Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.

(Proverbs 15:18 -- MSG)

Official motto of the USA as approved by Congress in 1956, but first appeared on one of our coins in 1864
. . . IN GOD WE TRUST. 

"O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me, ² Lest they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver."

(Psalm 7:1-2 – NKJV)

 

 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

(1 Corinthians 13:11 -- NIV)

Each, however, in his own turn: Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again.
²⁴ After that the end will come when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having put down all enemies of every kind.

(1 Corinthians 15:23-24 -- TLB)

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

(Dr. Seuss)

Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give
 thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -- ESV)





"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
(Matthew 6:21 -- ESV)

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
(John 3:20 -- ESV)

Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light.
(Ephesians 5:7-8 -- ESV)

Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:15-16 -- ESV)

"Look at the birds.  They don’t plant or harvest.  They don’t save food in houses or barns.  But God takes care of them.  And you are worth much more than birds."
(Luke 12:24 -- ICB)

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
(Isaiah 55:6 -- NIV)


For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
(Luke 19:10 -- NIV)

A friend recommended the video Metamorphosis recently.  It's a great illustration of why butterflies had to be created (the video calls it "intelligent design") and couldn't have evolved through mutations and natural selection.  Here's the trailer on YouTube . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiRFftkTtSA

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ² and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?  And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?  Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?  You have not lied to man but to God.” ⁵ When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.  And great fear came upon all who heard of it. ⁶ The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
⁷ After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.”  And she said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?  Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.  When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

(Acts 5:1-11 -- ESV)

 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

(Romans 16:17 -- ESV)

Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.

(Proverbs 15:17 -- NIV)

So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

(John 10:7-9 -- ESV)

There are “friends” who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

(Proverbs 18:24 -- TLB)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11 -- NIV)

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."

(Luke 22:19-20 -- ESV)

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

(Psalm 27:1 -- ESV)

The Lord God says: “Again and again your guilt cries out against you, for your sins are open and unashamed.  Wherever you go, whatever you do, all is filled with sin. And now the time of punishment has come.

(Ezekiel 21:24 -- TLB)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:8-9
-- ESV)

Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, a small mistake can outweigh much wisdom and honor. ² A wise man’s heart leads him to do right, and a fool’s heart leads him to do evil. ³ You can identify a fool just by the way he walks down the street!
(Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 -- TLB)

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

(Hebrews 11:3 -- ESV)

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 -- NIV)

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.  He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

(Mark 10:13-16 -- NIV)

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.  “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”
(Matthew 14:22-27 -- NIV)

You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

(Matthew 5:13 -- NIV)

Holiness is not the way to Christ. 
Christ is the way to holiness. 
(Adrian Rogers)

When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations:  Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach them to do everything I have commanded you.  “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”

(Matthew 28:18-20 -- GW)

The earth laughs in flowers.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

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Similar Photo:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/red-and-yellow-tulips-gm90160224-4645359

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

¹⁷ Therefore,

“Come out from them
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”

 

(2 Corinthians 6:14-17 -- NIV)