Joseph and Mary (Song)

 There have been lots of famous lovers throughout literature and history. Romeo and Juliet, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Boaz and Ruth and for the '80s kids out there- Zack and Kelly, Steve and Laura, and Cory and Topanga. There's one famous couple that has the most unique love story of them all- Joseph and Mary. When we read Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2 each Christmas, we can see how God worked throughout the events of that first Christmas so that everything turned out as it should in the end. It's like we're sitting in the bleachers watching the game, but Mary and Joseph were in the game themselves as key players. It's quite a different matter to consider how both Mary and Joseph would have taken the news that had been given to them by angels, when they didn't know how things would turn out in the end. They just had to take it on faith and trust that God would do what He said He would do and they just needed to be faithful and obey. Mary was going to have a baby Boy while she was still a virgin by a miraculous work of The Holy Spirit. Joseph finds out she's pregnant and is left wondering what to do. He plans to just send her away quietly so as not to disgrace her, but then he has a dream where an angel tells him that this is part of God's plan and he should go ahead and take Mary as his wife. Both Mary and Joseph obey and trust God and through their faithfulness, we see the birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, born of the virgin Mary, who is the wife of Joseph. Joseph takes on the role of playing step-father to the Son of God Himself! And through their faithfulness, the little baby Jesus grows in stature and wisdom and when He's a man, He does just as the angel said in Matthew 1:21 and saves His people from their sins. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the salvation You have brought through Your death and Resurrection that pays for all our sins! And because Joseph told Mary, "Let's get married!" and did his part to ensure Jesus and His mother would be cared for, God's plan moved forward through them. And now The Bridegroom says to His church the bride- "Let's get married!" Merry Christmas! God is with us!

"Joseph and Mary"
(Parody of "Let's Get Married" by The Bleachers; parody copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/27/2025)
(Isaiah 53, Isaiah 7:14-16, Jeremiah 19:4-5, Luke 1, Matthew 1)

The dude's been engaged to be her only
Can he take this babe after her story?
Joseph (and) Mary!

Sit down, breathe and just listen
God gave me baby
He's from God, trust in God- this is Son of God in me
And I know it's bad where you look out
But bad and evil don't enter God's thoughts- no!
Come on and look up in Luke 1- read
This angel from Heaven went to call on Ms. Mary- yeah!
And I know it's hard enough to trust me
But the throne of father Dave's house given
Son of virgin Mary!
You're gonna balk, I know
How can virgins conceive?
I know and I balked also
God's Spirit's on me
God's power works, you know
Elizabeth's conceived
So we won't have to walk alone
Her son's in late age

"Get out! Leave!
I think I know what I'm gonna do- folks won't know nothing
And you know in Matthew 1- look up
His plan's hatched- read on- don't give up your spouse- no!
I'm gonna do right by you, honey
An angel by my bed dropped in- when log sawing's on me- yeah
Says, "Hey Joseph- hearten up- take Mary"
Then I woke up full of faith now thinking
Honey, let's get married!
Don't have to walk alone
Joseph and Mary!
I won't go and walk, you know
You're Virgin Mary
(I) Won't change the status quo
You're pregnant, Mary
Holy Ghost's power worked with no
Intimacy- Hey!

The angels that called us
Outright both charged us
"Name The Son Jesus"
The Lord- He frees us
Child will soon save peeps at high cost
Lord Christ on our cross
Save peeps from Death's grip
Yeah, Rose up in Isaiah 53
Honey- 7 then read
Don't have to walk alone
He's God with us, see
He's Immanuel, you know
He forgives bad deeds
The Son prophets foretold
Joseph just married
Mary- both gonna walk this road
Lord's Son will save- yay!

Ever Read Ecclesiastes? (Song)

 Meaningless! Everything is meaningless! Does the world ever feel that way? Do you feel driven to despair? Many have felt that way for a long time since things on Earth first fell apart so long ago back in Genesis 3, when sin made everything get hairy. When you get down with these blues and get down to kneel, son- remember to look up to God alone who brings order out of the chaos, adds Life to our days and makes meaning in the midst of mediocrity. Everybody's talking at you saying all kinds of things about how to make your life meaningful. In the middle of all your searching for significance, ever read Ecclesiastes? Listen to what The Lord has to say about life and follow Him and let Him give you eternal meaning and Hope.

"Ever Read Ecclesiastes?" (parody of "Everybody's Talking" by Harry Nilsson; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 10/17/2020)    (book of Ecclesiastes; particularly 1:1-2, 1:9, 1:14, 2:9-11, 2:24-26, 3:1-11, 3:16-22, 4:9-12, 5:1-7, 5:18-20, 6:7-12, 7:1-4, 7:10-13, 8:10-13, 9:7-12, 10:1-4, 10:10-15, 11:1-7, 12:1-8, 12:11-14)

Everything's all vanity

Under sun there's no innovations

Go read Ecclesiastes 1:9

People shopping, striving

I can see they're chasing

Only the wind blows- passes them by

Ongoings have seasons and timing

That The Lord ordains

(We're) going to forever recompose

Breaking's hard for the cord of three strands

So fear God in utter awe please

When living's over we're going by His throne

(Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!)

All toiling under sun- keep smiling

Due to 5:18

Don't call old days better- dude, sin's old!

Banking all on The Lord brings wins

Assails us all- time, whimsy 

Foolishness pours forth but wisdom's a stepping stone 

Ecclesiastes 11:6 reads

Can't know what works- keep sowing 

Only The Lord knows- (so) enjoy Life 

Guys, don't let age leave Lord God behind

'Cause God will judge all deeds

(Whoa!)

Life's found in man's duty- keep God's commands! 

Whose Law is it Anyway?

(Note: This entry contains comments based on questions raised by a friend about an article. As such, this entry is divided into sections for various parts of this discussion.)

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/05/920416357/justices-thomas-alito-blast-supreme-court-decision-on-gay-marriage-rights)

First of all, I commend you for reading and researching to be well informed on issues! :-)    

      This is a thorny topic and there are a lot of things that could be said on it. I will try to answer some questions raised here as briefly as I can.

    Why is the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling considered to be "ruinous" for religious liberty? If those who oppose same sex unions based on religious views, (which would include Orthodox Jews, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and Christians), are forced to perform and endorse such ceremonies or ostracized because of their beliefs, then yes- those are ruinous effects on religious liberty.

    To the point about the divorce rate among straight couples, it is true that it is a 50% or more rate and that is very sad. That is certainly not part of God's design for marriage. In Matthew 19, Jesus says the only allowance God makes for divorce is for marital unfaithfulness. 

Of course, just because the sanctity of marriage has been cheapened by this sin does not mean that it should be further compounded with more sin.

   To be clear, the phrase "separation of church and state" is not actually in The U.S. Constitution. I agree the state should not tell the church what to do. The church doesn't tell the state what to do though; God tells everyone what to do in The Bible.

   Laws man puts in place must still be based on something beyond himself otherwise it's just popular opinion.

   Marriage is indeed a religious institution as God performed the first marriage in Genesis 2 in giving Eve to Adam. Genesis 2:24 defines God's standard for marriage, as Jesus quotes in Matthew 19- "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two shall become one flesh." (Note the order there of leaving parents, joining in holy matrimony and then having sexual relations as husband and wife. Note also that God's design is one man joined with one woman for life.)

    That is the primary reason for objecting to the idea of a same sex union, though one could argue biology speaks to this as well, which would be a non-religious reason.

   To hold to this belief only makes a religious person bigoted against sin, as is God for that matter. Of course, God doesn't say things arbitrarily. As the Creator and Designer of all life, He has the right and authority to lay down laws for everyone.

    No one wants their freedoms taken away but I don't believe that has happened. People who identify as having homosexual tendencies have always been free to marry. However, marriage is still defined as the "institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family." It's "the mutual relation of husband and wife in wedlock." (That's from the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition, copyrighted 1999.) The word "marriage" itself dates at least to the 14th. century in the English language. And the institution is as old as the beginning of time.

    What the 2015 US Court case does is redefine the meaning of marriage to be expanded to include partners of the same sex. And that directly goes against God's Word, both in violating the design laid out in Genesis 2:24, as well as in violating the commands against homosexual coitus (Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, among others). (Since many people enter into marriage with the expectation of having sex at some point with their spouse.)

    Yes, we should all be concerned about our walk with God. Part of that requires Christians to speak out against wrong doing and warn people about the wages of sin, which is death. (Romans 6:23) But the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus died and rose to pay for all sins for all time, including the sin of homosexual relations. He wants to save everyone who will let Him. All one needs to do is to confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. (see Romans 10:9-13) Put faith in Jesus and Jesus alone for forgiveness of all sins and follow Him in repenting of those sins and asking Him to help you in obedience to Him. We are saved by faith alone in His grace alone through Christ alone- and that salvation changes us to do the good deeds He made us to do all along in gratitude to Him for what He's done.

    All that said, everyone has to make their choice. We all have free will. America must base its laws on something. It has largely been based on the moral precepts of The Bible due to the Judeo-Christian heritage of many of the founders. How does one distinguish which laws Americans deem acceptable? What is the moral basis for those laws?

The standard of "do no harm to self or others" seems to be what I often hear. If that's the standard used, I would say that homosexual unions do hurt someone- they hurt God and they hurt the people who engage in them.

   Of course, even if one wanted to argue that a particular action could not be hurting any human- like choosing to kill one's own pet animal- I would still say it's wrong because it is a violation of the higher law that God has put on all of us to take care of all His creation.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says that whatever we do must be done for God's glory. Thus, any sin that one engages in would be violating that command.

   That's what it comes to in the end. Either we will choose to follow Christ and live for His glory or reject Him and live for our own. I personally don't agree with the 2015 court ruling but I also recognize I can't force anyone to live according to The Bible. All I can do is lovingly tell people about Jesus' grace and the salvation He offers that gives us a peace and joy and satisfaction infinitely better than the hell our sins lead us to and any temporary enjoyment they might bring before then. Jesus is better than anything else I desire. I choose to follow Him. All I want to do is love The Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and love my neighbour as myself and speak the Truth in Love. 

(Follow up comments)

Those are some good questions. Should people of different religious beliefs (or none) be forced to comply with rules they may not agree with? Perhaps that comes across as unfair to some but everyone has to deal with that though. The law applies equally to everyone. Thus, there are things the law allows that I don't believe in but I am still forced to abide by the laws of the country.

(This is a bit of a different conversation, but this is where Romans 13 and its call for me to respect the government authorities God put in place would come into play. However, at the same time, I must obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29) As I've long said, if it ever comes down to God vs. the government, I choose God over the government.

   As to the way people are born, I would agree that there are people born with homosexual inclinations. That doesn't mean God made them to be that way. In fact, Ecclesiastes 7:29 says God made man upright but they have sought out many schemes. God made Adam and Eve morally perfect but He also gave them free will. They chose to sin and cursed the whole world to be subjected to sin ever since. Thus, those born with homosexual inclinations are born that way because we're all born into sin. (Psalms 51:5)

 (One could say the same for someone born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and a proclivity to drunkenness as a result. Getting drunk is a sin (Ephesians 5:18) but such a person still has a choice over whether to pick up the bottle or not. The same is true for homosexual people in choosing whether to engage in such relations or not.)

In fact, there are a number of Christ followers who struggle with that inclination who choose to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Christ in a life of celibacy in order to be obedient to the sexual ethos God lays out in The Bible. (Check out  

https://spiritualfriendship.org/ if you're interested in hearing their testimonies and writings on these matters.)

    And of course, I don't expect you to agree with everything I say and that's okay; that's your right to do so, just as I don't agree with all your points either but I respect your right to them.

   That is sad that some would be disadvantaged financially with healthcare because of a marriage by law. It's a shame that our laws are not made to incentivize marriage more. 

I don't mean to be harsh but if one wants an answer to God's view of marriage, I would point one to Jesus' words in Matthew 19 about one man being united to one woman for life in holy matrimony.

I do believe God understands and cares about people in such conditions though as well. I would also suggest considering Jesus' words to the Samaritan woman in John 4. Philippians 4:19 says God will provide for all our needs for those who are in Christ. Oftentimes following Jesus means going against human wisdom but we must also trust that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

   I am sorry for those facing trying circumstances in relationships and I pray that God might bring them aid in dealing with those and wisdom in regards to marital status. I would also suggest seeking counsel with a church pastor, who might be able to help with further resources. ❤

There are a number of Christian ministries that help with such concerns. Here is one such example. (http://www.coopmin.org) 

(Other comments)

Every person's beliefs guide their work (and life in general). That goes for religious and non-religious people.

   The Supreme Court justices are supposed to rule based on the Constitution, even if it's at odds with their religious or non-religious beliefs.

   Of course, it's worth noting that the framers of the Constitution certainly at least to some degree relied on the moral precepts of The Bible, given the Judeo-Christian heritage of many of the USA's founders.

   Whatever laws man puts in place are based on something- either God's Word or popular consensus. 

I can understand people's concerns on this and I appreciate the sentiment that Supreme Court Justices should be interpreting the Constitution and not seeking to work their own particular religious beliefs into law. They are not supposed to be lawmakers in the first place.

And yes, I am thankful for the First Amendment that guarantees the freedom of religion for all (as well as the freedom to not hold to a religion too.)

     

Recipe for Gravel Bread

     The Bible doesn't say what kind of fruit it was that Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and brought sin into the world, but tradition says that it was an apple. (See Genesis 1-3). If that's true, I think it must have been a sour apple. It may have tasted good at first, but in the end it turned sour just as its taste turns stomachs. 
       Satan still packages sin the same way- it always looks good wrapped in pretty paper with a sweet smell, but in the end it rots in your stomach. "Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel." (Proverbs 20:17) In contrast, Scripture calls us to feast on Jesus and His death and Resurrection that has brought us salvation from sin instead. (See John 6:25-59). "Oh, taste and see that The Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalms 34:8) Chew on that for a while. :-)

Jonah Man (song)

Well, if this doesn't beat all- another parody song! :-) Of course, I think that could have been just what the subject of this song was saying too. God told Jonah to go and preach a message. Okay- he was a prophet; he's up for preaching God's Word, of course. But wait- God told him to go and preach to the Ninevites! But they're enemies- they don't even worship The Lord! And God wants him to go preach to them? Doesn't that beat all? Of course, it was a message of destruction for the town. But Jonah knew about God's mercy and His slowness to anger- and He didn't want to see that applied to his enemies. Jonah is an interesting book in The Bible where the message seems to be more about the messenger and what he learned rather than the message he preached. And in the end, Jonah learned more than he thought he knew about God's love and mercy. It reaches to all people- even him in the midst of his sin. Even for times when both he and Nineveh looked like they were going nowhere, man- nowhere but down- God still showed that He had a plan in mind for good and it will be accomplished one way or the other. And though there is an unfortunate sequel where Nineveh was eventually judged down the road (see the book of Nahum)- at this point in history, God saw the people humble themselves and was moved with compassion and stayed His hand. And I know this with this Biblical account about a big fish swallowing a man can be a lot to swallow for some folks. And no matter what kind of seafaring creature it was, it still is definitely a whale of a tale. And it's one that you can't just spit out and aside because Jesus upheld it as a true account. And Jonah is also referenced as an historical prophet elsewhere in The Bible. There are a lot of spiritual lessons we can learn from this book- so dive in, ride it out to the end and sail on with the Banner of Love flying. Jonah, man- isn't he a lot like you and me?
One of my favorite lines in this song: God is not a BIT like you and me- praise God for that!
 Lord, help us to be more like You and show Your mercy, grace and love.

"Jonah Man"
(parody of "Nowhere Man" by The Beatles; copyright Nathan Ludwick 1/27/2015)
(The book of Jonah, 2 Kings 14:25, Matthew 12:38-42, Romans 9:14-18, Revelation 7:9-10)

He's a real Jonah, man
Getting out to Joppa land
Making all his Tarshish plans to go by sea

Running when God told him to
Go and share, "Nineveh's doomed"
Isn't he a lot like you and me?

Jonah, man- please listen (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
You won't blow off your mission (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
Big fish, man (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
The Lord has got at command (aaah-ah-la-la-la)

They're as blind as they can be
Nineveh- God has pity
Jonah, man- he don't pity at all

3 days in fish's tummy (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
Prayed inside- Fish hurled thee (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
Preach it now (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
And from the king down- repent and fast (aaah-ah-la-la-la)

The Lord's wrath's appointment's moved
Jonah glares; God loves him too
God is not a bit like you and me

Jonah, man- please listen (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
They don't know right from left hand (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
Jonah, man (aaah-ah-la-la-la)
The Lord's got love for all lands (aaah-ah-la-la-la)

He's for real- Jonah, man
He's the sign from Son of Man
Matthew 12- it is there, man- for all to see
2 [Two] Kings 14:25- in history!
Go read all of Romans 9- God has mercy!

....................................................................................

The Saved (song)

With my last post in mind, I thought I'd share a related parody that I did a while back that I thought you all might like.
This one relays the account of two guys in the New Testament who spoke up and led some dudes to Christ. (Philip and Paul) And it also talks about Christ's charge to us to preach the Gospel in all the world as He told us in Acts 1:8
So I hope this will be encouraging to us all.

"The Saved"
(parody of "How to Save a Life" by The Fray; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 2/16/2008)
(Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Acts 8:26-40, Acts 16:22-34, Matthew 6:19-21, Matthew 9:35-38, 1 Peter 3:15, Isaiah 53, Jeremiah 20:9, Isaiah 55:11)

Verse 1
...........
Step One, He says, I need to walk
I walk- He says, Stick now to the chariot
Inside it rides (an) Ethiopian dude
Eunuch of rightly counting dues
What more of a window could you find?
"And He was led" and "He was silent"
Reading the lines (of) 53 Isaiah
I don't even wonder why I came

Chorus 1
............
There before too long, I found a friend
That's where I launched in my witness
And I wound up leading the eunuch to Christ
And I know now he's saved for life

Verse 2
..........
Let him know that we've not left
'Cause after all it means his death
-Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Laid down and this is what he longs
Asking, How to be saved, now Paul?
Pray to God- He hears you
And pray to God- He heals you

Chorus 2
............
There before too long, Paul got a friend
That's where he launched into witness
And he wound up leading the dude to Christ
And his house now is saved for life

Verse 3
..........
As He begins to raise, His voice
Empowers you- commands you one last chore
Wait until the Holy Ghost
Just breaks on the ones who've followed
He will move- a tongue descending
We will witness to everyone
(From) our home base to all surrounding place
Gospel will then to all Earth be proclaimed

Chorus 3
............
Where did I go wrong? I long to mend
Somewhere alone in the wilderness
And I could have spoke up- led you to Christ
Had I known- you would take your life

Chorus 4
............
Why did I prolong? Well, my lost friend
Somewhere he longs for some tenderness
And I should have laid up- Matthew 6, line
Twenty shows what to save in life

(What to save in life)
(What to save in life)

Chorus 5
............
Share before they're gone- it's a Godsend
Look here- how large is the harvest
And I should have read up in Matthew 9
Send out those laboring for Christ

Chorus 6
............
There, before they're gone- the lost befriend
That's where you launch into witness
And God would have you love and do like Christ
Now you know how to save a life

(Vow to share of Christ)
(It's how to save a life)
(Now we're saved through Christ)

....................................................................................

Jesus Alone Above All

"Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in Heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The Gospel is not a way to get people to Heaven; it is a way to get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the Gospel."- John Piper

Wow- challenging indeed, but so true. It brings Psalms 137 to mind for me- it's about the Israelites lamenting being able to rejoice and sing The Lord's song while in captivity in Babylon- and longing for Jerusalem. Of course, what a perfect picture of our residence on Earth, as we long for New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:2)

"How shall we sing The Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of

my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!" (Psalms 137:4-6) Oh, may that be true of me, Lord Jesus. You are the Pearl of Great Price, the Jewel that the merchant sells everything to own. "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalms 73:25-26) "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." (Psalms 84:10) Lord, forgive me for making an idol of anything and for desiring anything more than You. Help me to want You and seek You and love You and follow You all the more. You alone are worthy, Lord Christ. You deserve all attention and praise.
You are the hidden treasure in a field. You are the Pearl of Great Price. You are the Prize, the Treasure, the Dream- You alone are above all. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! (Philippians 2:9-11)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

All to Jesus, I surrender- all to Him I freely give. ("I Surrender All" by Judson W. Van DeVenter)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K2yuZtVfLg

 

Who have I in Heaven but You, Jesus? And what better could I hope to find down here on earth? I could search the most distant reaches of this world but I'd just be wasting my time 'cause I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find You're my one thing! ("My One Thing" by Rich Mullins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aqP-A4tKCA

"Blessed are the pure in heart."- Jesus
"Purity of heart is to will one thing."- Kierkegaard

Jesus, You're my one thing.

 

Some Long-Suffering and Faith Building (song)

This song explains that although sin does indeed come naturally, punishment of it is not necessarily always the reason for suffering. Sometimes we go through hard things simply because we live in a fallen and broken world. But we're never alone in it and need never feel alone again because Jesus has come to restore our relationship with God through His death and Resurrection and our faith in Him. And it's our faith and trust in Christ to move in us that compels us to endure and patiently wait on God.

"Some Long-Suffering and Faith Building" (parody of "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan; copyright Nathan Ludwick 8/30/2014)
(James 5:11, Hebrews 11-12, Habakkuk 2:4, the book of Job [particularly Job 1:5 and 8, 1:20-22, 2:9-10, 2:11-13, 3, 7:11-21, 8, 11, 13:15, 13:23-28, 15:1-16, 16:1-2, 16:7-22, 17, 19:20-22, 19:25-27, 21, 22:21-30, 23, 25, 27:1-12, 32, 33, 34:10-12, 36, 37:14-24, 38:1-15, 40, 41:1-11, 42])

In an Israeli town
A patriarch's feeling pretty well down
He lost his wealth, his kids and health
And visiting friends come 'round
Been clinging to his God
But thrown way, way off
It's an affront to
Everything that he'd ever
Thought he'd known that God's like
Now he's shattered
Wife's urging him to blurt out a curse
What foolishness you're saying! Well, God gives stuff
And takes it up
No point in us complaining
We take evil or good
And praise God on His throne
In Job 2:10- now go read

To think that just the other day
Job who fears God; upright, no blame
Burning offerings for his children too
Thus Job did continually
But this test just knocked him down
There's tragedy all around
And he hurts so much, his friends are hushed
Sat that way for a whole week, yeah
Grieving, Job's in doubt
What about God and His mercy?
Job's bitter soul is in anguish
"Why did He desert me?"
In Job's hour of need
His friends have all agreed
"Well, Job- you've sinned, naturally."

It seems to be that the wicked hearts
Prosper in the world- that can't be fair then
Job 34:10
11, too
They get their dues

[Instrumental interlude]

Another friend comes to speak

Holding back; he's young in years
Then Elihu lets them hear
Now remember you guys Who is justified
In everything, so Him revere
And in 38:1 Job
Gets answered- God questions Job
"Can you understand?- Face Me like a man"
"Where were you when I laid earth's foundation?"
"Singing morning stars"
"sons of God shouted with elation"
"Leviathan- you can't tame him or Me"
Job's words were poorly spoken
And when he prayed ashamed
God restored things twicefold- yay!
So Job and friends saw God's mercy
James 5 commends his patience, see.

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Some Long-Suffering and Faith Building (song) [intro]

We live in a fallen world. That is the sad fact of the matter. Everything is broken. Evil is rampant. Pain and suffering surround us. It can be overwhelming at times and leaving us feeling alone- again. (Naturally). And that, of course, is key to my point. The natural state of the world is in decay because of Adam and Eve's sin. But the second Adam from above, Jesus Christ, has come to redeem us and restore things to righteousness. (Romans 5:12-21) And though we have to wait for the fulfillment of everything in Revelation for the final healing (when Christ returns and fully restores and repairs everything broken and makes everything sad come untrue)- in the meantime, we have the promise of knowing that God is in control and He does have our good and best interest in mind and at heart. However, though Jeremiah 29:11 promises this, it doesn't necessarily mean that we will have a perfect and rosy life that is problem-free- at least, not in this lifetime and state. Jesus tells us that it is a hard road to follow Him- people will persecute and hate us for His Name and we will have to endure suffering. But Jesus also promises to never leave us and never forsake us- He goes through every pain and suffering with us. And He has already suffered every pain for us on the cross- and His glorious Resurrection means that we will also raise with Him in glory one day. And while we fix our eyes on the eternal and await that blessed Hope of Glory, we remember that our present suffering is not worth comparing to it. And we trust that God is faithful and He will work out His plan for us- and be with us through all the painful sorrows along that plan's path.
          I'm also glad to know that we serve a God who listens to our every cry and never slumbers. (Psalms 121). He invites us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7). And once we've done that- leave them there. Leave the worries and cares and pains and sorrows in His hands and trust that the Hands of Grace, Righteous Judgment, Mercy and Love will do what's right and will work all things together to the good of us who love Him and are called by His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Lamenting is definitely part of worship- it's simply being honest with God about where we are right now in this stage of life- emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, relationally- everything. He already knows anyway, so we might as well come right out and tell Him. Just look at Jeremiah. He's called the Weeping Prophet and I don't think it's just because he was weeping for Jerusalem. (Though he certainly was- his beloved city was going to be destroyed and he couldn't do anything about it. All he could do was be faithful to deliver God's message to the people that Jerusalem was going to burn. And this is a message that God had told him people would spurn and that no one would listen to- but he must be faithful to deliver it anyway. Wow! That's tough. And Jeremiah went through physical suffering as well, at one point being imprisoned in a slimy pit and feeling like he was about to die there!) So yeah- I think he was also weeping for himself some. And through the inspiration of The Holy Spirit, he poured out his feelings in a book called Lamentations. And see also books like Ecclesiastes, Habakkuk and a ton of the Psalms. Even Jesus cried out to God the Father on cross, "Eli, Eli lema sabachthani- Why hast Thou forsaken Me?" [in Matthew 27:46] ("My God, My God- Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"- He was quoting Psalms 22, by the way.) [Of course, as Psalms 16 notes- God didn't forsake Him in the end because He didn't leave His Holy One in the grave to corruption- but raised Him again! :-)]
           And there are plenty of other examples to name of course. Elijah, coming off a huge victory over Baal and his prophets in 1 Kings 18, ran off running scared in 1 Kings 19, convinced that Ahab and Jezebel were about to kill him and that he was so sick and tired that he just wanted God to go ahead and do him in, kill him now and take him Home. But God spoke to him and told him that things weren't as bad as he thought and that He still had 700 folks who hadn't bowed the knee to Baal. He wasn't alone. And then there's Paul, about whom God actually told Ananias that He was going to show him how much he would suffer for Jesus' Name! And Paul certainly did! Just read the book of Acts. Shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, even stoned at one point- yet, he remained faithful- even to the death! (Biblical scholars tell us that Paul was most likely beheaded for his faith in Christ.) And what did Paul say about his situation? "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Writing from a Philippian prison, he told us to "Rejoice in The Lord always! And again, I say- rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Of course, Paul is also the dude who, through The Holy Spirit's inspiration, wrote about that Glory that's coming to which all the suffering and junk in this life ain't worth comparing!
           Then we get to the guy this song talks about. (And I know that's a really long intro!) Job may have felt alone, but he wasn't- he did have some true friends. I've always found it funny that though all his kids died, the one family member we do know he was left with is his wife. You'd think this should be some comfort for him- but she was the one telling him, "What? Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" Wow! Thanks for the words of encouragement, dear!
But Job, in one stunning blow after another, lost all his livestock and all his kids. And then he got stricken with an incredibly painful disease that left him scraping sores on his body from head to foot with broken pottery. And that's how Job felt- like broken, smashed pottery. His world had just caved in. Now we're given an interesting picture of the story going on in the Heavenly realms- where God is proving to Satan that Job is indeed faithful and that he truly worships and follows God for God Himself- not for God's stuff. (And that is indeed the attitude we should all have. Of course, that takes having a relationship with Jesus Christ where we acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord and trust Him for His salvation and forgiveness through His death and Resurrection. And it takes a realization that everything we own comes from God- it's all His to begin with and He takes and He gives as He sees fit. And whether The Lord gives or takes, may the Name of The Lord be praised!)
           And though Job doubted God on His plan throughout the book, he never doubted God's position of power and authority. As Job notes in Job 19:25-27, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!" And his friends Zophar, Bildad and Eliphaz didn't really help him on that front. But though those guys get a bad rap over their counsel to Job, they did do at least one thing that is pretty amazing! The Bible says that they saw how great Job's suffering was and in a show of solidarity, they sat with him in silence for seven days! (Job 2:11-13) I give them a lot of props for that- they did utilize quite possibly the best comfort we can offer those who are suffering- suffer alongside them in silence. (Romans 12:14-17)
              Finally, Elihu comes along and sets everyone straight on a lot of misconceptions they've been presenting about God. God is always righteous in all His judgments. And God sometimes allows suffering for different reasons- not always just as punishment for someone's sin. But God has a purpose in it all and even in the midst of horrible suffering and pain, He can still bring a good end to it all and positive things can rise out of the ashes. The fire of pain and suffering is God's finishing tool for forging our refined lives into spiritual masterpiece works of art. (1 Corinthians 3 and Hebrews 12). And as Job acknowledges at the end of the book, after God shows up to answer Job's charges, we have spoken of what we don't know in front of the holy God. As Job said, we should put our hands over our mouths in our ignorance. God tells Job, in effect, "Hey, Job- Man up! Let's have it out. Since you know so much- tell me, can you wrestle down a Leviathan? Do you understand how all the creatures of the earth operate? Did you put the planets and stars in place? Do you command the seasons and tell them when to do what? Do you tell the snow when to fall? Do you tell the tide how far to come? Where were you when I laid earth's foundations?"
               So the answer to the initial question about the pain and suffering and the world and why it's still here comes down to this: our sin. God created man to be upright and we've gone off in search of many schemes. And so evil runs rampant, wicked people seem to prosper for now and the righteous suffer. But as Asaph found out in Psalms 73- the wicked only prosper for a while in this life. Their final destination is eternal judgment in Hell, but the righteous through Christ have the promise of eternal life in Heaven! And as Job found out, there are some things we just can't know and understand now- and that we may never understand. But we can trust that God is good and that He always has our good and best interests in mind and at heart. He is not a sadist. He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone- even the wicked. (see Ezekiel 18:23) He only wants everyone to turn from their wicked ways and live! And sometimes, even as the righteous of God, we are called to suffer and trust that He still loves us and cares for us and is working out a good plan in the midst of it. As David said when he had to go through some pain and suffering (as a consequence of his sin), "Let me fall into the hand of The Lord, for His mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (1 Chronicles 21:13) Amen. We can always trust the hand of The Lord. His hand does bring justice and judgment but we can also trust Him to remember His love and mercy and grace too and know that since Christ has paid for all our wrongs and endured all the suffering so no one else would ever have to- we can look forward to the coming Glory that will surpass all our suffering in the here and now. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16)
         And as Hebrews reminds us in chapter 11, the great Hall of Faith, faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. Read all the accounts there- these people followed God to places they'd never been, to and through incredibly hard challenges and more- and remained faithful and obedient through it all. They were seeking a better country- our Heavenly one. "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God has provided something better for us, that apart from they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." (Hebrews 11:39-40 and 12:1-4) And in Hebrews 13:11-13, "For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured." Notice the key word through these passages- "endured". As we are reminded in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, this life we live is a marathon. Run in a way as to get the prize. We run for an imperishable prize. And in 1 Corinthians 16:22, we see the exhortation for The Lord to come. ("Maranatha!") But remember that the marathon comes before the maranatha.
            And in running that marathon, it is Jesus Himself Who keeps us running, who gives us strength to carry on. It's this patience that God the Holy Spirit provided Job that Job is commended for in James 5:11. It's that patient endurance that we are exhorted to exhibit in Hebrews 11. And it's Jesus' righteousness that gets us the prize- and He's the One who moves our legs all the way through to the finish line. "The righteous shall live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4) "Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25)

66 Verses

Hey- here's a "survey" of sorts I came up with.
What's your favorite Bible verse?
Okay, besides John 3:16 (though that is an awesome verse that I can never hear enough :-) )
What's your favorite verse for each book of The Bible?
I've been going through and writing down 1 verse for each book of The Bible that I wanted to learn, so I thought I'd share them.
Try it yourself.  And then memorize them.  And more importantly, do them! :-)

(Now of course, I limited myself to just one verse- and I'm not trying to say that this verse represents the whole book- because it's ALL important!  And I love it ALL!  I just picked out some favorites...for instance, I'm really wanting to include this awesome verse somewhere so I'm gonna stick in here-
"Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what He has made crooked?" (Ecclesiastes 7:13- I LOVE this verse!!!  And God first really showed me how awesome that verse is when I saw it at the start of the 1997 movie "Gattaca"!!!- which is an awesome scifi movie with a great message- when properly edited...)
(So anyway- all of God's Word is important, so keep working at it so you can be like Jack Van Impe and memorize the whole Bible- Genesis through Revelation and even the maps! )
(If you don't quite have 66 verses yet, you can pass this along with at least 1 favorite Bible verse anyway...)

Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Exodus 3:14
"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Leviticus 11:45
"I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

Numbers 32:23
"But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out."

Deuteronomy 6:4-5
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength."

Joshua 1:8-9
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperou and succesful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Judges 10:15-16
"But the Israelites said to the LORD, 'We have sinned. Do with us whatever You think best, but please rescue us now.' Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD. And He could bear Israel's misery no longer."

Ruth 1:16-18
"But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where yout stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will died, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.' When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."

1 Samuel 15:22
"But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.' "

2 Samuel 22:31-34
"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights."

1 Kings 18:38-39
"Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, 'The LORD- He is God! The LORD- He is God!' "

2 Kings 6:16-17
" 'Don't be afraid,' the prophet answered. 'Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' And Elisha prayed, 'O, LORD, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

1 Chronicles 4:9-10
"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.' Jabez 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."

2 Chronicles 2:5
"This will be a magnificent temple because our God is an awesome God, greater than any other."

Ezra 10:11
"Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people around you and from your foreign wives."

Nehemiah 9:6
"You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything and the multitudes of Heaven worship You."

Esther 4:12-14
"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: 'Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?' "

Job 1:20-22
"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.' In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

Psalms 1:1-2
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night."

Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) 2:4
"He has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love."

Isaiah 45:18
"For the LORD is God, and He created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos."

Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Lamentations 3:22-23
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Ezekiel 18:23
" 'Do you think,' asks the Sovereign LORD, 'That I like to see wicked people die? Of course not! I only want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.' "

Daniel 3:16-18
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the King, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from i, and He will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.' "

Hosea 2:19-20
"I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness and you will acknowledge the LORD."

Joel 2:12-13
" 'Even now,' declares the LORD, 'Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity."

Amos 5:14-15
"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph."

Obadiah 1:4
" 'Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,' declares the LORD."

Jonah 4:10-11
"But the LORD said, 'You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousad people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

Micah 7:18-20
"Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as You pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago."

Nahum 1:7-8
"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him, but with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh; He will pursue His foes into darkness."

Habakkuk 3:18-19
"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments."

Zephaniah 3:19-20
" 'At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,' says the LORD."

Haggai 1:2-3
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai, 'Is it time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?' "

Zechariah 4:6
"So he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

Malachi 1:14
"Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished offering to the LORD. 'For I am a great king,' say the LORD Almighty, 'And My name is to be feared among the nations.' "

Matthew 19:26
"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' "

Mark 9:41
"I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

Luke 2:7-14
"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the LORD appeared to them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the LORD. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the Heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.' "

John 14:6
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.' "

Acts 4:19-20
"But Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.' "

Romans 8:10
"But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness."

1 Corinthians 1:25
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."

2 Corinthians 7:1
"Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Galatians 5:24
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is a work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Philippians 1:21
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the LORD as a reward. It is the LORD Christ you are serving."

1 Thessalonians 5:23
"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 3:13
"And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right."

1 Timothy 1:15-17
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

2 Timothy 3:14-15
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."

Titus 3:4-7
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by Hi grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Philemon 1:4-6
"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the LORD Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."

Hebrews 4:12-13
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

James 1:22
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

1 Peter 3:15-17
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as LORD Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

2 Peter 3:8-9
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the LORD a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The LORD is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

1 John 3:16-20
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything."

2 John 1:12
"I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be made complete."

3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

Jude 1:24-25
"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

Revelation 22:20-21
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.'
Amen. Come LORD Jesus. The grace of the LORD Jesus be with God's people. Amen."