God s Blessings and Promises for You

Transcription

1 God s Blessings and Promises for You The New Life Series Compilations and comments are by Marilyn Ganskow, author of The New Life Series, Christian studies and materials being used throughout the country. Copyright 2003 Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. Other Scripture references: RSV - Revised Standard Version; NEB - New English Bible; NKJV - New King James Version; ASV - American Standard Version; Phillips - The New Testament translated by J. B. Phillips.

2 Table of Contents God s Blessings for You 4 God s Promises for You 9 Belief 9 Children 10 Confession 11 Correction 12 Courage 13 Daily Needs 14 Death 14 Depression 16 Discipleship 16 Enemies 17 Eternal Life 19 Faith 22 Faithfulness of God 23 Fear 24 Forgiveness 25 Guidance 27 Healing 28 Holy Spirit 29 Hope 31 Humility 33 Inheritance 34 Joy 35 Kingdom of God 36 Life Ever-Renewed 37 Loneliness 39 Love 40 Nighttime Anxiety 42 Obedience 42 Patience 44 Peace 45 Perseverance 46 Prayer Answered 47 Prisoners 49 Protection 50 Refuge 52 Rest 53 Salvation 54 Service 55 2

3 Strength 57 Success 58 Temptation 59 Transformation 60 Trouble 60 Trust 62 Victory 63 Wisdom 64 Word of God 65 The blessings contained in the Scriptures are for those who approach God in faith. And the fullness of God s promises are ours when we believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. If you would like to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, it only takes a simple and sincere prayer from the heart. The following is a prayer you can say: Lord Jesus, come into my heart and into my life. I thank you that you love me so much that you died on the cross for me. I receive you as my Lord and Savior and I believe that, as I confess the failures of my past, you will forgive me for all I have done wrong. I thank you for your gift of eternal life and that you are now dwelling in me and will live with me forever. All honor and glory are yours forever, Lord Jesus. Amen. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we receive many blessings and promises from God. 3

4 God s Blessings for You We are chosen by God. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 We are called by name, we are God's. Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 RSV We are ransomed out of bondage. You are not your own, you were bought at a price. I Corinthians 6:19-20 RSV We are born of the Holy Spirit. Jesus answered, In truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born from water and spirit. Flesh can give birth only to flesh; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit. John 3:6 We are children of God. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. John 1:12 RSV We are loved. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. Ephesians 2:4-5a And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5 We are given the gift of salvation. 4

5 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 RSV We are reconciled to God. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. II Corinthians 5:18-19a We are rescued and established. For we must never forget that he rescued us from the power of darkness, and re-established us in the kingdom of his beloved Son. Colossians 1:13 Phillips We receive the blessings of God's grace.... we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1b-2 We share in the nature of God. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature... II Peter 1:3-4 Our old self is crucified with Christ. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Our sins are forgiven. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesians 1:7 We are cleansed and made right before God.... you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:11 We are baptized into Christ's death and raised to new life. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4 5

6 We are given eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 We are given citizenship in God's kingdom. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one on me... Luke 22:29 NKJV We experience God's kingdom within us. The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, Here it is, or There it is, because the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:20b-21 We are a new creation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. II Corinthians 5:17 RSV We are no longer under the law but under grace. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 We have access to God. It is in the same Jesus, because we have faith in him, that we dare, even with confidence, to approach God. Ephesians 3:12 Phillips We are protected from evil. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. II Thessalonians 3:3 We are free from the power of sin. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 We do not suffer condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 NKJV 6

7 We are given the Holy Spirit. Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 We are gifted by the Holy Spirit. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. I Corinthians 12:7-11 NKJV We are filled and led by the Holy Spirit. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you... because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:11,14 We are transformed by the fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 We enter into abundant living. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10 RSV We are joint heirs with Christ. Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17 7

8 We enjoy close fellowship with Jesus and the Father. Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 We are part of the body of Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. I Corinthians 12:13 We are members of a royal priesthood. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I Peter 2:9 RSV We are created by God for good works. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 We are chosen and appointed to bear fruit. It is not that you have chosen me; but it is I who have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and bear fruit that will be lasting... John 15:16a Phillips God gives us good things. If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 We are brought through our difficulties to victory. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 RSV God s Promises for You 8

9 When we face any challenge in life, we can claim a promise of God which is appropriate to our situation. To claim a promise means we apply it to our lives and count on God to be faithful. With nearly every promise in the Scriptures, we are given some instruction as to how we are to cooperate with God to make the promise become a reality. Faith, prayer, obedience and a teachable and humble heart are all involved. We will look back over events and see how wonderfully faithful God is. Belief To believe in God and all that He promises is a wonderful adventure. It is confidently anticipating His loving goodness and faithfulness in every area of our lives. Our responsibility is to act on our belief by offering to God our relationships and our circumstances so that He can work. To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. John 1:12 RSV For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18 NKJV I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. John 6:47 NKJV Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. No one coming to me will ever be hungry again. Those believing in me will never thirst. John 6:35 LB I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:46 9

10 Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29 And all the prophets have written about him, saying that everyone who believes on him will have their sins forgiven through his name. Acts 10:43 LB Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your entire household. Acts 16:31 And Jesus said to him... All things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:23 RSV The victory that defeats the world is our faith, for who is victor over the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? I John 5:4b-5 NEB I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. I John 5:13 Children One of our privileges as Christians is to pray for children and grandchildren. And if we will ask, God will give us wisdom to know how to pray. Jesus treated children with special care, so we know that with special love, He hears and answers our prayers. But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children s children -- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalm 103:17-18 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:12,15 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. Isaiah 44:3 NKJV All your sons shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity of your sons. Isaiah 54:13 RSV For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear 10

11 children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord. Isaiah 65:22-23 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him. Acts 2:39 RSV Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. Acts 16:31 RSV Confession Confession cleanses and renews us. It sets us back on the right path. When we confess our failures to God, we are to try to see ourselves and our circumstances from His point of view. We are to acknowledge our responsibility and ask for His strength and help not to repeat our mistakes. Before you turn to God and stretch out your hands to him, get rid of your sins and leave all iniquity behind you. Only then, without the spots of sin to defile you, can you walk steadily forward to God without fear. Only then can you forget your misery. It will all be in the past. And your life will be cloudless; any darkness will be as bright as morning! Job 11:13-17 LB The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25 RSV I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:22 RSV You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins, and blotted out the charges proved against you, the list of his commandments which you had not obeyed. He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ s cross. In this way God took away Satan s power to accuse you of sin, and God openly displayed to the whole world Christ s triumph at the cross where your sins were all taken away. Colossians 2:13-15 LB How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14 11

12 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 RSV My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. I John 2:1-2 Correction (Discipline) Sometimes it is necessary for God to correct or discipline us. He does this because He loves us and wants us to experience greater blessings and achieve a higher quality of life. If we learn from God s correction, His promise is that we will grow in peace and in character. 1 How enviable the man whom God corrects! Oh, do not despise the chastening of the Lord when you sin. For though he wounds, he binds and heals again. He will deliver you again and again, so that no evil can touch you. Job 5:17-18 LB... do not despise the Lord s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12 RSV For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. Proverbs 6:23 Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law; you grant him relief from the days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. Psalms 94:12-13 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. I Corinthians 11:32...do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. Hebrews 12:5-6 RSV For our fathers used to correct us according to their own ideas during the brief days of childhood. But God corrects us all our days for our own 1 Hebrews 12:11 12

13 benefit, to teach us his holiness. Now obviously no chastening seems pleasant at the time; it is in fact most unpleasant. Yet when it is all over we can see that it has quietly produced the fruit of real goodness in the characters of those who have accepted it in the right spirit. Hebrews 12:10-11 Phillips Courage We are not expected to live this life without God's help. But God does ask us to step out courageously and act as if His promises of guidance and enabling are true. It is in taking such action that we discover that God is faithful.. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 RSV 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. Joshua l:9 Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. II Kings 6:16 RSV Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14 NKJV Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. Psalm 31:24 RSV My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 NKJV Daily Needs Most of us are so concerned about tomorrow that today passes by without our enjoying it. Jesus wants us to depend on Him for our daily needs and not to be anxious about tomorrow. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Joel 2:26 RSV 13

14 So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33 And it is in God's power to provide you richly with every good gift; thus you will have ample means in yourselves to meet each and every situation, with enough and to spare for every good cause. II Corinthians 9:8 NEB And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 RSV Death The Scriptures teach that all suffering can be a prelude to new life. It depends upon our response. We can view it as an opportunity to die to an old way of thinking or living. Our times of trouble and sickness here on earth can be a series of deaths leading us to higher and higher living and preparing us for our final death. They can be the prelude to our full inheritance as children of God. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 RSV For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death. Psalm 48:14 NKJV God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. Psalm 49:15 NKJV When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge. Proverbs 14:32 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3 For the life of this world men are made like the material man; but for the life that is to come they are made like the one from Heaven. So that just as we have been made like the material pattern, so we shall be made like the Heavenly pattern. For I assure you, my brothers, it is utterly impossible for flesh and blood to possess the kingdom of God. The transitory could never possess the everlasting. For this perishable nature of ours must be wrapped 14

15 in imperishability; these bodies which are mortal must be wrapped in immortality. So when the perishable is lost in the imperishable, the mortal lost in the immortal, this saying will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. For where now, O death, is your power to hurt us? Where now, O grave, is the victory you hoped to win? All thanks to God, then, who gives us the victory over these things through our Lord Jesus Christ! I Corinthians 15:48-50,53-55,57 Phillips So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18 RSV For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me, shall never die. John 11:25-26 NKJV Since we, God s children, are human beings -- made of flesh and blood -- he became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread. Hebrews 2:14-15 LB Depression Depression can be caused by a physical problem. However, it most often follows self-pity, rejection or loss of hope. As long ago as in the days of Isaiah, God was telling us He offers the answer to depression. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,... to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1a,3 15

16 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6 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. Lamentations 3:22-23 Discipleship There is a difference between being a believer in Jesus and a disciple of Jesus. If I am a believer, I will agree intellectually with Christ s teaching, but I will not necessarily pattern my life after Him. If I am a disciple of Jesus, I will be willing to deny myself, bear a cross for His sake, and try my utmost to be obedient to His teachings. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:24-25,27 He who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. Matthew 25:20-21 RSV I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:29-30 Then Jesus spoke to them again saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. John 8:12 NKJV I tell you the truth, Jesus said to them, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 16

17 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life. Luke 18:29-30 If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:31-32 RSV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 RSV If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. John 12:26 RSV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 RSV If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:7-8 RSV Enemies When an enemy attacks us (a person or a hostile force), injury and destruction can come to us physically, emotionally and spiritually. God promises victory over anything in life that might harm us. However, we cannot take this divine help for granted. We are to seek it. For the Lord your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. Deuteronomy 20:4 RSV The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. Deuteronomy 28:7 RSV So he answered, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. II Kings 6:16 NKJV Rather, worship the Lord your God, it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies. II Kings 17:39 17

18 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Psalms 27: 5-6 NKJV The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Psalm 37:40 RSV With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down your enemies. Psalm 60:12 The Lord is on my side, he will help me. Let those who hate me beware. Psalm 118:7 LB Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds and protects his people. Psalms 125:2 LB Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:25-26 When a man is trying to please God, God makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 LB Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, Fear not, I will help you. Isaiah 41: RSV No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17... I will deliver you in that day, says the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fail by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says the Lord. Jeremiah 39:17-18 NKJV Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. Micah 7:8 NKJV 18

19 That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, The Lord is my Helper and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me. Hebrews 13:6 LB Eternal Life Christians are being recreated for a marvelous new quality of life: eternal life. It begins when we believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We enjoy close fellowship with God and the blessings of His kingdom. We experience eternal life in part here on earth and in its fullness after death.... we have this assurance: Those who belong to God shall live again. Their bodies shall rise again! Those who dwell in the dust shall awake and sing for joy! For God s light of life will fall like dew upon them! Isaiah 26:19 LB For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29 RSV And this is the will of him who sent me;, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:39-40 RSV How earnestly I tell you this -- anyone who believes in me already has eternal life! John 6:47 LB My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else, so no one can kidnap them from me. John 10:27-29 LB Jesus told her, I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. John 11:25 LB In my Father s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place 19

20 for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3 RSV For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 RSV... the glorious fact is that Christ did rise from the dead; he has become the very first to rise of all who sleep the sleep of death. As death entered the world through a man, so has rising from the dead come to us through a man! As members of a sinful race all men die; as members of the Christ of God all men shall be raised to life, each in his proper order, with Christ the very first and after him all who belong to him when he comes. I Corinthians 15:20-21 Phillips So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. I Corinthians 15:42-44 If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. I Corinthians 15:42-46 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true. Death has been swallowed up in victory. I Corinthians 15:51-54 For we know that if the earthly frame that houses us today should be demolished, we possess a building which God has provided -- a house not made by human hands, eternal, and in heaven. II Corinthians 5:1 NEB A man s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows. If he sows for his own lower nature, his harvest will be the decay and death of his own nature. But if he sows for the Spirit, he will reap the harvest of everlasting life by the Spirit. Galatians 6:8 Phillips For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17 RSV 20

21 For Christ has completely abolished death, and has now, through the gospel, opened to us men the shining possibilities of the life that is eternal. II Timothy 1:10 Phillips For you have a new life. It was not passed on to you from your parents, for the life they gave you will fade away. This new one will last forever, for it comes from Christ, God s ever-living Message to men. I Peter 1:23 LB And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. I John 2:25 RSV And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. I John 5:11 NKJV Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:15-17 RSV He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 RSV Faith Faith is more than intellectual assent. It is surrender and commitment to God and Jesus Christ. Faith is not a single, decisive response as much as it is a progressively fuller trust. It is a loving devotion of ourselves to our Creator and Redeemer. Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:22-23 NKJV Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 21

22 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. I see it as the very power of God working for the salvation of everyone who believes it, both Jew and Greek. I see in it God's plan for imparting righteousness to men, a process begun and continued by their faith. For, as the scripture says: The righteous shall live by faith. Romans l:16-17 Phillips For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26 NKJV... it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 RSV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 The victory that defeats the world is our faith, for who is victor over the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? I John 5:4-5 NEB Faithfulness of God The faithfulness of God is a theme that runs throughout the Scriptures. God will be eternally faithful to His promises. Our responsibility is to learn how we can enter into the blessings He promises. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4 I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. Psalm 89:34 Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us. II Timothy 2:13 LB Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is the faithful God who for a thousand generations keeps his promises and constantly loves those who love him and who obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 LB 22

23 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 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. Lamentations 3:22-23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. Psalm 145:13b O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1... Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. Isaiah 46:11 NKJV He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. I Corinthians 1:8-9 And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 RSV But Christ was faithful as a son in the household of his own Father. And we are members of this household if we maintain our trust and joyful hope steadfast to the end. Hebrews 3:6 Phillips Fear There is a healthy kind of concern that keeps us from doing something that is potentially harmful. Fear, however, is a feeling of alarm or dread caused by the expectation of danger, disaster or pain. God does not want us to live in fear. It is self-defeating because it is rooted in unbelief. We are not trusting that God loves us enough to protect and guide us. It is the Lord who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 RSV The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger -- whom shall I fear? When evil men come to destroy me, they will stumble and fall! Yes, though a mighty army marches against me, my heart shall 23

24 know no fear! I am confident that God will save me. The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. There I ll be when troubles come. He will hide me. He will set me on a high rock out of reach of all my enemies. Then I will bring him sacrifices and sing his praises with much joy. Psalm 27:1-6 LB He will shield you with his wings! They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. Now you don t need to be afraid of the dark any more, nor fear the dangers of the day; nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning. Psalm 91:4-6 LB There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. I John 4:18 RSV In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. Psalm 118:5-6a So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand... For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:10,13 Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... Isaiah 43:1b-3a Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26 RSV Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 RSV All who follow the leading of God's Spirit are God's own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear you have been adopted into the very family circle of God and you can say with a full heart, Father, my Father. Romans 8:14-15 Phillips For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7 24

25 ... because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:5b-6 Forgiveness The Scriptures place great importance on forgiveness. When we refuse to seek God s forgiveness or to forgive another, we keep ourselves from receiving the fullness of God's blessings. It is not that God withdraws these blessings, but that we have turned away from Him in pride, anger or fear.... this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people... they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Jeremiah 31:33,34b NKJV The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:8-12 I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25 RSV Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:7 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:22 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:44-45a NKJV For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14 NKJV Don t repay evil for evil. Wait for the Lord to handle the matter. Proverbs 20:22 LB 25

26 Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned, forgive, and you will be forgiven;. give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you give, will be measure you get back. Luke 6:35-38 RSV In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesians 1:7a There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus... Romans 8:1 RSV For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 RSV Guidance God promises to guide us if we trust our lives to Him. His ways are not always our ways and He will sometimes act in ways we cannot predict or understand. It can be scary because He may "lead us in paths we have not known. 2 God's promise is that He will guide us into emotional and spiritual security, healing and refreshment, to enjoy abundant living. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. Psalm 25:9-10 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death. Psalm 48:14 NKJV I saw myself so stupid and so ignorant; I must seem like an animal to you, O God. But even so, you love me! You are holding my right hand! You will keep on guiding me all my life with your wisdom and counsel; and afterwards, receive me into the glories of heaven! Psalm 73:23-24 LB In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6 NKJV 2 Isaiah 42:16 26

27 How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it. Isaiah 30:19b-21 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Isaiah 58:11 RSV This is what the Lord says your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:1-4 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 Healing It is clear from the ministry of Jesus that God's desire is for us to live without disease. When we pray for healing, it may come to us emotionally, physically and/or spiritually. Some healing comes suddenly, but most healing is a process which requires patience and perseverance. Sometimes, in God's infinite wisdom, complete physical healing is not granted. God allows this because He has something better in mind. He gives us strength to bear it, we mature in our faith, and His greater plan is revealed. Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you. Exodus 23:25 27

28 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:2-5 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near, says the Lord, and I will heal him. Isaiah 57:18-19 ASV Lord, you alone can heal me, you alone can save, and my praises are for you alone. Jeremiah 17:14 LB This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. II Kings 20:5b He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Psalm 107:20 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows... he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4a-5 I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17a RSV I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. Jeremiah 33:6b When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to him, Yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done to you. And their eyes were opened. Matthew 9:28-30a RSV Is any of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:14-15 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. I Peter 2:24 RSV Holy Spirit 28