took our sin upon himself and, as our substitute, thereby bore the wrath of God (the punishment that we deserve) in our place (“for our sake”). Thus the technical term for this foundational doctrine of the Christian faith is the substitutionary atonement—that Christ has provided the atoning sacrifice as “our” substitute, for the sins of all who believe (compare Rom. 3:23–25).

The background for this is Isaiah 53 from the Greek (Septuagint) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, which includes the most lengthy and detailed Old Testament prophecy of Christ’s death and which contains numerous parallels to 2 Cor. 5:21. Isaiah’s prophecy specifically uses the Greek word for “sin” (Greek, hamartia) five times (as indicated below in italics) with reference to the coming Savior (the suffering servant) in just a few verses—e.g., “surely he has born our griefs” (Isa. 53:4); “He was crushed for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5); “the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6); “he shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11); “he bore the sin of many” (Isa. 53:12). In a precise fulfillment of this prophecy, Christ became “sin” for those who believe in him, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. This means that just as God imputed our sin and guilt to Christ (“he made him to be sin”) so God also imputes the righteousness of Christ—a righteousness that is not our own—to all who believe in Christ.

Because Christ bore the sins of those who believe, God regards and treats believers as having the legal status of “righteousness” (Greek, dikaiosynē). This righteousness belongs to believers because they are “in him,” that is, “in Christ” (e.g., Rom. 3:22; Rom. 5:18; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:17, 19; Phil. 3:9). Therefore, “the righteousness of God” (which is imputed to believers) is also the righteousness of Christ—that is, the righteousness and the legal status that belongs to Christ as a result of Christ having lived as one who “knew no sin.” This then is the heart of the doctrine of justification: God regards (or counts) believers as forgiven and God declares and treats them as forgiven, because God the Father has imputed the believer’s sin to Christ and because God the Father likewise imputes Christ’s righteousness to the believer. (See further notes on Rom. 4:6–8; Rom. 5:18; Rom. 10:3; Rom. 10:6–8; see also Isa. 53:11: “the righteous one, my servant, [shall] make many to be accounted righteous”).

10. 1 John 1:7–9

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

“Walk in the light” means to reflect God’s perfection (1 John 1:5) in the human sphere and includes both correct doctrine (truth) and moral purity (holiness). The symbolism of light as knowledge also implies that when Christians “walk in the light” their lives will be known, and will not contain hidden sins, falsehoods, or deception. Such walking “in the light” results in deep divine and human fellowship (1 John 1:3) and progressive cleansing from all sin. The devil (1 John 3:8) or the world (1 John 2:15) may contribute to human straying, but in the end each individual bears responsibility for his or her own sin. Some sin remains in every Christian’s life (“have,” present tense), even that of the elderly apostle John (“we”). Christians must confess (their) sins, initially to receive salvation and then to maintain fellowship with God and with one another (1 John 1:3). God is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression” (Num. 14:18). Yet John also makes it clear (1 John 3:6, 9) that persistent unrepented sin is not the mark of a Christian—God “will by no means clear the guilty” (Num. 14:18).

14 Passages to Read before Bed

1. Psalm 4:8

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

2. Matthew 11:28–30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

3. 1 Peter 5:6–7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

4. Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

5. Philippians 4:6–7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

6. Romans 8:26–30

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

7. Matthew 6:31–34

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

8. Proverbs 3:24

If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

9. Psalm 16:5–11

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

10. Colossians 3:1–4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

11. Romans 8:37–39

12. James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

13. John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

14. Psalm 121:1–8

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

10 Lesser-Known References to Jesus in the Old Testament

by: Vern S. Poythress

Signs that Point to Jesus

The Old Testament contains “types,” that is, symbolic personages and things and events that point forward to fulfillment, especially the climactic fulfillment in Christ. Some types are obvious because the New Testament talks about them at length. For example, the priesthood of Aaron and his sons, described in the Mosaic law, is fulfilled in the heavenly priesthood of Christ, according to Hebrews 5–10. The Passover feast, commemorating God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery, is fulfilled in the death of Christ, the Passover lamb: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). Christ delivered us from slavery to sin and death. The Last Supper, recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, was a Passover meal but filled with new meaning as Jesus inaugurates the “new covenant” (Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). The Lord's Supper is now the church's commemorative feast, analogous to Israel's annual Passover celebration.

But these obvious types are only the beginning. Many personages and events and institutions in the Old Testament have a symbolic dimension and point to Christ and his work. At the same time, they never measure up to Christ's work, which is unique. So we may miss some of their significance if we do not notice that there is a symbolic meaning, even when there is not exact correspondence.

Here are ten lesser-known types that point forward to Jesus. Not everyone agrees—which is one reason why they are lesser known. See whether you agree that there is a symbolic aspect pointing forward to Christ.

1. Let There Be Light

God created by speaking, including the creation of light in Genesis 1:3. The individual speeches in Genesis 1 are derivative from the great, eternal speech of God mentioned in John 1:1:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1 goes on to indicate that "[a]ll things were made through him [the Word]" (verse 3), thus alluding to Genesis 1. John 1 confirms that the eternal Word, now become incarnate, was the agent of creation along with the Father and the Spirit.

Jesus also says in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world." Physical light, created by God in Genesis, anticipates Jesus who is the climactic spiritual light.

2. Enoch

As for Enoch, God "took him" when he was 365 years old (Gen. 5:23–24). He did not die. His victory over death anticipates Christ's resurrection.

3. Jacob’s Flight from Shechem

Jacob and his family were in danger of being wiped out by the surrounding Canaanites after his sons took vengeance on Shechem. God rescued and protected him as he traveled to Bethel (Gen. 34:30–31; Gen. 35:5). This event, like many instances of rescue from death, anticipates the work of Jesus in rescuing us from death by undergoing death and being raised again.

4. Judah’s Offer

Judah offered himself as a substitute for Benjamin (Gen. 44:33), offering to take the punishment that was going to fall on Benjamin. Many people notice that Joseph foreshadows Christ in a number of ways. That is more obvious. But it is easy to miss this small incident with Judah.

5. The Crossing of the Red Sea

The people of Israel went down into the midst of the waters of the sea (Ex. 14:22), symbolizing death, and came up on the other side, symbolizing resurrection. It is a type or foreshadowing of Christ's death and resurrection (see 1 Cor. 10:1–2).

6. Water from the Rock

“Rock” is sometimes a name for God (Deut. 32:15, 18, 30, 31). In Exodus 17:6 Moses was told to strike the rock so that water would come out. The people were guilty of unbelief and complaining against God. But instead of striking the people, Moses struck the rock, the symbol for God. Symbolically, God took the punishment that was due to the people. And the result was water, which symbolizes life. This picture foreshadows Jesus's death. Jesus, who is God, bears the punishment due to his people. And the result is the outflowing of the water of eternal life (John 4:14; John 7:37–39; John 19:34; see 1 Cor. 10:4).

7. Restoring Damage from Grazing or Fire

In order to pay for a damaged field, the responsible person has to substitute an equal amount from his own possessions. This restoration is a principle of justice. Jesus Christ was our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins (Isa. 53:5–6; 1 Pet. 2:24).

8. The Elders of Israel Seeing God

Exodus 24:10–11 records that the elders of Israel “saw the God of Israel.” In order not to die, this vision needed to be mediated. They saw the God of Israel in the person of the Son (John 14:9).

9. Aaron’s Staff That Budded

In Numbers 17:1–13 God instructed Moses to set up a test with staffs for each tribe. Aaron's staff budded overnight. The test confirmed that Aaron was the sole priestly line. One lesson is that there is only one point of access to God. In the Mosaic period, this was the high priest, who prefigured Christ. Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6). But let us not miss something else in the detail. The budding of the staff is a picture of life out of death. It thus prefigures Christ's resurrection.

10. Balaam’s Donkey

In Number 22–24, Balaam functioned as a prophet, even prophesying specifically concerning the coming of the Messiah (Num. 24:17). Every Old Testament prophet is, at a basic level, a type of Jesus, the final prophet (Heb. 1:1–2). But Balaam as a person is an ambiguous, even unsavory character. His advice to the Moabites led to the disaster of Baal of Peor (Num. 31:16). The New Testament uses him as a negative example (2 Pet. 2:15–16; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14).

We should not overlook the role of Balaam's donkey. The donkey spoke and functioned as a prophet to Balaam himself, serving to rescue him from death by avoiding the angel with his drawn sword (Num. 22:22–35). The rescue of Balaam is a type pointing us to Christ, who permanently and definitively rescues us from sin and death. Protect Freshness), Natural Flavor.

10 Things You Should Know about the Fruit of the Spirit

1. The fruit of the Spirit points us to Jesus.

The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23 is a familiar list of virtues. You may have memorized it or learned a childhood song based on it. On good days, it’s an encouraging list—a reminder that the Spirit is at work in you. On bad days, it can be a crushing list—a testimony to how far you have yet to go. But the fruit of the Spirit isn’t merely intended for self-examination. The list of fruit in Paul’s epistle points us upward, away from ourselves, toward our Savior. Jesus is the only perfectly loving man, the only perfectly joyful man, the only perfectly peaceful man. Day after day in his earthly ministry, and still to this very minute, he kept in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25). And he did this for us. He was patient where we are not, kind where we fail, and good where we stumble. His is the perfect righteousness for all who lack faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As we abide in him, we become like him, bearing good fruit that will last. Do you want to know what Jesus is like and what he accomplished on your behalf? Savor the fruit of the Spirit.

2. Love is more than a feeling.

One thing you should know about love is that it’s not actually a feeling at all. In fact, more often than not, love is a choice we make or an action we take in spite of our feelings. It’s also something we simply cannot conjure up within ourselves—because love comes from God. The good news is that though love may feel completely unnatural (you can hardly “fall” into it), God’s word tells us that it leads to joy. Jesus issues a command to his followers to “love one another . . . that [their] joy may be full” (John 15:11–12). Somehow, the sacrificial prioritization of another leads to fullness of joy.

3. Joy refreshes our hearts.

Warm weather and longer days—we’re eager to get outdoors and breathe in spring. There’s nothing like fresh air and sunshine to strengthen our winter-weary spirits. But the reality of our routine so often limits those refreshing hours. When confined to a house, an office, a car, or, for some of us, a bed, brisk walks in the sunshine are a luxury. How wonderful that in Christ, refreshment is ours indoors or out, at work or in the pickup line, and even on a sickbed. Renewed strength of all kinds is the fruit of rejoicing. As we delight in God, we are renewed in every way. Joy comes to those who fix their gaze on him in his word, because that’s how we find what his people have always found: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10).

4. Peace is possible. Right now.

Peace is possible. For you. Right now. You might be thinking, “You don’t know what I’m going through,” and you’re right. There are seasons and situations when peace seems unattainable. But Jesus not only purchased peace on the cross (Col. 1:20), he has made that peace readily and abundantly available (John 14:27). Paul wrote in Colossians, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” The word “rule” means “to act like an umpire.”1 An umpire is someone who makes the deciding call. When fear and worry feel as if they are going to win the day, God’s word tells us they don’t have to. Peace can rule. Our job is to know, believe, and trust in God’s word. Jesus has made peace possible for us, right now. Let it be what rules your heart and mind.

5. Patience is active.

I used to think patience was a passive virtue. To me, it meant sitting around, twiddling my thumbs indefinitely, and not getting upset about it. But the Bible paints an active picture of patience. Patience isn’t just numbly scrolling through life without complaining; patience is the active pursuit of hope (Rom. 8:25). It’s seeking God and loving our neighbor, redeeming the time and taking every opportunity to practice righteousness, even when we don’t know when our current season will end. You may feel stuck in life’s waiting room, but Scripture tells us there is plenty of good to do there.

6. Kindness is an invitation.

One of the most familiar Bible verses about kindness is Micah 6:8. It tells us that the Lord requires his people “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [their] God.” But when we consider kindness in the context of the whole Bible, we see it isn’t just something God requires of us; it’s something he offers us in Christ. In Jesus’s familiar invitation for the weary to come to him because his “yoke is easy” and his “burden is light,” the word translated “easy” is the same word translated elsewhere in the New Testament as “kind” (Matt. 11:28–30). And Paul explains in Romans 2:4 that God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. Kindness isn’t a burdensome requirement; it’s an invitation to draw near to God. Showing kindness to others isn’t about random good deeds; it’s about easing a burden and pointing them to the One who can take away their ultimate burden of sin.

7. Goodness is meant for other people.

As Christians, we display the fruit of goodness without finding our sense of righteousness in the fruit itself. Instead of pointing to any shred of good we’ve done and taking credit for our work, we aim to credit all displays of true goodness to the giver of all good. Jesus shows us how. When the rich young ruler addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher,” Jesus responded, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17–18). Jesus is quick to credit all goodness to his Father. We can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit by becoming students of God’s goodness. Open the Scripture to the Psalms and observe all the tangible reasons we have for praising God. As the Spirit fills your heart with gratitude, ask him to strengthen your hands to go and tell of God’s goodness to others. Goodness isn’t about us. Goodness is a fruit that’s meant to point others toward the good character of God.

Goodness is a fruit that’s meant to point others toward the good character of God.

8. Faithfulness begins (and ends) with God.

Have you ever thought about how God is faithful no matter whom or what he is dealing with? He never compromises his holy, benevolent nature nor wavers on truth. God is faithful to his enemies who bear his image when he displays his perfect patience and also declares that, in his time, he will judge them righteously. He is just as faithful when, through Jesus, he mercifully turns enemies into children of God. We are called to imitate our Father. We do this by being firm in the faith we have received by grace. By the Spirit, we take small steps toward God so that we may hear from his blessed lips, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). These words come only because we are serving and living in light of his faithfulness. Faithfulness always begins and ends with God.

9. Gentleness transforms us.

One thing I discovered about gentleness is that the biblical definition is to be mild or humble. Perhaps if we thought about it long enough, we’d all come to that conclusion. But if the fruit of the Spirit is ultimately about being transformed into the image of God, the idea of mildness should lift our eyebrows and make us wonder. Mildness isn’t weakness; it’s gentleness. It’s a person who forgives and has mercy. If we know Jesus, we’ve all experienced that gentleness! Oh, how I pray to be like him when I engage with and think about others!

10. Self-control frees us to say yes.

The world says, “Follow your heart” and “Be true to yourself,” but Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). According to Jesus, obedience means laying aside our love of comfort in order to pursue obedience. This is hard to do! But God provides help in the form of self-control, a strong ally in our struggle with sin. As the Spirit works within us, he frees us to be the kind of people who can say no to what feels good so we might say yes to what is good.

Bible Verses For Memorial Day to Honor Our Heroes and Comfort The Brokenhearted

In the Bible, there is a promise: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” —Psalm 147:3–4 (ESV)

As God lays the stars in the sky and gives them a name, He will also heal broken hearts and tend to our pain. Each time you look to the stars and think of your lost loved one, you can be reminded of this promise that God will always keep.

Here, is a collection of ten Bible verses for Memorial Day to help you remember the One who loves you.

Psalm 46:1 (NIV) — Bible Verses For Memorial Day
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Paul in a letter to the Philippians, 4:7 (ESV)
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

David to the Lord, Psalm 3:2–3 (NKJV)
“Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.”

Jesus to the disciples, John 16:33 (ESV)
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The Lord to the exiles, Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
“Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.”

Psalm 34:18 (ESV)— Bible Verses For Memorial Day
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

John in a letter to the churches, Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

The Prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel, Isaiah 35:10 (NASB)
“And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Romans 8:26 (ESV) — Bible Verses For Memorial Day
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:3–4 (ESV)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Search This Blog

OCC Bible Study Class

Bible Passages to Read for Help

Comments

Post a Comment