The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.
(Romans 8:37 -- GW)

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O our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass

 against us. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.

(Matthew 6:9-13 -- NMB)

Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep his statutes still!
Oh, that my God would grant me grace
To know and do his will!

Order my footsteps by your Word
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.

Assist my soul, too apt to stray,
A stricter watch to keep;
If ever I for get your way,
Restore your wandering sheep.

Make me to walk in your commands,
A most delightful road;
Nor let my head or heart or hands
Offend against my god.

(By Isaac Watts)


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"Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal.  Instead, store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust don’t destroy and thieves don’t break in and steal."

(Matthew 6:19-20 -- GW)

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world,
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

(By Maltbie Davenport Babcock)


Photo:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/snow-and-shadows-on-mountains-gm924080968-253624043

Another interpretation of the "NO GUNS" signs . . .

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

(Exodus 20:3 -- KJV)

We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith.  He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him.  Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.  Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners, so that you don’t become tired and give up.
(Hebrews 12:2-3 -- GW)

Photo courtesy of iStock and Dmytro Aksonov.

 

Trust the Lord with all your heart,
        and do not rely on your own understanding.
⁶     In all your ways acknowledge him,
        and he will make your paths smooth.

(Proverbs 3:5-6 -- GW)

How can a young person keep his life pure?  He can do it by holding on to your word.

(Psalm 119:9 -- GW)

The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him.  So Jesus said to them, "You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God."
(Luke 16:14-15 -- GW)

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"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander."

(Matthew 15:19 -- ESV)

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
(Romans 10:13 -- CSB)

We have known and believed that God loves us.  God is love.  Those who live in God’s love live in God, and God lives in them.

(1 John 4:16 -- GW)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:16-19 -- NIV)

Happy Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day . . . interesting coincidence. 

We heard that voice speak to him from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ So we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt.  You’re doing well by paying attention to their words.  Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts. ²⁰ First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.
(2 Peter 1:18-20 -- GW)

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Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink.  He would have given you living water.”
¹¹ The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have anything to use to get water, and the well is deep.  So where are you going to get this living water? ¹² You’re not more important than our ancestor Jacob, are you?  He gave us this well.  He and his sons and his animals drank water from it.”
¹³ Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again. ¹⁴ But those who drink the water that I will give them will never become thirsty again.  In fact, the water I will give them will become in them a spring that gushes up to eternal life.”

(John 4:10-14 -- GW)

A person may plan his own journey, but the Lord directs his steps.

(Proverbs 16:9 -- GW)

Like golden apples in silver settings, so is a word spoken at the right time.
(Proverbs 25:11 -- GW)

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Similar photo:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/golden-red-apple-gm916333566-252152261

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

(Matthew 11:28 -- KJV)

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”

(John 11:24-26 -- NIV)

A storm comes out of its chamber.
            It is cold because of the strong winds.
¹⁰         God’s breath produces ice,
            and the seas freeze over.
¹¹         Yes, he loads the thick clouds with moisture
            and scatters his lightning from the clouds.

(Job 37:9-11 -- GW)

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Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
(Matthew 28:20 -- KJV)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
(Psalm 14:1 -- NIV)

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7. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if Thou abide with me.

8. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes,
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!

(By William H. Monk)

Prepare the royal highway;

The King of kings is near!

Let ev-‘ry hill and valley

A level road appear!

Then greet the king of glory

Foretold in sacred story:

Oh, blest is he that came

In God the Father’s name!

 

(by Frans Mikael Franzen)

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Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with thee there.

(Definite author unknown)

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world,
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

(By Maltbie Davenport Babcock)


Photo:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/snowcapped-mountains-gm869880222-145187939