‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

Apostle Paul

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Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Tough...but oh so gentle."

Hasting's Piston Rings ad (1952)

Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

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Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

James‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

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Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” 

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.

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1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“Do not wait to do a great thing. The opportunity may never come. But since little things are constantly claiming your attention, do them for a great motive—for the glory of God, and to do good to others.”

F.B. Meyer (1847-1929)

Baptist pastor and evangelist in England

Friend to D.L. Moody

1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬, 23-24 ‭(NLT‬‬) And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father...Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

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John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Life with Jesus is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties."

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Jesus

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

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2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

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James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“I bear my willing witness that I owe more to the fire, and the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in my Lord’s workshop. I sometimes question whether I have ever learned anything except through the rod. When my schoolroom is darkened, I see most.”

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Pastor of New Park Street Chapel in Southwark, London

James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬, ‭15‬-‭16‬, ‭19‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world....

If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!...

So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

Image: Public Domain

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1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"You grow when your trust in God exceeds your anxiety about the future."

Christine Caine

Australian author and international speaker

1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?...

Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

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Image: CC ("Worry or Prayer" by Leonard J Matthews)