As for me, I shall always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long – though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds. Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
Psalm 71:14-18
To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
Proverbs 16 v 1-9
God has the last word. Ultimate control is in his hands. There's a limit to human wisdom: even the wisest people must recognise that God's in charge. It's hugely reassuring that no matter how things appear and whatever we do, God's in control.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
1 John 3 v 1-3
Incredible. All Christians are children of God! He lavishes His love on them. It’s the greatest privilege in the universe. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus is transforming us to become more like Him, even before He returns and completes the job. We are God’s children so we should start living like it.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2 v 1-2
Christians still mess up and sin. But God has given us the ultimate solution to sin — Jesus Christ. He sacrificed His own life to atone for our sins — to make things right with God. If we trust in Him, Jesus comes to our defence. We’ve all sinned and deserve God’s punishment, but Jesus is our defence lawyer — pointing to His own death in our place to rescue us from the death sentence.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 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, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1 v 5-7
Simple words, huge truth — God is light. That’s total perfection. Flawless truth. All-revealing power. The false teachers claimed to be connected to God, yet the way they lived showed they were living a lie. Nothing we can do can put us right with God. Only Jesus’ blood — His death on the cross — can make us pure, connect us to God and to other believers.
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
Your word, O Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
Psalm 119 v 89-94
This is mind-blowing stuff. God made the earth and that has lasted. But God's word has always been true and perfect and will be for ever. And His faithfulness will never end — we can rely on God's promises. He'll never let you down.
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O Lord, you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
Psalm 36 v 5-10
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.... continue reading
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4 v 7-11
We should serve others "administering God's grace in its various forms". "Various" here literally means "many-coloured". God's people are like a tapestry woven together with many threads of different colours. You are who you are, and have the abilities you do, for a reason — to be a colourful thread in the tapestry, not for self-display but to "serve others", to bring God praise.
