This particular thread is devoted to Bible texts that are good for devotional purposes and quiet reflection, or for encouragement.
John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
We can especially lift up Christ on Sabbath. We are so blessed to have a weekly Sabbath rest. Many people are chained in the "Captivity of Activity". Jesus and His Sabbath set us free.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36
Perfect unity and harmony with God must be and then when that is a fact the same among all that are. Here is His promise that we can attain to that place,
Joh 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Perfect unity and harmony with God must be and then when that is a fact the same among all that are. Here is His promise that we can attain to that place,
Joh 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
What Bible gems do you have regarding the burdens "he that is in you" asks us to lay down? What burdens does God not want us to carry?
The following verse most today wrest it to mean Christ did it all and we need do nothing, but note, "Being dead to sins." and "Should live unto righteousness." When we die of self, the old man in repentance and be reborn a new man in Him He bares our past sin and tells us go sin no more and He in you, you have no excuse!
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
The "blessed hope". That's enough hope to keep us going
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
I had a great experience living/teaching this recently with my little English students. Maybe I should make a separate thread for it
Personally tho, I find that often my idea of what I want people to do to/treat me is quite different from what they want. In fact, with nearly everything in this world backwards now, living God's way often invites suspicion/criticism from others. For example, when I first bot a house, I started to rent out rooms. To avoid suspicion, and to not cast a stumbling block before others, I would not rent out rooms to girls. I learned to my chagrin a few years later that the buzz in our neighborhood was that we were a house of queers!! So I immediately abolished that rule. What should I have done to "treat others as I would want to have been treated?"
The Old Covenant was broken by the people... they said, all that the Lord has said, we will do. A few chapters later they were dancing around the golden calf.
So what is the New Covenant? Here it is in Isaiah...
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
Isa 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
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The new covenant was made with JESUS... and that's why it is a new and better covenant! He kept it perfectly FOR US!
Written in our hearts rather than as a testimony on stone.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Today let us do this small but great admonition to us chapter of His Word,
Ro 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Ro 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Ro 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Ro 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Ro 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Ro 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. Ro 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Ro 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Ro 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Ro 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ro 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Ro 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Ro 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Ro 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Ro 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Ro 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Ro 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. Ro 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Ro 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Here is some more scripture to ponder on this subject,
Job 13:23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Da 9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. Ro 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Ex 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Ah but He has made us able once forgiven to not continue in sin!
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Philippians 3:7-8But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
Everything here on earth is going to burn. The only thing that has a chance to escape the fire are the people who believed in Jesus as the Son of God, and did as he said to do. So everything else is eventually, garbage.
