What Does the Lord Require?

"With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high?

 Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?

 Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what the Lord requires of you.

Do justice,
Love kindness,
And walk humbly with your God.

Blessed Are They.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"

Revelation 14:13

I read this verse this morning and it gave me peace and joy. I think about my grandson, who recently died, and I think about how his deeds of kindness have followed him. I think of how he can now rest from this life, which was difficult for him.

God and the Holy Spirit say Craig is blessed. Who am I to argue? He is blessed and I will see his smiling face again.

God is Love.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
1 John 4:7-12

The Lord is Near to the Brokenhearted.

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all."
Psalm 34:18-19

"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
2 Peter 5:6-11

The Will of God for You.

"We urge you to admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

These verses are chock-full of good things to do in our walk with God. Taken one by one, these principles will make our lives happier and more peaceful.

Paul ends the Book by saying, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

He will do it! We cannot do it, but He will. A wonderful promise.

He Will Do It.

When my husband and I were first married, I was always afraid I wouldn't be saved. I felt I was too sinful. He always quoted this verse to me:

"I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ..."
Philippians 1:6

Paul goes on to say,

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."