Where the Real News is the Good News

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2   He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”

Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sinsand live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!