Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent (steady, earnest, and energetic) to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 2 Peter 1:10 NKJV
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, NIV
So, dear brothers and sisters,work hard to prove (to show (oneself) to be worthy or capable) that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. NLT
So, dear brothers and sisters,work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Living
because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while,
perfect,
establish,
strengthen, and
settle you.
To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be ALERT (watchful, ready, cautious)and of sober mind so that you may pray.8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.9 Offer hospitality to one another WITHOUT GRUMBLING. (complaining, whining, fussing- exercising patience) 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so 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. NIV
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have FERVENT (enthusiastic, passionate) love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the [a]oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the [b]dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV
7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be ERNEST (serious) and DISCIPLINED(diligent, purposeful, serious) in your prayers.8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
“…For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
Zacchaeus was a wealthy chief tax collector. He was hated. If people saw him coming, I’m sure they went in the opposite direction. Everyone avoided him like the plague. They certainly weren’t willing to spend time with him. Afterall, who would want to spend time with a filthy sinner who made his money the way Zacchaeus did?
One day the unthinkable happens. Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’s home. The crowd watches and wonders how in the world Jesus would call Zacchaeus by name and ask to go to this hated man’s home. It proved to be important- Jesus loved and took time with a hated man and the hated man gets saved. Zacchaeus “found salvation” that day.
I can’t help but wonder, even though Zaccheus gave half his wealth to the poor and paid 4 times what he had stolen, did the haters still hate? Could people ever forget who Zaccheus used to be? Can they ever get beyond the fact that he is wealthy? Will they ever be able to forgive what he once took from them? Would they ever decide to trust him?
Maybe many took the ever famous… ‘I can forgive him, but I don’t have to spend time with him” attitude. Maybe they thought, I can love him “from afar.” Isn’t it great Jesus never had that attitude? May we be willing to love the before Christ version and nurture the after Christ version equally. May we be willing to invest in the “unlovable” as Christ taught we should. Afterall, aren’t we all “unlovable” at times?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ‘There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
So then, Christian brothers, because of all this, be strong. Do not allow anyone to change your mind. Always do your work well for the Lord. You know that whatever you do for Him will not be wasted. (NLV)
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJV)
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (NIV)
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
