Jesus called them together and said, âYou know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be
A person finds joy in giving an apt replyâ
and how good is a timely word!
-Proverbs 15.23
Proverbs shows us the difference between self-centered and God-centered speech.
Our words are powerful. We must cultivate this power for good, recognizing our words are gifts that help
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Godâs mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godâthis is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then
A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
-Proverbs 14.30
In my experience, a heart at peace has its identity in the love, grace, and mercy of God revealed to us through Jesus Christ.
The opposite of a heart at peace is an envious heart. The envious
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
-1 Timothy 4.10
Faith is the daily discipline of placing our hope in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus...and not in the
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
-Proverbs 18.21
This may sound like an exaggeration, but itâs not. We literally bring life, hope, and peace to those around us through the words we speak. We also demoralize, degrade, and
Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint;
But blessed is the one who heeds wisdomâs instruction.
-Proverbs 29.18
If you are human, you are a leader.
And all leaders need a vision for their lives and the people around them.
The best visions unite and pull people
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
-Psalm 51.10-12
The life of God is a gift of
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
âEphesians 4.1-3
The
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Godâs mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godâthis is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then
From that time on Jesus began to preach, âRepent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.â
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Now when Jesus saw the
Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
-Psalm 61.1-2
âLead me to the rock that is higher than Iâ - now THATâS a prayer.
Elsewhere, Jesus compares the person
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
-Psalm 16.11
Faith is confidence that Godâs promises are better than anything the world can offer.
Life will be hard. We will have trouble,
Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late,
toiling for food to eatâfor he grants sleep to those he loves.
-Psalm 127.1-2
Success is a gift from
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.
-Psalm 18.28-29
Strength that endures flows from a heart fueled by the courageous love of God.
We can grit and grind
âWe do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But