Perfume and incense make the heart glad, but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest.
(Proverbs 27:9 -- GW)

Human life is as short-lived as grass.  It blossoms like a flower in the field. ¹⁶When the wind blows over the flower, it disappears, and there is no longer any sign of it. ¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s mercy is on those who fear him.  His righteousness belongs to their children and grandchildren, ¹⁸to those who are faithful to his promise, to those who remember to follow his guiding principles.

(Psalm 103:15-18 -- GW)

Photo:  http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/car-by-tree-gm500724578-80610233

 

 

Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars.  The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.

(James 1:17 -- GW)

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

(Hebrews 13:2 -- NIV)

Happy Monday . . .

After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷ Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

(Genesis 5:26-27 -- NIV)

Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, because I trust you.
Let me know the way that I should go, because I long for you.

(Psalm 143:8 -- GW)

Who's the brains of this outfit? 

Happy Friday
. . .

www.StevertS.com

A large crowd followed Jesus.  The women in the crowd cried and sang funeral songs for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned to them and said, “You women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me!  Rather, cry for yourselves and your children! ²⁹ The time is coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who couldn’t get pregnant, who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child.’ ³⁰ Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ³¹ If people do this to a green tree, what will happen to a dry one?”

(Luke 23:27-31 -- GW)

Then Job answered the Lord,
^2 "I know that you can do everything 
and that your plans are unstoppable."

 

(Job 42:1-2 -- GW)

 

 

The Spirit says clearly that in later times some believers will desert the Christian faith.  They will follow spirits that deceive, and they will believe the teachings of demons. ² These people will speak lies disguised as truth.  Their consciences have been scarred as if branded by a red-hot iron.

(1 Timothy 4:1-2 -- GW)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
(Psalm 42:1 -- NIV)

 If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying.  We aren’t being truthful.

(1 John 1:6 -- GW)

This Lord is the Spirit.  Wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom.
(2 Corinthians 3:17 -- GW)

We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing.  Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.

(Hebrews 10:25 -- GW)

Every creature in the forest, even the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine.
(Psalm 50:10 -- GW)

There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.  I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

(1 Kings 19:9-13 -- NIV)

God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, whom he loves. ¹⁴ His Son paid the price to free us, which means that our sins are forgiven.

(Colossians1:13-14 -- GW)

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord,

    and the Lord delights in his way.

²⁴ When he falls, he will not be thrown down headfirst

    because the Lord holds on to his hand.

(Psalm 37:23-24 -- GW)

No creature can hide from God.  Everything is uncovered and exposed for him to see.  We must answer to him.
(Hebrews 4:13 --GW)

We know that we are from God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

(1 John 5:19 -- GW)

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s home, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job.  He said, “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ men from Sheba attacked. They took the livestock and massacred the servants.  I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”
¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “A fire from God fell from heaven and completely burned your flocks and servants.  I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”
¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three companies and made a raid on the camels.  They took the camels and massacred the servants.  I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”
¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s home ¹⁹ when suddenly a great storm swept across the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died.  I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”
²⁰ Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head.  Then he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ He said,

“Naked I came from my mother,
    and naked I will return.
The Lord has given,
    and the Lord has taken away!
May the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² Through all this Job did not sin or blame God for doing anything wrong.

 

(Job 1:13-22 -- GW)

 

 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

(2 Corinthians 4:6 -- ESV)

All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
³ Jesus spoke to them using this illustration: ⁴ “Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn’t he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ When he finds it, he’s happy.  He puts that sheep on his shoulders and ⁶ goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval.”
⁸ “Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one.  Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin that I lost.’ ¹⁰ So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”
(Luke 15: 1-10 -- GW)

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."
(John 10:7-9 -- ESV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 -- NIV)

Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that thou bidd’st me come to thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just a I am; thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

(by Charlotte Elliott)

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
⁸ And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
⁹ And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.  And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

(Revelation 19:6-9 -- KJV)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless,

unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.  Avoid such people.

(2 Timothy 3:1-5 -- ESV)

By wisdom a house is built,
    and through understanding it is established;
(Proverbs 23:3 -- NIV)

Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side ⁴ and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that

are done in it.”

(Ezekiel 9:3b-4 -- NIV)