Serving God -John 12:25-26

I haven't been as good posting lately, (I'm blaming that for a lot of school and being on vacation), but I thought I'd get something in tonight.

"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

Redemption and Mercy -Psalms 130:7-8

"O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities."

Your Heart Shall Live -Psalms 69:32-36

"The humble shall see this and be glad; And you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the LORD hears the poor, and does not despise His prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it."

The Savior of all Men -1 Timothy 4:10

"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe."

Christ is All in All -Colossians 3:8-11

I find this promise encouraging as it reminds us of who we are in Christ.

"But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all."

He Made Alive -Ephesians 1:2

We are alive in Christ.

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins"

Created for Good Works -Ephesians 2:10

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

This promise is huge. When I'm sinning, all I see is my fallen nature. However, it's important to remember that God made us to do good!

This verse goes even beyond that and points out that God has planned our good works ahead of time!

Sons of Light -1 Thessalonians 5:3-5

I skipped over this middle section yesterday because I was trying to make the post not so long...but then I looked at these verses, and realized they were a promise in and of themselves!

"For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness."

Living by the Power of God -2 Corinthians 13:3-5

"since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you."

Such an amazing promise!!! However, I thought it was important to share the verse right after (verse 5).

"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith, Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -unless indeed you are disqualified." 

The Veil is Taken Away -2 Corinthians 3:12-16

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." 

Leads Us In Triumph -2 Corinthians 2:14

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."

I really like how this verse points out that God's victory in our lives is a light to others. But for me, it's especially encouraging to know that God "...always leads us in triumph...", not a few times, or every once in a while, but always.

Stay Encouraged!

There Is No Other Name -Acts 4:10-12

"let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

It Is Good For Me -Psalms 73:27-28

"For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works."

The Gift of Eternal Life -Romans 6:20-23

"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Under Grace -Romans 6:12-14

This post is a continuation of yesterday's post...since we are dead to sin and alive in Christ, we are given this command regarding sin...and it ends with a promise.

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

Live With Him -Romans 6:7-11

"For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Old Man is Crucified -Romans 6:5-6

"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

In Him -Ephesians 1:7-10

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him."

Complete in Him -Colossians 2:8-10

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

You Will Live -Romans 8:12-13

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."