"My thoughts are not like your thoughts," says The Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. "

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

You are my portion, O LORD; I have promised to obey your words.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

But encourage one another daily, as long it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Babes cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

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

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be United with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

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