We always strive to remain loyal to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and never to be ashamed of being identified as a Christian – a Soldier For Christ.
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Our Mission: Missio Dei – Deploy, Fight, and Win Souls according to the Will of the Lord, your God in Spiritual Warfare on the temporary Battlefield of earth to Grow the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven by Serving the Lord of Heaven’s Armies; Reaching others; Making disciples of all nations; Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded of them (Matthew 28:19- 20); and Sending them as Leaders and Educators to labor across the Lord’s great, diverse Harvest field (Matthew 9:35) of secular life planting seeds (Matthew 13:1-8) in groups of two or more in the name and presence of Christ (Matthew 18:20) and in fearful obedience of a fair, righteous, just, merciful, grace-filled, and loving God.
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Our Vision: Imago Dei – Glorify and Reflect the Image of a Holy God through the emulation of Jesus Christ bridging the Gap between the Christian and the Secular Worldviews to Grow the Kingdom of God as Battle-Ready Warriors, Soldiers for Christ, continuously patrolling an assigned Area of Responsibility within a battlefield circuit to Reach, Teach, and Send Spiritual Warfighters using a Holistic (Heart, Mind, Body, Soul) Disciple Transformation Framework to Prepare the Battlefields for Harvesting by God through the Creation of Onward and Upward Churches and Communities filled with the Hope and Holiness of Jesus Christ.
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Our Purpose: Grow compliant worldly men and women into committed Kingdom building leaders of Christ-like character seeking Entire Sanctification and striving to restore the fullness of Living Life daily through a healthy, holistic, transforming lifestyle consisting of Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, Fasting, Exercise, Education, Collaboration, and Extracurricular activities while thriving with others from the heights of physical death, right, down to the firm foundation of everlasting life.
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Our Objective: Discover Fellowship, Hope, Love, Joy, Happiness, and Peace through Renewal of the Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul by seeking first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness in all things Glorifying and Worshiping him in Truth and Faith through the Holy Spirit; Building Agape Relationships; Believing there is Good in the World; Being the Good in the World; Celebrating all Heavenly Creations; and Sharing the Word of God and Love of Jesus Christ.
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GROWING
The Kingdom for Christ
REACHING
The Lost for Christ
TEACHING
People to Follow Christ
SENDING
Warfighters out to Serve Christ
MISSION:
Missio Dei – Deploy, Fight, and Win Souls according to the Will of the Lord, your God in Spiritual Warfare on the temporary Battlefield of earth to Grow the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven by Serving the Lord of Heaven’s Armies; Reaching others; Making disciples of all nations; Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded of them (Matthew 28:19- 20); and Sending them as Leaders and Educators to labor across the Lord’s great, diverse Harvest field (Matthew 9:35) of secular life planting seeds (Matthew 13:1-8) in groups of two or more in the name and presence of Christ (Matthew 18:20) and in fearful obedience of a fair, righteous, just, merciful, grace-filled, and loving God.
VISION:
Imago Dei – Glorify and Reflect the Image of a Holy God through the emulation of Jesus Christ bridging the Gap between the Christian and the Secular Worldviews to Grow the Kingdom of God as Battle-Ready Warriors, Soldiers for Christ, continuously patrolling an assigned Area of Responsibility within a battlefield circuit to Reach, Teach, and Send Spiritual Warfighters using a Holistic (Heart, Mind, Body, Soul) Disciple Transformation Framework to Prepare the Battlefields for Harvesting by God through the Creation of Onward and Upward Churches and Communities filled with the Hope and Holiness of Jesus Christ.
Live Life to accomplish God’s Plan.
Live Life to emulate Jesus Christ.
Live Life to walk in step with the Holy Spirit.
Live Life to ensure the Welfare of God’s Children.
Live Life to achieve Entire Sanctification-Peace-Holiness.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:13, English Standard Version)
MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS
(Psalm 91:1-16, English Standard Version)
91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW JESUS
(Matthew 16:24-28, English Standard Version)
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST JESUS
(2 Timothy 2:1-13, English Standard Version)
2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.
PAUL DEFENDS HIS MINISTRY
(2 Corinthians 10:1-18, English Standard Version)
10 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— 2 I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. 7 Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. 9 I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” 11 Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. 13 But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. 17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD
(Ephesians 6:10-20, English Standard Version)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
GOD IS OUR FORTRESS
(Psalm 46:1-11, English Standard Version)
46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present[b] help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Soldiers for Christ
_____________________
Battle Cry or War Cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant group. Battle cries are not necessarily articulate although they often aim to invoke patriotism, religious sentiment, and esprit de corps.
Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28) with disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) being witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) bringing many sons and daughters to glory (Hebrews 2:10) by preaching of the Word with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2) and sharing individual gifts (Romans 12:6-8) to reach sinners (Mark 2:17) while fishing for people desiring to leave all immediately and follow Christ (Matthew 4:18-22) doing God’s will (Luke 22:42) for the service of God’s Kingdom without looking back (Luke 9:62) loving the Lord with all their hearts, mind, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27) and then loving their neighbor as themselves (Matthew 22:39); not worry about eating, drinking, or clothing but seeking first the kingdom and righteousness of God knowing all will be provided (Matthew 6:31-33); trusting in God as their refugee and fortress (Psalm 91:3); taking Shelter in God’s wings (Psalm 61:4); tithing, setting aside a tenth each year of all their produce (Deuteronomy 14:22); serving humbly in love (Galatians 5:13), as faithful stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10), the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned, the unclothed, and strangers (Matthew 25:35-36); praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17); being filled with the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) worshiping in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24); maintaining accountability (Hebrews 10:24-25) of their mother, brothers, and sisters (Mark 3:34 -35); and making every effort to live a life of Holiness (Hebrews 12:14) confirming their calling and election (2 Peter 1:10) leaving the Old behind for the New (2 Corinthians 5:17) knowing that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have Eternal Life (John 6:40) and will never go hungry or thirsty (John 6:35) because those who believe in the Bread of Life are the branches of the Vine (John 15:5), (Jesus) – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – their only path to the Father (John 14:6), who, from his Glorious throne will harvest the fields separating the weeds from the wheat, placing the sheep on his right for their inheritance into the Kingdom and throwing the goats on his left (Matthew 13:24-33), into the lake of fire because their name was not found in the book of life (Revelations 20:15).
I am a Soldier for Christ, a warfighter, a leader, a disciple maker.
I will remain Battle-Ready for Spiritual Warfare.
As a Warrior for Christ,
I believe (John 3) in God, the Father (Psalm 103) almighty (Psalm 89) creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1).
I believe in Jesus Christ, (Colossians 1) his only Son, (John 1) our Lord, (Romans 14) who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1) born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7) suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, (Isaiah 53) died, and was buried; (Matthew 27) On the third day he rose again, (Luke 24) he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 9) and will come again (Mark 13) to judge the living and the dead (Revelation 20).
I believe in the Holy Spirit, (Acts 2) the holy universal church, (1 Peter 1) the communion of saints, (Ephesians 2) the forgiveness of sins, (Jeremiah 31) the resurrection of the body, (Daniel 12) and the life everlasting (Revelations 21).
i am a Warrior.
I am a Soldier for Christ.
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O son of the most high, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Encounter
The purpose of the Fellowship of Christian Riders (FCR), a mobile mission platform, is to encounter surrounding communities using “The Living Life Initiative” (TLLI) Ministry Action Plan seeking people who are unchurched or feel marginalized and want a place where they are shown God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy. One of the ways that FCR can do that is by showing others that God’s gift is available to them. All that they need to do is to receive it. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but will have eternal life.” When we give a gift, it is given freely and as such we should share the love of God to all those around us.
By building relationships with people that we encounter, we are given the opportunity to share the love of Christ. “God created people to be connected by webs of social relationships.” (Sider, Olson, and Unruh 46) We were not created to be alone. In Genesis 2:18, “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” We should seek to develop these relationships as they help both the person that we are ministering to as well as ourselves by bringing us closer to each other and to our Heavenly Father. When we bring people into a community of faith, this provides emotional, physical and spiritual support in the spirit of accountability to each other.
Encourage
In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells two parables. One regarding seed sowers and another regarding weeds. It is through these parables that Jesus explains spiritual formation and what happens if we do not take the time to do this. We want to encourage everyone we encounter to develop a deep relationship with Jesus so they can not only produce good fruit in their lives, but also speak life and encouragement into others. This type of encouragement happens through different levels and types of spiritual formation.
Jesus taught by parables because the word of God being central in our lives is not just about reading, but listening. Listening to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you through the words on the pages.
We read scripture to not only learn about God, but we read so we can learn how to establish a relationship with Him. Eugene Peterson writes, “We do not read the Bible in order to reduce our lives to what is convenient to us or manageable by us- we want to get in one the great invisibles of the Trinity, the soaring adoration of the angels, the quirky cragginess of the prophets, and … Jesus” (87).
When we accept Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior our lives change. 2 Corinthians 2:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we become Christians we don’t live the same lives that we used to. We are no longer bound by those chains of sin. It is rarely easy to leave behind the comforts of sin and oh so easy so slip back into easy habits. Sometimes new believers just aren’t sure what to do.
Every person regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey needs accountability. Sin and temptation are everywhere, accountability partners will help encourage each other to stand strong in their faith and rely not on their strength to overcome the challenges of sin that come their way, but to rely on God’s strength to see them through.
Engage
A person must be continuously engaged with likeminded people in order to sustain the needed support and a relationship with God. We are all members of the Kingdom of God, Body of Christ but it is important that the people we are reaching have a group that they will be able to continue to do life with once we feel they are equipped to do so.
Robert Coleman writes, “The initial objective of Jesus’ plan was to enlist men who could bear witness to his life and carry on His work after He returned to His father” (Ogden 70). That is the style of leadership we need to take on when we are discipling. We need to motivate and train lay leaders to help carry on the mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus to the world. Things like training seminars, conferences, bible study workshops, shadowing programs, small groups, prayer meetings, etc.
Inspiration and Motivation are used interchangeably however they are two very different things. Inspiration stimulates others to action or to guide. While motivation is about moving people to act in a way that achieves a specific and immediate goal.
The “The Living Life Initiative” Ministry Action Plan seeks to help others to learn what their gifts and talents are and to plug them into a ministry so that they can help others. FCR wants to motivate each other to achieve our goals and be an inspiration to those with whom we are in relationship.
Equip
Many businesses and people today remain elastic to the customers demands by adopting and adapting the cultural values and norms of society. Many businesses and people have become accustomed to appeasing others by modifying or removing Words or Actions to ensure the customer does not become offended and seek assistance elsewhere. As servants in God’s Kingdom, God’s Way and Presence should be the concern for all while leaving the responsiveness to God (Russell, 20).
To equip, a spiritual formation consisting of a methodical system as Wesley designed will be adapted. In designing this system to help others become a disciple of Christ, discipline and accountability is needed of oneself as opportunities are pursued to create disciples through development of the spirit, mind, and body. As Wesley’s mother did, the religious life of all is to be nurtured. God has entrusted all with a serious duty, the highest calling an individual could receive (Henderson 37) consisting of sessions of intimate sharing and love concerning the reality of God; the greatness of his provisions; and the joys of the Christian life (Henderson 38).
FCR will equip one for God’s mission through “The Living Life Initiative” Ministry Action Plan that can be individually tailored for developing a closer relationship with God through Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, and Fasting.
The people sought to be disciples will be those who are not content on being just followers but doers (Henderson 44) of filling tangible needs as well as Spiritual and Moral needs while getting everyone involved of various levels of intelligence, experience, and motivation using the Bible not only as the practical equipment for this task but as the book of methods for accomplishing this task (Henderson 46). As one works on their own Personal Spiritual Formation, they must remember this is not about them seeking their individual, Eternal Salvation.
“The Living Life Initiative” Ministry Action Plan will prepare one for the service of accomplishing God’s mission teaching them to remain focused on Christ’s message only, commissioned by him over 2,000 years ago – to make disciples (not just believers). Individuals will know Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Execute
In Matthew 28:18-20a Jesus tells His 11 disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” If we are to obey everything that Jesus commands, then we must know “what” He commands. It is through the Bible, which is living and breathing, that we find out “what” we are to obey.
Opportunities are to be sought for serving and witnessing to the sick, the elderly, imprisoned, unclothed, and the poorer in the poorer sections of the city (Henderson 42).
Empower
It is very unlikely that the people reached have ever been given the tools to shape their own lives in a way that is pleasing to God. So often people hear about God and are told that they must live like Jesus but they have no idea what that means or where to start. FCR seeks to share the Gospel to empower them with “The Living Life Initiative” framework to live a life that is pleasing to God so that their whole lifestyle, mind, body, and spirit, are all aligned with the scriptural way of salvation.
There is an importance for not only being equipped to go out and continue the cycle of sharing the gospel but feeling empowered to do so and empowered to continue to grow in faith and find new and thriving ways to be a part of the kingdom of God. Acts 1:8 reminds us that it is through the Holy Spirit we are empowered; the Holy Spirit is present with us always and gives us strength to be empowered.
The empowerment of the Holy Spirit gives the recipients the strength to live life well through reading scripture, prayer, sacraments, fasting, worship within a community of other believers, service, tithing, caring for the body (exercise and healthy eating), ministering to others, sharing of the gospel, and ordering one’s life in such a way that they are focused on their relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the responsibility that they have as a Christian to do the things that they have been called to do by God.
D. Michael Henderson shares the interlocking groups that John Wesley thought to be crucial as part of Christian living. Through Wesley’s societies and bands FCR hopes to show people ways to hold one another accountability and share in the joys and struggles of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Embrace
Discipleship should not be superficial. Greg Ogden states, “there appears to be a general lack on comprehension among many who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior as to the implications of following Him as Lord” (22). We are not meant to stay spiritual babies forever. We are meant to grow in our faith and then go out and help others grow in theirs.
Hope is a powerful emotion. When we hope, we are placing our trust in God that his promises will come to fruition. We are allowing ourselves to believe in the possibilities. Isaiah 40:31 tells us that “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength; they will fly up on wings like eagles; they will run and not be tired; they will walk and not be weary.”
The world in which we live is often hard and difficult to traverse. Embracing God’s gift of eternal life and developing a relationship with Him allows every one of us to hope.
1. Affirm that the Father is the first person of the Trinity and the source of all that God is and does. From Him the Son is eternally generated and from Them the Spirit eternally proceeds.
2. Affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, eternally begotten from the Father. He is God. He was conceived by the virgin Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit. He lives forever as perfect God and perfect man: two distinct natures inseparably united in one person.
3. Affirm that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son and equal in deity. He indwells and sanctifies all believers.
4. Affirm that God is the designer of creation, the speaker of revelation, the author of redemption, and the sovereign of history.
5. Affirm that all things were created by God. Angels were created as ministering agents, though some, under the leadership of Satan, fell from their sinless state to become agents of evil.
6. Affirm that God is the giver of all life, active in the creating and ordering of the universe; He is the agent of inspiration and the new birth; and He restrains sin and Satan.
7. Affirm that the universe was created in six historical days and is continuously sustained by God; thus it both reflects His glory and reveals His truth.
8. Affirm that human beings were directly created, not evolved, in the very image of God. As reasoning moral agents, they are responsible under God for understanding and governing themselves and the world.
9. Affirm that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, though written by men, was supernaturally inspired by God so that all its words are the written true revelation of God; it is therefore inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters. It is to be understood by all through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, its meaning determined by the historical, grammatical, and literary use of the author’s language, comparing Scripture with Scripture.
10. Affirm that Adam, the first man, willfully disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into the world. As a result, all persons are sinners from conception, which is evidenced in their willful acts of sin; and they are therefore subject to eternal punishment, under the just condemnation of a holy God.
11. Affirm that Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice by the appointment of the Father. He fulfilled the demands of God by His obedient life, died on the cross in full substitution and payment for the sins of all, was buried, and on the third day He arose physically and bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven where He now intercedes for all believers.
12. Affirm that each person can be saved only through the work of Jesus Christ, through repentance of sin and by faith alone in Him as Savior. The believer is declared righteous, born again by the Holy Spirit, turned from sin, and assured of heaven.
13. Affirm that the Holy Spirit indwells all who are born again, conforming them to the likeness of Jesus Christ. This is a process completed only in Heaven. Every believer is responsible to live in obedience to the Word of God in separation from sin.
14. Affirm that a church is a local assembly of baptized believers, under the discipline of the Word of God and the lordship of Christ, organized to carry out the commission to evangelize, to teach, and to administer the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s table. It functions through the ministry of gifts given by the Holy Spirit to each believer.
15. Affirm that the return of Christ for all believers is imminent. It will be followed by seven years of great tribulation, and then the coming of Christ to establish His earthly kingdom for a thousand years. The unsaved will then be raised and judged according to their works and separated forever from God in hell. The saved, having been raised, will live forever in heaven in fellowship with God.
As a Soldier for Christ, I will
1. Set aside one day a week, The Lord’s Day, as prescribed by God for the spiritual, mental, and physical well-being of humankind.
2. Attend a Christian church regularly.
3. Seek continuously lifelong learning opportunities to share with others.
4. Meet regularly with other Christians for fellowship; to study God’s word, share, and support each other.
5. Agree to practice good health measures in accordance with the principle that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
6. Abstain from any sexual activity outside of traditional Biblical marriage as designed by God between one man and one woman.
7. Recognize the intrinsic dignity and worth of all people as being created in the image of God, treating them with respect.
8. Remain accountable to each other for life decisions and actions.
9. Lead by example and follow with discipline, striving for excellence, putting the needs of others above one’s own, and accomplishing the mission as a team.
10. Demonstrate courage by doing what is right despite risk, uncertainty, and fear.
The symbol of the shield on which the rest of the FCR colors are built, represents God the Father on whom our faith is built. “He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and preserving the way of His godly ones.” (Proverbs 2:7-8)
The cross is the universal symbol of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose horrible and unjust death on the cross made possible the forgiveness of our sins. It is his resurrection after dying on that cross that gives each of us hope for eternal life. “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
The flame represents the Christian unity that we have through the presence of the Holy Ghost in our lives. ”And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:1-4)
The sword represents our belief in the importance of studying and applying the Bible, the Word of God, in every aspect of our daily lives. “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)
The colors used in our logo are purple, representing the royal nature of our King of Kings; gold and platinum representing that we value our Christian beliefs more than any earthly rewards with which we might be blessed; and red, representing the blood of Jesus Christ that was spilled so that we might have the opportunity of eternal life in heaven.
BOOK I.
(Psalm 1:1-6, New International Version)
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
A PSALM OF DAVID. WHEN HE FLED FROM HIS SON ABSALOM.
(Psalm 3:1-8, New International Version)
1 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. TO THE TUNE OF “THE DEATH OF THE SON.” A psalm of David.
(Psalm 9:1-20, New International Version)
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. 3 My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. 4 For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge. 5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever. 6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished. 7 The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. 8 He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. 9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. 11 Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. 12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted. 13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation. 15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. 16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. 17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God. 18 But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. 19 Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. 20 Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 13:1-6, New International Version)
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. OF DAVID.
(Psalm 14:1-7, New International Version)
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. 5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. 6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. 7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 15:1-5, New International Version)
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; 3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; 4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. OF DAVID THE SERVANT OF THE LORD. HE SANG TO THE LORD THE WORDS OF THIS SONG WHEN THE LORD DELIVERED HIM FROM THE HAND OF ALL HIS ENEMIES AND FROM THE HAND OF SAUL. HE SAID:
(Psalm 18:1-50, New International Version)
1 I love you, Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. 8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. 9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. 10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. 12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. 15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. 16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. 22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. 28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. 29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. 36 You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. 37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. 38 I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. 41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the Lord, but he did not answer. 42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me, 44 foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me. 45 They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds. 46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! 47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, 48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. 50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 19:1-14, New International Version)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
A PSALM OF DAVID
(Psalm 23:1-6, New International Version)
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
OF DAVID.
(Psalm 25:1-22, New International Version)
1 In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. 2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. 4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. 13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. 14 The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. 18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. 22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
OF DAVID.
(Psalm 27:1-14, New International Version)
1 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? 2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. 8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. 10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 11 Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. 13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 31:1-24, New International Version)
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. 22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. 23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
OF DAVID. WHEN HE PRETENDED TO BE INSANE BEFORE ABIMELEK, WHO DROVE HIM AWAY, AND HE LEFT.
(Psalm 34:1-22, New International Version)
1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. OF DAVID THE SERVANT OF THE LORD.
(Psalm 36:1-12, New International Version)
1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. 3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong. 5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. 7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 10 Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. 11 May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—thrown down, not able to rise!
OF DAVID.
(Psalm 37:1-40, New International Version)
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. 12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. 20 But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. 21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; 22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. 23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. 25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. 27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. 29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. 30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. 32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death; 33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial. 34 Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. 35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, 36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. 37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. 38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked. 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
BOOK TWO. WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN, O MY SOUL? TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A MASKIL OF THE SONS OF KORAH.
(Psalm 42:1-11, New International Version)
42 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT AND YOUR TRUTH
(Psalm 43:1-5, New International Version)
43 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! 2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER. TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO LILIES. A MASKIL OF THE SONS OF KORAH; A LOVE SONG.
(Psalm 45:1-17, New International Version)
45 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. 3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! 4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you. 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house, 11 and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him. 12 The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people. 13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. 14 In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. 15 With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king. 16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. 17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
GOD IS OUR FORTRESS. TO THE CHOIRMASTER. OF THE SONS OF KORAH. ACCORDING TO ALAMOTH. A SONG.
(Psalm 46:1-11, New International Version)
46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD. TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA.
(Psalm 51:1-19, New International Version)
51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A MASKIL OF DAVID. WHEN DOEG THE EDOMITE HAD GONE TO SAUL AND TOLD HIM: “DAVID HAS GONE TO THE HOUSE OF AHIMELEK.”
(Psalm 52:1-9, New International Version)
1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? 2 You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. 3 You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. 4 You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue! 5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. 6 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying, 7 “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” 8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. 9 For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. A MASKIL OF DAVID.
(Psalm 55:1-23, New International Version)
1 Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; 2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught 3 because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger. 4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. 5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. 6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. 7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert; 8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” 9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. 11 Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets. 12 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. 13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, 14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers. 15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them. 16 As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. 17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. 18 He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. 19 God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change—he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God. 20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. 21 His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. 22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. 23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. TO THE TUNE OF “DO NOT DESTROY.” OF DAVID. A MIKTAM. WHEN SAUL HAD SENT MEN TO WATCH DAVID’S HOUSE IN ORDER TO KILL HIM.
(Psalm 59:1-17, New International Version)
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me. 2 Deliver me from evildoers and save me from those who are after my blood. 3 See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, Lord. 4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight! 5 You, Lord God Almighty, you who are the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. 6 They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. 7 See what they spew from their mouths—the words from their lips are sharp as swords, and they think, “Who can hear us?” 8 But you laugh at them, Lord; you scoff at all those nations. 9 You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress, 10 my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me. 11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might uproot them and bring them down. 12 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter, 13 consume them in your wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. 14 They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. 15 They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. 17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. OF DAVID
(Psalm 61:1-8, New International Version)
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. 2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. 4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. 5 For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 6 Increase the days of the king’s life, his years for many generations. 7 May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. 8 Then I will ever sing in praise of your name and fulfill my vows day after day.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. FOR JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 62:1-12, New International Version)
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? 4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. 5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. 6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. 9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. 10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, 12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”
MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU. A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH.
(Psalm 63:1-11, New International Version)
63 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. 9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. OF DAVID. A PSALM. A SONG.
(Psalm 68:1-35, New International Version)
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 May you blow them away like smoke—as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. 7 When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, 8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor. 11 The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng: 12 “Kings and armies flee in haste; the women at home divide the plunder. 13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” 14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon. 15 Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain, 16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever? 17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. 18 When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious—that you, Lord God, might dwell there. 19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. 20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. 21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins. 22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea, 23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.” 24 Your procession, God, has come into view, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. 25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels. 26 Praise God in the great congregation; praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel. 27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali. 28 Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before. 29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts. 30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war. 31 Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God. 32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, 33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice. 34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. 35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
BOOK III. A PSALM OF ASAPH
(Psalm 73:1-28, New International Version)
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” 12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
GOD WILL JUDGE WITH EQUITY. TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO DO NOT DESTROY. A PSALM OF ASAPH. A SONG.
(Psalm 75:1-10, New International Version)
75 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. 2 “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. 3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah 4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; 5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.’” 6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, 7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. 8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. 9 But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. FOR JEDUTHUN. OF ASAPH. A PSALM.
(Psalm 77:1-20, New International Version)
1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: 7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” 10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
TELL THE COMING GENERATION. A MASKIL OF ASAPH.
(Psalm 78:1-72, New International Version)
1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. 9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; 10 they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. 12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. 17 But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. 18 They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. 19 They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? 20 True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” 21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, 22 for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. 23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; 24 he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. 26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow. 27 He rained meat down on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. 28 He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. 29 They ate till they were gorged— he had given them what they craved. 30 But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, 31 God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel. 32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. 33 So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. 34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. 35 They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. 36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; 37 their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. 38 Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. 40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland! 41 Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember his power— the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, 43 the day he displayed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan. 44 He turned their river into blood; they could not drink from their streams. 45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them. 46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. 48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. 49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels. 50 He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague. 51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the first fruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. 52 But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness. 53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies. 54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken. 55 He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes. 56 But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes. 57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow. 58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. 59 When God heard them, he was furious; he rejected Israel completely. 60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans. 61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy. 62 He gave his people over to the sword; he was furious with his inheritance. 63 Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs; 64 their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep. 65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine. 66 He beat back his enemies; he put them to everlasting shame. 67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; 68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. 69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever. 70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; 71 from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. 72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.
MY SOUL LONGS FOR THE COURTS OF THE LORD. TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO THE GITTITH. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH.
(Psalm 84:1-12, New International Version)
84 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
A PRAYER OF DAVID
(Psalm 86:1-17, New International Version)
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. 5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6 Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. 14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you. 15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. 17 Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
I WILL SING OF THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD. A MASKIL OF ETHAN THE EZRAHITE.
(Psalm 89:1-52, New International Version)
89 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” 3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel. 19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ 27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. 29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. 37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah 38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. 44 You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. Selah 46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! 48 What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah 49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, 51 with which your enemies mock, O Lord, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed. 52 Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
BOOK FOUR. FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING. A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD.
(Psalm 90:1-17, New International Version)
90 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
PSALM 91
(Psalm 91:1-16, New International Version)
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
HOW GREAT ARE YOUR WORKS. A PSALM. A SONG FOR THE SABBATH.
(Psalm 92:1-15, New International Version)
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, 3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! 6 The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: 7 that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; 8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. 10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. 11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
A PSALM. FOR GIVING GRATEFUL PRAISE.
(Psalm 100:1-25, New International Version)
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL OF DAVID.
(Psalm 103:1-22, New International Version)
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
BOOK FIVE. LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO.
(Psalm 107:1-43, New International Version)
107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. 15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. 17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, 34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. 35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. 36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; 37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. 38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. 39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, 40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. 42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
PSALM 116
(Psalm 116:1-18, New International Version)
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” 5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 10 I trusted in the Lord when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; 11 in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.” 12 What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? 13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. 16 Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. 17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. 18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the Lord— in your midst, Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
PSALM 118
(Psalm 118:1-29, New International Version)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” 5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. 15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” 17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. 18 The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET. WAW
(Psalm 119:41-48, New International Version)
41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; 42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. 44 I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, 45 and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. 46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, 47 for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. 48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET. TETH
(Psalm 119:65-72, New International Version)
65 You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. 68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. 69 The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; 70 their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. 71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. 72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET. NUN
(Psalm 119:105-112, New International Version)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. 107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word! 108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules. 109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. 111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. 112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. A SONG OF ASCENTS.
(Psalm 121:1-8, New International Version)
121 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE. A SONG OF ASCENTS. OF SOLOMON.
(Psalm 127:1-5, New International Version)
127 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
A SONG OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID.
(Psalm 133:1-3, New International Version)
1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
A SONG OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID.
(Psalm 136:1-26, New International Version)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. 4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. 5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. 7 who made the great lights—His love endures forever. 8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. 9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever. 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever. 11 and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever. 12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever. 13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever. 14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever. 15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever. 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever. 17 to him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.18 and killed mighty kings—His love endures forever. 19 Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever. 20 and Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever. 21 and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever. 22 an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever. 23 He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever. 24 and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever. 25 He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART. TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 139:1-24, New International Version)
139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM EVIL MEN. TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 140:1-13, New International Version)
140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, 2 who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. 3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah 4 Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. 5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah 6 I say to the Lord, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! 7 O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah 9 As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 10 Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise! 11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily! 12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.
GIVE EAR TO MY VOICE. A PSALM OF DAVID.
(Psalm 141:1-10, New International Version)
141 O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! 3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! 5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. 8 But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.
OF DAVID.
(Psalm 144:1-15, New International Version)
1 Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. 2 He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. 3 Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? 4 They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow. 5 Part your heavens, Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. 6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them. 7 Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners 8 whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. 9 I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, 10 to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David. From the deadly sword 11 deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. 12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. 13 Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields; 14 our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets. 15 Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
Sinners Prayer
“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Confession of Sin
“Most merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have I have failed to do. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.”
Request for Forgiveness and Prayers
“I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned through my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask for God’s forgiveness and for you, my brothers and sister, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”
Covenant Prayer
“Christ has many services to be done. Some are easy, others are difficult. Some bring honour, others bring reproach. Some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both… Yet the power to do all these things is given to us in Christ, who strengthens us. I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing: I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”
A Disciple’s Prayer
“Loving God and Father help us to be people of prayer, committed to the person and message of Jesus your son. Help us to grasp the integrity and beauty of the truths of our faith and the transforming power of your grace. Nourish and strengthen us as people of faith, disciples of Jesus, committed to the mission of the church and eager to share the gospel without restraint. Let our hearts burn within us as we catch glimpses of your heart in Jesus for through him, we know your loving plan for us. We ask this through Jesus the Christ who live with you and the Holy Spirit in one loving Trinity. Amen.”
Fatima Prayer
O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Firefighter’s Prayer
“When a firefighter is called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage, give them strength to save a life, whatever be its age. Help them embrace a little child before it is too late, or save an older person from the horror of that fate. Enable them to be alert, and hear the weakest shout, quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. Let them fulfill their calling, giving their best, guarding friends and neighbors, and protecting their property. And if according to Your will they must answer death’s call, bless with your protecting hand, their family one and all. Amen.”
Policeman’s Prayer
“When I start my tour of duty God, Wherever crime may be, as I walk the darkened streets alone, Let me be close to thee. Please give me understanding with both the young and old. Let me listen with attention until their story’s told. Let me never make a judgment in a rash or callous way, but let me hold my patience let each man have his say. Lord if some dark and dreary night, I must give my life, Lord, with your everlasting love protect my children and my wife. Amen.”
A Soldier’s Prayer
“Now I lay me down to sleep, And hope my dreams are thoughtful and deep. I pray that tonight I’m not awaken, By bombs exploding and the ground shakin’. I hope that I can get some peaceful rest, And wish that the next day will be blessed. All I want is to sleep through the night, So that tomorrow I’m ready for another fight. I pray my dreams are of my family, As I make sacrifices to keep them free. May you watch over and keep them safe, As they wait for me and remain brave. Dear lord please listen as I pray to you, And proudly defend the red, white and blue. I will always serve you and my country, And be the best person that I can be. May it be a peaceful night without a sound, With no shots or bullets flying around. As I lay and dream of back home again, I’ll unfold my hands after I say Amen.”
The Lord’s Prayer
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.”
Nurse’s Prayer
“Give Nurses strength and wisdom, When others need their touch; A soothing word to speak to those, whose hearts yearn for so much. Give them joy and laughter, To lift a weary soul; Pour in them compassion, To make the broken whole. Give them gentle, healing hands, For those left in their care; A blessing to those who need them, This is a Nurse’s prayer. Amen.”
Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.”
Prayer for the Nation
“Dear heavenly Father, we come to You today as a humble people desperate for Your supernatural intervention on behalf of our beloved nation. First, we thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed on our land, blessings that have allowed us to bring so much good and benefit to not only our own citizens but also to the rest of the world. The very ideals upon which this country was founded were based on biblical truths, no matter how some try to rewrite history to deny that very fact today. This is why our hearts are so broken over how You continue to be marginalized and dismissed by both our people and our institutions. We are also saddened by the fact that Your people have contributed greatly to the spiritual apathy that now engulfs us. Our satisfaction in remaining religious without being fully committed to living out the truths of Your Word has caused us to become co-conspirators with the forces of evil that are destroying us as a society. It is for this reason that we personally and collectively repent of our carnality and recommit ourselves to becoming visible and verbal disciples of Jesus Christ. Enable us, by Your Spirit, to no longer be secret agent Christians but rather to publicly declare and live out Your truth in a spirit of love so that You feel welcome in our country once again. Thank You for Your promise to hear our prayers when we call to You with hearts of repentance and obedience, which is how we are appealing to You today, Father. On behalf of Your church, we affirm afresh the priority You are to us that You would fill every dimension of our lives as we seek to bring You glory through the advancement of Your kingdom in our personal lives, our family lives, and in the lives of our churches and our government leaders. We confidently invite heaven’s intervention into all the affairs of our nation and we praise You in advance for Your answer. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”
Prayer for Pastors
“Loving Lord, we thank You for our dear pastors and for the way that they lead and guide the little flock You have placed in their care with such wisdom and grace. Keep them Lord under the shadow of Your wing and protect them from the many arrows of the enemy that has sought to trip so many of the leaders in the Church today. May their heart be kept focused on the Word of Truth, and may they love the Lord with their whole body, soul and spirit as they seeks to encourage, edify and teach all those, that are under their guidance. May they be a person after God’s own heart – who continues to be nourished and fed by You to be Your under-shepherd – to point us to Christ. May they be used by You to be an example of a true disciple and lover of the Lord – not only in their public ministry but in the privacy of their own home. Bless them Lord and keep them – protect them and may they continue to be an example of a godly person who by example, is growing in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Amen.”
Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty
“O God our Creator, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith. Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome—for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us—this great land will always be “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Prayer for Serenity – Reinhold Niebuhr
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.”
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.”
A Sinner’s Prayer
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins, and that you rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and ask You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In your name, Amen.”
Teacher’s Prayer
“Heavenly Father, Enable teachers to teach WISDOM, For they help to shape the mind. Equip them to teach with TRUTH, For they help to shape the conscience. Encourage them to teach with VISION, For they help to shape the future. Empower them to teach with LOVE, For they help to shape the world. Amen.”
ABCs OF SALVATION
A- Admit.
Admit you have sinned (Romans 3:23).
B – Believe.
Believe Jesus is the Son of God and has died for your sins on the cross and rose from the grave.
Be willing to turn from your sins (repent) and ask for God’s forgiveness.
C – Confess.
Confess that you have sinned, and invite Jesus to take control of your life.
Close in prayer inviting Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior).
“Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I am hopeless and guilty of rejecting you. I come to you and need your forgiveness. I have nothing more than emptiness and helplessness to lay down before you. I recognize that you, the Son of God, went to the cross and died to make my salvation possible. Your death has made the gift of eternal life in heaven my hope when I die. Thank you for freeing me from sin and guilt. I believe the old life is behind me; by faith, receive you into my life. I commit to be your faithful follower. Amen.”
THE P-R-A-Y METHOD
P – Praise.
Start by praising God: telling him who he is to you and what you are thankful for. This will get your heart in the right place as you begin connecting with God in prayer. Psalm 100:1-5
R = Repent.
Next, move into a short time of repentance: admitting to God your faults and allowing him to convict you of the things that are wrong in your life. This is the natural response of a sinner in the presence of a sinless God. Isaiah 6:1-5
A – Ask.
Prayer requests are what most people think of when they envision prayer, and that’s the third step in this method. Paul teaches us that we should confidently present our requests to God. Philippians 4:6
Y – Yield.
The final step is to spend some time yielding to God: stopping and quieting your heart to hear from God. This is probably the most difficult step in prayer, but it’s worth the effort to make it a habit.
Close in prayer
End your prayer with time in silence with God and an Our Father.
ACTS PRAYER MODEL
A – Adoration
Begin your prayer in adoration and praise of God. Let yourself be filled with wonder at who God is and how He desires to be with you, always. If you want inspiration, you can pray with a Psalm of praise such as Psalm 100, or Psalm 67.
C – Contrition
Next, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sinfulness and need for God’s mercy and grace. Name to God particular sins you need forgiveness for at this moment.
T – Thankfulness
Spend some time now thanking God for the gifts in your life. Try to notice the gifts you often take for granted.
S – Supplication
Lastly, lift up your cares and concerns to God. Pray for the people in your life, for those who are suffering, for the needs of all people throughout the world. Ask God to show you who to pray for today.
Close in prayer
End your prayer with time in silence with God and an Our Father.
FIVE FINGER PRAYER
Thumb
(Praying for people who are close to us)
When you hold your hand in front of you point your back at yourself. Think of those who are close to you in your life. These are your close friends and family, often the first you think about when you pray. Give thanks to God and ask his protection on your parents, siblings, friends, and classmates.
Pointer Finger
(Praying for those who point the way and lead us)
These are leaders in your life, such as teachers, preachers or elders. Those who lead the church or lead in your family. Offer God your thanksgiving for them and ask him to help them in their important work.
Tall Finger
(Praying for people in authority)
This is our tallest finger. The big people in the world need prayer too. Ask God to give wisdom to our government, military, and police.
Ring Finger
(Praying for people who are weak)
This is our weakest finger so we do not use it to lift or carry things. People without strength or power need our prayers. We should remember others who are sick, live in poverty, or are treated badly. Pray that Jesus would give them new strength.
Little Finger
(Lastly, I will pray for myself)
We help others and often put their needs before our own but God wants to hear about our needs too. I can pray for my own growth in mind, body, and spirit.
Close in prayer
End your prayer with time in silence with God and an Our Father.
SOAP BIBLE STUDY PRAYER METHOD
The letters in SOAP stand for the following:
S – Scripture
Read selected Scripture (the Bible verse) slowly and thoroughly.
O – Observation
Take notes on what you observe (Think: who, what, where, when, and why).
A – Application
Ask how what you read applies to your life.
P – Prayer
Spend time talking to God about what you read (and anything else on your mind!).
1. Lost and Hurting
2. Converts
3. The Church
4. Spiritual Growth
5. Outreach
6. Believers
7. Kingdom Multiplication
1. God
2. Christ
3. Holy Spirit
4. The Mission – Missio Dei
5. Peace in Jerusalem
6. The Physically Challenged
7. The Economy
8. For Revival
9. The Emotionally Challenged
10. Spiritual Leaders
11. The Imprisoned
12. The Nutritionally Challenged
13. Teachers
14. The Church
15. The Family
16. Warfighters
17. Secular Leaders
18. Refreshment of the Spirit
19. The Community
20. Emergency Responders
21. Shelter
22. Reflection for Discernment
23. Renewal of the Mind
24. Life
The Prayer of a Novice
Father, thank You for this chance to learn something new! As I seek to honor You by submitting to the instructions of my teacher, help me to approach the learning process with a teachable spirit. Help me to be patient with myself and with my teacher. Give me the courage to be willing to ask questions when things are not clear and not to be afraid to look a little foolish when trying things for the first time. Lord Jesus, help me to keep my pride in what I already know in check so I can learn what I don’t know. As You were obedient when under instruction, help me to be obedient so that I may grow in wisdom and in my ability to serve You by serving others. In Jesus’ name, amen!
Second Novice Prayer
Father, You know that this opportunity is something I am not looking forward to or excited about, yet here it is. Lord, help me see it as an opportunity to grow in endurance and grace and to be a witness of the strength that comes from You. Lord Jesus, help me find new meaning in what I am assigned to do Just as You learned and labored in this world at a common trade, help me remember to do all things for the glory of God. Speak to my heart plant a new song in my mouth, but most of all, Father, teach me to trust You in the midst of this raging storm. I know that You will go before me, and in the dark night You will carry me. In You I put my trust. In Jesus’ strong name, amen!
The Prayer of an Apprentice
Lord, I am learning a new task, and it’s turning out to be harder than I thought! By now, I expected to know more about it than I do and be able to perform more on my own than I can. Lord, I don’t want to fail, and I don’t want to seem stupid or silly for asking questions for which I ought to know the answers. Help me accept the fact that everything may not come easily and that I have to be accountable for having a teachable attitude even when the going gets rough. Help me focus my thoughts, and take my anxiety from me. Teach me how to do this task in the right way With a patient and forgiving heart and to quickly apply the new learning so that I don’t forget. In Jesus’ name, amen!
Second Apprentice Prayer
Lord, this task seems harder than I thought it was. Maybe I’m not cut out to do it, but I know that You have faithfully brought me to this Place and that You believe in me. Help me to believe in myself too! I Want to do this assignment with the right heart and mind and to learn as much as I can, so remove my fears and false pride so that while learning, I can serve as well. I want to demonstrate You to those around me, so calm my mind and help me do this well. In Jesus’ name, amen!
The Prayer of a Journeyman
Father, thank you for putting the teachers and experiences in my path That have brought me to this season of skill and experience where I am able to produce high-quality results from my personal efforts. Lord, thank you for allowing me to be excited about where my work fits in And that it has meaning. Because I have been at it a while, sometimes my enthusiasm and excitement about the work I do declines, and I get down on myself and others. Lord, help renew a right spirit in me. Help me regain a sense of purpose and stewardship of the gifts, talent, and opportunities You gave me. Help me be an encouragement to those who are in the learning process and to be a good model and witness for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Second Journeyman Prayer
Lord, I don’t know where to go from here. Because of some setbacks and mistakes I take responsibility for, I have lost some of my self-confidence and inspiration. I feel reluctant to step out of my comfort zone to teach others what I know or to act in a leadership position. Lord, I know You have placed me here to be a light on a hill. Help me listen to wise counsel, be totally honest about my current situation, and be open to taking a positive step back to the level of service and commitment I once enjoyed under Your wings of mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Prayer of Master/Teacher
Lord, You have blessed me with the ability and opportunity to develop into a master of this role or task You put before me. You have walked with me through the growing process and have allowed me to remain humble enough and teachable enough to become an expert at this task. Help me now, Lord, to take what I have been given and use it to serve others by example and by sharing my knowledge with others. Lord, keep me ever mindful of the debt I owe to You and to those who taught me so well. Give me patience to faithfully and carefully teach those I serve and to avoid the temptation to become arrogant or complacent in my expertise. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Second Master/Teacher Prayer
Lord, You know that I get tired and weary of teaching, leading, and serving those new to these tasks. I need Your strength, character, and perseverance to do this again. Help me see the reward in doing this because it is You that I serve. Let me nurture the enthusiasm of the novices and calm the fear of the apprentices. Give me patience to respond with excitement to their questions and concerns. Help me to not reflect an unhappy heart but a heart that is full of love and compassion for each one of them and their situation. Let the title of “master/teacher” remind me of my own Master and Teacher-the Lord Jesus! In His name, amen.
The Prayer of an Instructor of Novices
Father, today I greet a group of novices. For the most part, they are excited about their new assignment and eager to learn. Some already know something about their tasks, some know nothing, and some think they know things but they are the wrong things. As I face them, Father, give me the grace to love each one as You would. Help me remember what it was like for me when I was just starting out and be sensitive to both their fears and lack of understanding of what is involved in learning this new task or role. Give me the wisdom to know what they need to know and clear thoughts as I consider each task to be taught. Help my presentation to be meaningful to each one so that learning will take place. Allow my face to reflect You rather than what I may feel about each question that is asked. Most of all, may they see in me a reflection of You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Prayer of a Mentor of Apprentices
Father, today I will continue to guide the learning path of those I have committed to train in a set of specific skills. So far, they have progressed from unskilled novices to partially trained apprentices. Most of them have found the new work more difficult than anticipated. Some have voiced frustration and discouragement with themselves, with me, and with the whole learning process. Some, on the other hand, are overconfident and impatient to move on before they are really well prepared. Lord, I will need patience and wisdom as I greet them today. Help me to remain sensitive to their individual needs. Some will need encouragement. Help me to see and praise their progress. Some will need to have their inflated pride in their initial accomplishments tempered with a sense of what they still need to learn. Help me to be patient but firm. May I faithfully teach the new tasks with skill, integrity, and wisdom and avoid delegating work prematurely. Thanks, Father, for this opportunity to grow and develop in my own experiences as well as to teach others. I know that in this I am following the way of Jesus. In His name, amen.
The Prayer of an Inspirer of Journeymen
Father, today I am called to serve the needs of journeymen. These people know how to do a good job and have proven to be reliable individual performers. What I may be called on to provide is to help them reconnect with greater meaning and purpose or encourage them to perform it in a new environment. Maybe it will be to provide reassurance to someone who has suffered a setback that has made him question his own abilities.
Father, help me to be slow to speak, slow to offer advice or prescribe ready-made solutions. Help me to be patient and understanding. Guide my thoughts and actions in a way that the people I am seeking to help will be encouraged to draw on what they know and have experienced so they can make positive choices for their future. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer of a Commissioner of Master/Teachers
Lord, what an awesome time! The people I have guided through the learning process have arrived at the point of being fully inspired and equipped not only to do the work on their own but also to serve and teach others. They have been entrusted to me for a little while, and I have faithfully imparted my knowledge to them and in that we both have grown. I have learned as much from them as they have learned from me. Father, help me send them from this learning experience with a sense of my confidence in them and appreciation for their teachable spirits As You sent out Your apostles to spread the good news and assured them of Your constant availability, help me send my students with the same assurances. Lord, part of me doesn’t want to let them go. I know some will experience difficulties, and some will reap rewards. Some will have to work harder than others, while some will have an easy time. Each is a unique individual created in Your image. Bless each one. In Jesus’ name, amen.
INFANCY
Approximate Age: Under 1 year
Virtues: Hope
Psychosocial crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust
Significant relationship: Mother
Existential question: Can I trust the world?
Events: Feeding, abandonment
TODDLERHOOD
Approximate Age: 1–2 years
Virtues: Will
Psychosocial crisis: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
Significant relationship: Parents
Existential question: Is it okay to be me?
Events: Toilet training, clothing themselves
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Approximate Age: 3–6 years
Virtues: Purpose
Psychosocial crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt
Significant relationship: Family
Existential question: Is it okay for me to do, move, and act?
Events: Exploring, using tools or making art
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
Approximate Age: 7–10 years
Virtues: Competence
Psychosocial crisis: Industry vs. Inferiority
Significant relationship: Neighbors, School
Existential question: Can I make it in the world of people and things?
Events: School, sports
ADOLESCENCE
Approximate Age: 11–19 years
Virtues: Fidelity
Psychosocial crisis: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Significant relationship: Peers, Role Model
Existential question: Who am I? Who can I be?
Events: Social relationships
EARLY ADULTHOOD
Approximate Age: 20–44 years
Virtues: Love
Psychosocial crisis: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Significant relationship: Friends, Partners
Existential question: Can I unite myself with another person?
Events: Romantic relationships
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD
Approximate Age: 45–64 years
Virtues: Care
Psychosocial crisis: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Significant relationship: Household, Workmates
Existential question: Can I make my life count?
Events: Work, parenthood
LATE ADULTHOOD
Approximate Age: 65 and above
Virtues: Wisdom
Psychosocial crisis: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
Significant relationship: Humankind, My kind
Existential question: Is it okay to have been me?
Events: Reflection on
THE LOST GENERATION (GENERATION OF 1914)
Born: 1883-1900
Shaped by: World War I, The Roaring Twenties
THE GREATEST GENERATION (G.I. GENERATION)
Born 1901-1927
Shaped by: The Great Depression, World War II
TRADITIONALISTS (THE SILENT GENERATION / THE LUCKY FEW)
Born: 1928–1945
Dependable, straightforward, tactful, loyal
Shaped by: Post-World War II, The Korean War
Motivated by: Respect, recognition, providing long-term value to the company
Communication style: Personal touch, handwritten notes instead of email
Worldview: Obedience over individualism; age equals seniority; advancing through the hierarchy
BABY BOOMERS (BOOMERS)
Born: 1946–1964
Optimistic, competitive, workaholic, team-oriented
Shaped by: The Vietnam War, civil rights movement, Watergate
Motivated by: Company loyalty, teamwork, duty
Communication style: Whatever is most efficient, including phone calls and face-to-face
Worldview: Achievement comes after paying one’s dues; sacrifice for success
Stats:
• 49% of Baby Boomers expect to or already are working past age 70 or do not plan to retire
• 10,000 Baby Boomers reach retirement age every day
GENERATION X (GEN X)
Born: 1965–1979
Flexible, informal, skeptical, independent
Shaped by: The AIDs epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dot-com boom
Motivated by: Diversity, work-life balance, their personal-professional interests rather than the company’s interests
Communication style: Whatever is most efficient, including phone calls and face-to-face
Worldview: Favoring diversity; quick to move on if their employer fails to meet their needs; resistant to change at work if it affects their personal lives
Stats:
• 55% of startup founders are Gen Xers — the highest percentage
• By 2028, Gen Xers will outnumber Baby Boomers
MILLENNIALS (GEN Y)
Born: 1981–1996
Competitive, civic- and open-minded, achievement-oriented
Shaped by: Columbine, 9/11, the internet
Motivated by: Responsibility, the quality of their manager, unique work experiences
Communication style: IMs, texts, and email
Worldview: Seeking challenge, growth, and development; a fun work life and work-life balance; likely to leave an organization if they don’t like change
Stats:
• 75% percent of the global workforce will be made up of Millennials by 2025
• 18% of Millennial men ages 25–34 live at home with their parents
• 12% of Millennial women ages 25–34 live at home with their parents
GENERATION Z (GEN Z / ZOOMERS)
Born: 1997–2012
Global, entrepreneurial, progressive, less focused
Shaped by: Life after 9/11, the Great Recession, access to technology from a young age
Motivated by: Diversity, personalization, individuality, creativity
Communication style: Social media, texts, IMs
Worldview: Self-identifying as digital device addicts; valuing independence and individuality; prefer to work with Millennial managers, innovative coworkers, and new technologies
Stats:
• 67% of Gen Zers want to work at companies where they can learn skills to advance their careers
• 80% of Gen Zers believe government and employers should subsidize, pay full tuition, or provide direct training for students
GENERATION A (GEN ALPHA)
Born: 2013-2025
GENERATION B (GEN ALPHA)
Born: 2025-2039
PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
“The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” (From his Inaugural Address, 1789)
“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor.” (From the National Day of Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3, 1789)
“May the same wonder-working Deity, who long after delivering the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors planted them in the promised land -whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous in establishing these United States as an independent Nation-still continue to water them with the dews of Heaven and to make the inhabitants of every denomination participate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is Jehovah.” (From a letter March 11, 1792)
“I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God and those who have the superintendence of them into His holy keeping.” (Final Prayer in Office, 1797)
“Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.
“And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of Whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.”
Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Written at Newburg, June 8, 1783, and sent to the Governors of all the States)
“O most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving Father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins. Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou has this day prescribed in Thy Holy Word.
“Make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight, and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith and repentance, increase my faith, and direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life, bless O Lord, all the people of this land, from the highest to the lowest, particularly those whom Thou hast appointed to rule us in church and state. Continue Thy goodness to me this night. These weak petitions, I humbly implore Thee to hear, accept and answer for the sake of Thy Dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.” (One of many – 24 pages – of Washington’s handwritten prayers from his field notebook, used for both morning and evening devotions)
PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS
“I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen.” (From a letter to Thomas Jefferson)
“Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” (1798)
ABIGAIL ADAMS
“The race is not to the swift, not the battle to the strong; but the God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Trust in Him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him; God is a refuge for us.” (From a letter to her husband, 1775)
THOMAS PAINE
“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some ask, is the king of America? I’ll tell you, friend; He reigns above!” (Common Sense, 1776)
PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON
“I hold the precepts of Jesus as delivered by Himself, to be the most pure, benevolent and sublime which have ever been preached to man.” (From a letter to Jared Sparks)
“God gave us liberty. And can liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” (Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781)
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
“Here is my creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.
“That the most acceptable service we render to Him is in doing good to His other Children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with Justice in another Life respecting its conduct in this.
“As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see.” (from a letter to Ezra Stiles, president of Yale University)
“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in all the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this.”
“Whoever shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.” (1778)
PATRICK HENRY
(American Revolutionary leader, Commander of Virginia State Militia, Member of the Continental Congress, Five-time Governor of the State of Virginia)
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”
FRANCIS MARION
(Major General during the Revolutionary War, called the “Old Swamp Fox” by the British)
“Who can doubt but that God has created us to be happy, and thereto made us to love one another? It is plainly written as the Gospel. The heart is sometimes so embittered that nothing but Divine love can sweeten it, so enraged that only prayers can becalm it, and so broken down that it takes all the forces of heavenly hope to raise it. In short, the religion of Jesus Christ is the only sure and controlling power over sin.”
PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON
“Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.”
“Religion is the basis and Foundation of Government.”
“It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage …
Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe.” (From his work, Religious Freedom, 1785)
“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions … upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” (1778)
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
“I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I were sitting as a juror upon its authenticity I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man.” (from a letter to his friend, James Bayard, 1802)
PRESIDENT JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
“So great is my veneration for the Bible, and so strong my belief, that when duly read and meditated on, it is of all books in the world, that which contributes most to make men good, wise, and happy.”
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
(French Statesman, Historian, Social Philosopher, and World Traveler. He toured America in 1831. His 2-volume Democracy in America is considered the most comprehensive analysis of the relationship between character and society ever written)
“Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things.”
“In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found that they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country.”
“America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
“The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of laws as well as the surest pledge of freedom.”
“Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts- the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims.”
PRESIDENT WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
“expressing to my fellow citizens a profound reverence to the Christian religion, and a thorough conviction that sound morals, religious liberty, and a just sense of religious responsibility are essentially connected with all true and lasting happiness.” (from his
Inaugural Address, 1841)
NOAH WEBSTER
(Author of America’s first great English dictionary, an undertaking 26 years in the making, An American Dictionary of the English Language)
“Education is useless without the Bible. The Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields. God’s Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct.”
PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON
“That Book (the Bible), Sir, is the Rock upon which our republic rests. The Bible is true. Upon that Sacred volume I rest my hope of eternal salvation through the merits of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“First, I bequeath my body to the dust whence it comes, and my soul to God who gave it, hoping for a happy immortality through the atoning merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (from the first clause of Andrew Jackson’s Will)
PRESIDENT JAMES KNOX POLK
“I enter upon the discharge of the high duties which have been assigned to me by the people, again humbly supplicating that Divine Being, who has watched over and protected our beloved country from its infancy to the present hour, to continue His gracious benedictions upon us, to be a prosperous and happy people.”(from his Inaugural Address, March 4, 1845)
DANIEL WEBSTER
(U.S. Congressman and Senator, Secretary of State for Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and Millard Fillmore)
“Our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits. …Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”
“Let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all its institutions, civil, political, or literary.
“Let us cherish these sentiments, and extend this influence still more widely; in full conviction that that is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree of the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity.” (Speech at the bicentennial celebration of the landing
of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, December 22, 1820)
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man. All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for this Book we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found in
it.” (quoted in the Washington Chronicle, September 5, 1864)
“It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.” (National Fast Day, 1863)
PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT
“Hold fast to the Bible as the anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this Book must we look as our guide in the
future. “Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.”” (published in Sunday School Times, June 6, 1876)
GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE
“There are things in that old Book (the Bible) which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible Word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.” (spoken to Chaplain John William Jones)
“Soldiers! Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, our God, asking through Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, beseeching the aid of the God of our forefathers in the defense of our homes and our liberties, thanking Him for His past blessings, and imploring their continuance upon our cause and our people.” (from an order to his troops to observe a day of humiliation and prayer)
FREDERICK DOUGLAS
(American Abolitionist, Orator, Former Slave)
“I believe it is the religious people who are to be relied on in this Antislavery movement. Do not class me with those who despise religion-do not identify me with the infidel. I love the religion of Christianity-which comes from above-which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of good fruits, and without hypocrisy. I love that religion which sends its followers to bind up the wounds of those who have fallen among thieves.”
ADMIRAL DAVID DIXON PORTER
(Hero of the Civil War – Siege of Vicksburg – 2nd American to hold rank of Admiral of the Navy; Spdt. of U.S. Naval Academy)
“When one sees how much has been done for the world by the disciples of Christ and those professing the Christian religion, he must be astonished to find anyone who hesitates to believe in the Divine origin of Jesus and the wonderful works He performed.” “…no man or woman of real intelligence would hesitate to believe that it is only through Christ that sinners can be saved.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER
(America’s greatest agricultural chemist)
“The secret to my success. It is simple. It is found in the Bible, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.”
PRESIDENT BENJAMIN HARRISON
“It is a great comfort to trust God even if His providence is unfavorable. Prayer steadies one, when he is walking in slippery places even if things asked for are not given.”
PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND
“And let us not trust human effort alone, but humbly acknowledge the power and goodness of Almighty God who presides over the destiny of nations, and who has at all times been revealed in our country’s history, let us invoke His aid and blessing upon our labors … for I know there is a Supreme Being who rules the affairs of men.”
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, 1892
“Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.”
PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON
“The Bible…is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God and spiritual nature and needs of men. It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation.”
“America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture.”
PRESIDENT WARREN G. HARDING
“I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, whereby they have become the expression to man of the Word and the Will of God.” (from his Inaugural Address, March 4, 1921)
PRESIDENT HERBERT C. HOOVER
“The whole inspiration of our civilization springs from the teachings of Christ and the lessons of the prophets. To read the Bible for these fundamentals is a necessity of American life.”
J. EDGAR HOOVER
(Director of the FBI for nearly 50 years)
“The criminal is the product of spiritual starvation. Someone failed miserably to bring him to know God, love Him, and serve failed miserably to know God, love Him, and serve Him.”
PRESIDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN
“I believe all men are created equal because they are created in the image of God. The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the state.”
PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
“Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first, the most basic, expression of Americanism. Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor American way of life.”
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
“The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”
“The question for our time is not whether all men are brothers. That question has been answered by God who placed us on this earth together. The question is whether we have the strength and the will to make the brotherhood of man the guiding principle of our daily lives.”
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
“The family has always been the cornerstone of American society. Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we share and cherish, values that are the foundation for our freedoms. In the family we learn our first lessons of God and man, love and discipline, rights and responsibilities, human dignity and human frailty.”
“The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America … our country is in need of and ready for a spiritual renewal.”
The word “Value” in the Oxford dictionary has many definitions. The definitions include: 1) the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something, 2) the principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgement of what is important in life, 3) the numerical amount denoted by an algebraic term; a magnitude, 4) the relative duration of the sound signified by a note, 5) the quality or tone of a spoken sound; the sound represented by a letter, 6) the relative degree of lightness or darkness of a particular colour.
An article by Chad Hall, www.westernseminary.edu, 28 January 2015, discussing how American Values are Not Necessarily Christian Values. Chad Hall discussed how many equate a nation’s value with the values of a nation’s religion. Values of a nation can lead to a huge blind spot ultimately ingraining a sense of bias and arrogance. America is a melting pot which people have tried to assimilate diversity into a common set of shared values which many might see as a good thing until you start looking at a loss of identity, whether ethnic or religious, in order to gain a national Identity. Many Americans assume American Values are Christian Values when in fact many American Values are not Christian Values.
Patriotism is not a Christian Value. Patriotism is loyalty to defending one’s homeland from oppression whereas Christian Loyalty is not associated with any one homeland but to a kingdom and ruler not of this World. Nationalism is not a Christian Value. Nationalism is about identity, believing one nation is superior to, preferred over another where Christians believe that each person belongs to God or the Enemy and those are the choices. War is not a Christian Value. War has been considered a bloodthirsty deity used by many nations to fuel identity, patriotism and sentiment by those who lost a loved one in war but Christians should only value “Just” war, the last resort. Individualism is not a Christian Value. Many values are not focused on individual worth but an individual’s right to choose allowing one to be the center of their own universe where Christians believes every person matters from fetus to fertilizer, loved or hated, rich or poor welcoming on people equally to humble themselves before God finding their true identity. Materialism is not a Christian Value. However, the wellness of people are determined by their stuff acquired through material wealth where Christian strength is measured by their trust in God, their growth in Godly Character, and recognition of their weakness so they might more fully give glory to the one who is strong, just, and never lacking. So, when evaluating a value as Christian or not, we must determine if the use of this value supplements God’s mission.
One lay leader and one clergy who are presently involved with an outreach ministry or within a church context were interviewed across different locations in the United States. Five benchmark questions were asked of each person interviewed.
Interview with Lay Leader KM
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
Those who are seeking a growing relationship with Christ are pursuing Bible Study and are usually very regular in Church attendance and have established disciplines of personal prayer and Bible study. They are ambassadors of Christ in their daily lives by personal witness…they are givers, anxious to help those in need, and are encouragers. Those who may be walking away are fed up with Christians who they see are hypocrites; they are angry with what they perceive to be injustices to the LGBT community; and they do not see any relevance to the Bible or Christ in their lives. They may have been “hurt” by the church in some way.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
To be filled with the Holy Spirit, to have love for others, and to have a walk that matches with their talk.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
Now people can find a church through the internet and find all kinds of devotional material on the web. On the other hand, social media can be a huge distraction for non-Christians as well as Christians.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
To led a spirit filled life where one is aware of their sins and confesses them and turns away from sins; to pray often and to study the Bible and have an accountability group and fellowship with other Christians.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
I have seen a drop in attendance and a decline in the importance of church attendance. Although there are many people who identify themselves as Christian they do not attend any church at any time. Now there are so many options on Sundays such as athletic games, movies, shopping and all kinds of leisure activities. Folks who work six days a week think Sunday is their day not the Lord’s. Even regular church attenders are often absent from church because of the nearby lake, football games or vacations and grandchildren. People are easier turned off by their pastors, church staff, or someone who might have hurt their feelings, so they stop going. People may say that they can worship God outside, it doesn’t have to be in the church building.
Interview with Clergy (Ordained Minister) AS
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
In all honestly, this question convicts me as a pastor because I cannot think of anyone at present. I need to open my eyes more and become more intentional with those who may be seeking a relationship with Christ of who may be walking away.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
Grace/love, not pushy, a good witness of Christ in their own lives.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
I think technology is kinds of like money. It’s a tool. It’s neutral. Really not good or bad. So, technology had done both. For example, Facebook is a great place to share Bible verses, sermon videos, etc. and even to directly share faith. However, it is also a place to blast people about their political views, etc. because you can do so from the safety of a keyboard or Smart Phone and not have to have an actual relationship or conversation with someone with whom you differ.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
Am I demonstrating that I am a follower of Christ? Am I intentionally looking for opportunities to share my faith, be a witness to Christ, and lead others to Christ? Perhaps the habit here is to regularly ask these sort of questions of myself.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
Both ups and downs. In the first church I served as an associate, people began to leave mainly because of an odd appointment. A former pastor of the church who had been gone for about six years was appointed to another church in the same town. This caused us to see who were the disciples of Jesus committed to their church and who were really more just fans of this pastor. I know this is mincing words and oversimplifying it.
In my current appointment, we have immediately witnessed an increase in church attendance. Many are coming back to check out the new pastors. I cannot wait to see church growth because of who we are and, more importantly who Jesus is, instead of seeing growth because of who we’re not.
Interview with a Lay Leader BC
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
I see busy lives and a sense of prioritizing activities (including church). I think that people are perceptive and know when there’s an “angle” or motive to enlist their participation. To be responsible in ministry, we are left with the task of proclaiming the Gospel and teaching why it matters. Being in the life of the church is similar to other activities but different in many ways. I’d consider exploring why time in church might not always seem on the surface as worthwhile as competing activities.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
conviction, authenticity, and dependability
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
I think for the most part, during the past 20 years, technology has led people away from each other and therefore away from Christ. This is not to say that technology cannot play an important role within the church, or be used by the church in terms of outreach. Where I see churches doing well with social media, I perceive vitality.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
Pursuit of the means of grace (including worship, consistent ministry, prayer, regular time in scripture). I am also finding increased vitality in ministry through the disciplines of fasting and sabbath.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
My primary observation is that a typical corps member a generation ago would be with the church more than two or three times weekly on average. Now, it seems that a typical corps member will be in worship half of the time it is offered and maybe at most meetings if they sit on a committee
Interview with Ordained Clergy TR
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
The main belief is simply that a commitment to participating in the life of the church isn’t beneficial enough to them. I see a lot of people who would still identify with Christianity, but almost only in name. They’re neither spiritual nor religious and don’t want it to take up space in their very full calendars or detract from their other choices for leisure time.
From those seeking a relationship with Christ, I see it often in moments of desperation. People going through life crises (esp. seeing this with divorces and separations) are seeking something to offer them hope. They believe Christian faith may have something to offer them.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
1. Orthodoxy – but that only at a very low level. I’m not concerned that someone is a brilliant theologian. But that they can at least articulate the centrality of the person of Christ and the event of the crucifixion/resurrection as the source and basis of our salvation, and repentance and belief as its condition. They don’t need to articulate those perfectly. But I’d hope they wouldn’t contradict them.
2. Compassion – we lead others to Christ in the way of Christ. That means love and compassion.
3. Church – I think of Cyprian’s “You cannot have God for your Father unless you have the Church for your mother.” If a person leading others to Christ is not leading them into the Church, they are not leading them into a Christianity recognizable by history or good theology.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
I think technology’s biggest way of leading people away from Christ is the way it consumes people’s time and attention. I wonder how many in our society have a low-level addiction (not to mention the high-level ones) to screens. That addiction keeps them out of many forms of community, including the church.
And of course, I’m sure some people are hearing the gospel and being introduced into the life of the church online. Though I don’t know of many of those cases.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
Prayer. Interacting with people, including people who aren’t involved in the life of the church. Making the choice to do uncomfortable things.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
It seems less consistent for a broad portion of our society. Regulars are 50-75%, whereas they used to be 90%. Sporadic have become even more sporadic. There are more options. I do think technology has changed things, including where people feel they have community, even when it isn’t real (see above). And societally, we have more two-earner homes and higher commitments for most extracurriculars which leads to busier schedules, less respect for Sunday morning as sacred time, and often more expendable income for people to travel and thus be less consistent.
Interview with a Lay Leader RD
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
Those who are seeking a relationship with Christ are putting actions to their faith. They are actually going out into places such as restaurants and taking the church to the people. Their beliefs are strong. They know God will provide no matter the situation.
Those who are walking away from Christ are falling for World Structures and Family rather than Jesus. They are focused more on what the world can do for them instead of what Jesus can do for them lacking the belief that God will provide. They are turning away because things in life are not going their way.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
1. Lordship of Christ – Jesus has to be the Lord of your life in order to lead others to Christ.
2. Supremacy of Scripture – As John Wesley noted, he was the “Man of one book”.
3. Love – All actions have to be centered in Love.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
1. Churches have started allowing tithing through the Internet. Tithing leads towards obeying God.
2. Technology has allowed great collaboration in preparation of Services. For example, Praise teams can continuously prepare their music throughout the week to better align the music with the Message for the upcoming Worship Service.
3. However, Technology keeps us constantly connected to the outside World and not just Christ. Technology can be distracting. People are wherever their phone is. Technology can show you a person’s time, money, and thoughts and very little is probably related to God’s Mission.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ.
1. Fill every day throughout the day with Scripture.
2. Maintain Jesus presence at all times, mentally and emotionally, as you did when your parents were present.
3. Be constant in Prayer.
4. Make Christ your life.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
People in the early years went to church because that is the way it was. It is harder to get people to attend church. People do not believe they have to attend church to be a believer. The original requirement to attend church is falling to the wayside.
Interview with Ordained Leader DG
1. What beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ.
My observation of the beliefs of those who are seeking a relationship with Christ is the fact that people really do believe that there is more to life than just going through the motions of it ( working, paying bills, raising a family, etc…) People inherently know that their lives are to have eternal significance and they long to be significant. They have looked for that significance in many areas, and only find it in Jesus.
My observation of the beliefs of those who are walking away from Christ is that they too look for significance, but are looking at the things, people, etc…that the world and the enemy tell them will lead to significance.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
I think the first value would be the value of Love. Love for God and love for the people God loves. Another key value stems from that love and that is the value of ALL people. In other words, if we love God and love the people that God loves then we will value ALL people and desire that they should be saved. A third value is Holiness. A desire to live a Godly and God pleasing life. When people see glimpses of the Lord in and through the way we live, they will want to know Him.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
Technology has been used mightily by the Lord to spread His Word and message and to connect people around the world for the purposes and fellowship of the Gospel. The enemy has also used technology to separate people ( a lack of true fellowship) as well as to spread that which is not holy and is sinful. So like anything else it can be used for great good or terrible bad.
4. What Habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
Love of God must be kindled and renewed through Bible study, Prayer and worship. Love of others through service and ministry, and a willingness to be intentional about leading people to Jesus.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in church attendance?
I have seen the attendance up and down. The thing I observe is what is behind the attendance shift. One negative…One positive.
The negative is people are not as committed to regular church attendance and so the “regular’ attender isn’t seen as every Sunday, but about twice a month. People aren’t seeing the value of being a part of corporate worship every Sunday.
The positive is seen in some of the alternative places, days, times, etc…where “church attendance” really takes place. An example of this is our “McChurch” worship (A weekly worship service held in McDonalds). Some people are very regular attenders of this worship service, but would not be “counted” (in some circles) as those who regularly attend church.
Interview with Ordained Leader KC
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
I’m seeing a few going deeper in the world by reading the Bible more and asking questions, and therefore seeking to be more like Him. I’m seeing some seeking a relationship with Jesus not necessarily for personal spiritual growth, but for programs and recreation the church can offer them so, in essence they aren’t truly seeking Him with their whole heart. What can Jesus do for them…not what they can do for Jesus. Jesus has already given them it all, but they don’t get it yet or don’t want to. They don’t want to go deep because going deep means unearthing things about themselves that they aren’t ready to give up or don’t want to let go of yet for Him. I’m also seeing those who say they are seeking Jesus or know him, but they won’t attend church or have fellowship with other believers. They want Jesus on their terms.
As far as those, walking away some being tested, but not persevering in their faith. They aren’t seeking our Jesus during those times, but are relying on prayers from the congregation to do the trick (like the seed that took root in shallow soil). Others said they were seeking Jesus, but have fallen away because their faith was in people from the church who failed them and not truly in Jesus, so they’ve become disillusioned and blame Jesus.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
Authenticity, Trustworthiness, Bravery
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
We’re living in a digital age. Technology can be a tool for leading others to Christ, but it shouldn’t be a substitute for being in “community” with others and spending time. We do need to be careful because as many of us live our lives online in this digital age, we’re being watched to see if our posts matched our actions. People who don’t know Jesus can be quickly turned away by one comment or post.
It helps us save money on paper so we can spend money more money on “others”. It helps us get things done FAST. It helps us communicate more efficiently. I believe God speaks through and uses technology to lead people to Christ. Ultimately, people are the only ones who can share the characteristics of Christ. Social media (which I love) creates a platform where people can state opinions as facts. Technology has assisted people in becoming more lazy. I often see people taking opinions they read on social media as facts. I believe this has a negative effect as it often creates arguments, false facts, and people becoming overly sensitive to things that simply aren’t factual or important. This can lead people away from Christ.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
Authenticity. Be real, be honest, be open. People need to hear authenticity. People need to hear that weather you’re Christian or not, we struggle. We struggle with faith, we struggle in our marriages, we struggle in our singleness, we struggle in our relationships, we struggle with our thoughts, we struggle praying, we struggle reading our Bible, and we struggle putting a fake smile on when we are dying inside. Live the freedom that Christ promises us in the Bible and enjoy life. People see how your living, whether you try to hide it or not.
One must be an example of Christ in everything we say, do, think, feel, and in our attitude. We’re called to go into the world and make disciples of everyone or at least try. Yes, we’re only human and are flawed, but we have to represent Jesus well. Too many times in our world, Jesus isn’t represented well, and people who don’t know Him are “turned off” and therefore aren’t willing to know Jesus.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
For me at least, in this particular geographical location, New England, the most irreligious area in our country, church attendance has diminished; fewer families; fewer young adults & teens, and an aging population of believers, but no one coming behind them. I’ve witnesses congregations joining together because attendance is low and churches “going out of business” having to sell their buildings to pay off debt.
Interview with a Lay Leader PD
1. What current beliefs are you currently witnessing in those who are seeking a relationship with Christ and walking away from Christ?
People that are seeking Christ are in the midst of realizing that they can’t do life on their own. Personally realizing that Christ is bigger than any situation is comforting when we realize how small we are. The spirit of Christ then reminds us that we are not alone and that in His power we can share the comfort we have received to others that are feeling small.
People that walk away, I believe, never quite gave in to the idea that it’s not about them. People have an idea of how things should go and become discouraged when it doesn’t go their way. I think they are still focusing on themselves and their situation and are led away.
2. What top three values would you rank as a requirement for a Christian leading others to Christ?
Humility is first. We may be further in the journey, but we all begin on the same footing. Be willing to share our struggles as testimony to Christ’s power. Patience is necessary because God and the people that prayed for me were patient. We may not see results, but have to trust that if we are planting seeds that the growth is up to the Lord. Lastly, if we want to share faith, we have to draw closer to God ourselves. I cannot share what I don’t have. Jesus himself went away from the crowds to be alone with his Father, we need to do the same. We all need humility, patience and faith to lead others to Christ.
3. What effect has technology played in leading others toward or away from Christ?
I think that the You version of the bible is an amazing resource. Having the Word at our fingertips is a wonderful technological development. Social media, when used positively, is a way to reach others too. Social media at its worst can turn people away when “religious” posts become about opinions that exclude and make generally negative statements that take the truth of the gospel out of context.
4. What habitual actions must be maintained in one’s own life in order to lead others to Christ?
We must always remember what the Lord has done in our lives and know that He wants others to have the same. I have seen some that have an initial mountain top experience and bowl people over with religion and zealous behaviors. Jesus himself was vocal, but humble in his presentation of the Gospel. Obviously prayer, reading the word, and fellowship with other believers have to take priority so we can be “sharpened” by one another.
5. Throughout your history as a follower of Christ, what changes have you witnessed in Church attendance?
I spent most of my early childhood in the church as a child sent without much parental involvement. I am happy to see that in the Salvation Army this ministry is alive and well. Unfortunately I see that many of the adults that come and go never really plug in. My opinion is that much of the time people are looking to be served, or looking to lead. Jesus came as a servant as we should also. The people that I see stick around are usually the ones that have a heart to serve.
Summary of Interviews
The interviews were taken by multiple people in different locations across the country. One major theme that occurs throughout every interviewee’s response is the idea of intentionality. It is easy to see from the responses that those who are currently seeking a relationship with Christ are doing so through intentional actions. The seekers are active and involved; they want to give back. Most see the need to act in a humble way and have an active prayer life. The same themes as well as love and being authentic also applied when discussing leading others to Christ. People are seeing others actively reach out to others in some sort of way that shows the love of Christ.
An interesting point is although some see a decline in church attendance, there is an increase in attendance in other non-traditional types of service. There appears to be different types of corporate worship developing. From the responses given we also see that those who are falling/walking away from Christ are doing so because of their focus on worldly things. Those falling away are using technology in a negative way, they are allowing the “busyness” of life to take a precedence, and they have stopped believing in one universal truth. It is unfortunate that some people are eager to use any excuse that comes their way as a means to avoid an intimate relationship with the Lord.
THINKING
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost;
For out in this world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you’re outclassed, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!
― Walter D. Wintle
THE OYSTER
There once was an oyster whose story I tell,
Who found that sand had got under his shell;
Just one little grain, but it gave him much pain,
For oysters have feelings although they’re so plain.
Now, did he berate the working of Fate
Which had led him to such a deplorable state?
Did he curse out the government, call for an election?
No; as he lay on the shelf he said to himself,
“If I cannot remove it, I’ll try to improve it.”
So the years rolled by as the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate destiny—stew.
And this small grain of sand which had bothered him so,
Was a beautiful pearl, all richly aglow.
Now this tale has a moral—for isn’t it grand
What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand;
What couldn’t we do if we’d only begin
With all of the things that get under our skin.
~ Author Unknown
DUST IF YOU MUST
Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better To paint a picture, or write a letter, Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there’s not much time, With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb; Music to hear, and books to read; Friends to cherish, and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world’s out there With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair; A flutter of snow, a shower of rain, This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.
~ Rose Milligan
LIVING LIFE
Life is not a race – but indeed a journey.
Be honest.
Work hard.
Be choosy.
Say “thank you”, “I love you”, and “great job” to someone each day.
Go to church, take time for prayer.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh.
Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper.
Love your life and what you’ve been given, it is not accidental ~ search for your purpose and do it as best you can.
Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to be.
Laugh often.
Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them.
Some of the best things really are free.
Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming.
Forgive, it frees the soul.
Take time for yourself ~ plan for longevity.
Recognize the special people you’ve been blessed to know.
Live for today, enjoy the moment.
~ Bonnie Mohr
THE DASH POEM
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning to the end.
He noted first came the date of the birth and spoke the following date with tears. But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.
For that dash represents all the time that they spent life on Earth. And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own, the cars, the house, the cash. What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.
Be less quick to anger and show appreciation more, and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?
~Burke
A NEW DAY POEM
This is the beginning of a new day.
We have been given this day
To use as we will.
We can waste it,
Or use it for good.
What we do today is very important
Because we are exchanging a day of our life for it.
When tomorrow comes,
This day will be gone forever,
Leaving in its place something we have traded for it.
May it be a gain, not loss;
Good not evil;
Success, not failure;
In order that we not regret
The price we paid for it.
~unknown
AFTERGLOW POEM
I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.
~ Helen Lowrie Marshall
It Couldn’t Be Done
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That “couldn’t be done,” and you’ll do it.
~ Edgar Albert Guest
DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns
And many a failure comes about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit
~ John Greenleaf Whittier
Book Club Reading List – Top 50
1. Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
4. The Harry Potter Collection 1-4 (Harry Potter, #1-4) by J.K. Rowling
5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
6. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
8. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
9. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
10. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
11. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
12. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
13. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
14. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
15. 1984 by George Orwell
16. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
17. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
18. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
20. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
21. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
22. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
23. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
24. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
25. Holy Bible: King James Version by Anonymous
26. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
27. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
28. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
29. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
30. The Stranger by Albert Camus
31. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
32. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
33. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
34. The Quiet American by Graham Greene
35. Moby-Dick, or, the Whale by Herman Melville
36. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
37. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
38. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
39. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
40. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
41. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
42. His Dark Materials (His Dark Materials #1-3) by Philip Pullman
43. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
44. On the Road On the Road by Jack Kerouac
45. Money by Martin Amis
46. A Bend in the River by V.S. Naipaul
47. Ulysses by James Joyce
48. The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
49. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
50. Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway
1. Go Sky Diving
2. Take a Cruise
3. Visit Las Vegas
4. Plant a Tree
5. Learn to Play an Instrument
6. Learn a New Language
7. Start a New Tradition
8. Test Drive My Dream Car
9. Ride in a Limo
10. Reach My Goal Weight
11. Write a Song
12. Design a Family Tree That Traces My Lineage
13. Send a Message in a Bottle
14. Ride in a Helicopter
15. Meet a Celebrity
16. Relive a Childhood Memory
17. Get Hypnotized
18. Start a New Business
19. Run a Marathon and Finish
20. Go to a Concert of a Favorite Band
21. Take a Day Trip to a Wildlife Reserve
22. Go On a Safari
23. Get a Part Time Job as Santa One December
24. Join a Club
25. Enter a Talent Show and Win
26. Skate on a California Boardwalk
27. Slide Down a Fireman’s Pole
28. Send a Secret Admirer Letter
29. Attend a Protest
30. Go White Water Rafting
31. Learn to Say Hello in 50 Languages
32. Attend a Drive-in Movie
33. Celebrate the Dia de Los Muertos Festival
34. Make a Time Capsule and Bury It
35. Party at Coachella
36. Start a Blog and Keep it Going for a Year
37. Have a Pen Pal in Another Country
38. Attend a Murder Mystery Dinner
39. Raise Chickens and Enjoy Fresh Eggs
40. Throw a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party for Someone
41. Be in a Play
42. Participate in a Fantasy Sports League and Win
43. Change my Hairstyle
44. Learn CPR
45. Get Dunked in a Dunking Booth
46. Stand on an Equator
47. Fall Asleep Under the Stars with Someone I Love
48. Have a Water Balloon Fight
49. Participate in an Open Mic Night
50. Take a Road Trip Down Route 66
51. Complete All New Year’s Resolutions I Set in a Year
52. Start a Weekly Game with Friends
53. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
54. Drink Directly from a Cocunut
55. Throw Myself a Birthday Party
56. Earn a Medal or Trophy in a Competition
57. Ride an Elephant
58. Visit the Local SCPA or Humane Society and Play with the Animals
59. Experience the Nothern Lights
60. Try a Martial Art
61. Take a Mud Bath
62. Climb a Mountain
63. Crash a Wedding
64. Get My Picture in the Newspaper
65. Participate in the Polar Bear Plunge
66. Wear a Snake Around my Neck
67. Get an Autograph of Someone Famous
68. Get on a Game Show
69. Ride on a Camel
70. Jump in a Bouncy Castle
71. Dress Up in a Disguise for a Day
72. Go to a Luau
73. Explore a Shipwreck
74. Try Mud Wrestling
75. Swim with Sea Turtles
76. Get 15 Minutes of Fame
77. Attend a Movie Premier
78. Post Something to YouTube
79. Get into a VIP Room/Lounge
80. Go to a Floating Lantern Festival
81. Try Panning for Gold
82. Successfully Throw a Boomerang
83. Visit a Vineyard
84. Get on Stage at a Concert
85. Write and Publish an eBook
86. Donate Money to a Worthy Cause
87. Swing from a Trapeze
88. Kiss Under a Mistletoe
89. Go to a Rodeo
90. Throw a Dart at a Map and Go Where it Lands
91. Go on a Spiritual Retreat
92. Swim with Dolphins
93. Gamble in Las Vegas
94. Try to be in Two Places at the Same Time
95. Try Yoga
96. Write a Screenplay
97. Shower under a Waterfall
98. Go on a Journey of Self-Discovery
99. Walk a Tightrope
100. Learn to Play the Didgeridoo
101. Witness a Geyser Erupting
102. Try to Find a Four-Leaf Clover
103. Name a Star
104. Get in a Taxi and Yell, “Follow That Car!”
105. Milk a Cow
106. Create your Own Card Game
107. Attend a Toga Party
108. Fly a Kite
109. Learn to Write Calligraphy
110. Build a Tree House
111. Read Over 100 Books in One Year
112. Go Parasailing
113. Sleep in a Hammock
114. Visit an Island
115. Try Hand Gliding
116. Kiss an Elephant’s Trunk
117. Get My Name in Lights
118. Make Someone’s Wish Come True
119. Fly in a Private Plane
120. Donate Hair to Cancer Patients
121. Enter a Contest
122. Be an Extra in a Movie
123. Dance on a Bar
124. Go Deep-Sea Fishing
125. Take a Sailing Trip Somewhere
126. Have an Alice in Wonderland Themed Dinner Party
127. Adopt a Dog
128. Take My Dream Vacation
129. Walk the Red Carpet at an Event
130. Go Camping
131. Create a Children’s Book
132. Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter
133. Dance on a Conga Line
134. Dye My Hair a Crazy Color for a Day
135. Give Blood
136. Invent Something Useful
137. Make Homemade Ice Cream
138. Have my Portrait Painted
139. Climb to the Crow’s Nest of a Ship and Take a Photo of the View
140. Enter an Eating Contest
141. Visit a Ghost Town
142. Visit a Tropical Rain Forest
143. Give a Motivational Speech to an Audience
144. Ride in a Spaceship Flight Simulator
145. Learn Self Defense
146. Inner Tube Down a Lazy River
147. Try to Get a Celebrity to Tweet Me or Retweet a Post I Made
148. Take a Pottery Class
149. Kiss a Stranger
150. Ride on a Parade Float
151. Give up Five Bad Habits for at Least a Year
152. Learn a Magic Trick
153. Ride on a Gondola
154. Make a Difference in at Least One Person’s Life
155. Have a Summer Romance
156. Canoe Down a River
157. Buy Myself an Entire New Wardrobe
158. Visit 5 National Parks
159. Explore a Cave
160. Catch a Foul Ball at a Baseball Game
161. Visit a Castle
162. Build a Greenhouse
163. Ride a motorcycle from Coast to Coast
164. Eat Street Food in a Foreign Country
165. Go Jet Skiing
166. Bungee Jump
167. Have a Candle Light Dinner
168. Sleep on the Beach
169. Walk on Stilts
170. Hold Up the Leaning Tower of Pisa
171. Learn to Play the Drums
172. Visit the Birthplace of My Ancestors
173. Visit Hawaii
174. Create a New Recipe
175. Visit Every State in the United States
176. Attend a Masquerade Ball
177. Explore the Grand Canyon
178. Learn to Juggle
179. Visit Stonehenge
180. Volunteer at a Hospital
181. Go Rock Climbing
182. See a Lunar Eclipse
183. Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk
184. Make an Investment in Something
185. Host a Family Reunion
186. Pay it Forward Every Day for One week
187. Find a Real Pearl in an Oyster
188. Go Off-Roading
189. Take a Life Drawing Class
190. Submit a Photo to National Geographic
191. Read s Story at an Elderly Community
192. Serenade Someone in Public
193. Go to an Award Show
194. Try Every Flavor of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
195. Compete in a Row Boat Race
196. Play a Round of Golf
197. Renovate an Old Piece of Furniture
198. See a Shooting Star
199. Go to the Top of the Eiffel Tower
200. Line Dance
201. Have a Cowboy Cookout
202. Swim in the Dead Sea
203. Give a Lecture at a School
204. Bathe in a Mineral Spring
205. Roast Marshmallows at a Campfire
206. DJ a Party
207. Go to a Food Festival
208. Master my Physical Fitness Level
209. Go on a Zip-Line
210. Take Toys to a Children’s Hospital
211. Ride a Mechanical Bull
212. Learn Survival Skills
213. Go Kite Boarding
214. Visit Disneyworld or Disneyland
215. Jump on a Pogo Stick
216. Tour a Ruin
217. Try a Zumba Class
218. Build an Igloo
219. Tie Messages on a Bunch of Ballons and Let Them Go
220. Be a Part of a Flash Mob
221. Teach a Class on any Subject
222. Learn to Ballroom Dance
223. Try Glass Blowing
224. Sit in the Very Front Seat of a Rollover Coaster
225. Go on a Blind Date
226. Play Spin the Bottle with People at a Party
227. Start a Food Fight
228. Attend any of the Olympic Games
229. Complete a Triathlon
230. Be on TV
231. Stomp Grapes at a Vineyard
232. Write a Letter to myself and Open it in 10 Years
233. Drink Water from a Glacier
234. Go to a Live Auction and Place a Bid
235. Cash in a Winning Lottery Ticket of Scratch Off
236. Pet a Stingray
237. Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame
238. Get a License for Something other than Driving
239. Learn How to Surf and Go Surfing
240. Go Horseback Riding
241. Have a Monk Bless Me
242. Volunteer as a Big Brother/Sister for a Day
243. Write a Message in Wet Cement
244. Bicycle Across a Bridge
245. Target Practice and Hit the Bull’s-Eye
246. Find My Way Out of a Maze
247. Get a Degree
248. Live in another Country
249. Build Something that Flies
250. Start a Collection of Something
251. Play Charades at a Party
252. Enjoy and Document a Year’s Worth of Exploration
253. Take a Pottery Class
254. Kiss Someone at Midnight on New Year’s Eve
255. Climb a Tree
256. Go to a Jazz Club
257. Learn to Ice Skate
258. Read the Bible
259. Get a Book Autographed by its Author
260. Go to a Theme Park and Ride Every Ride
261. Touch the Hollywood Sign
262. Go Scuba Diving
263. See a Broadway Show
264. Visit a Wax Museum
265. Take an Online Course to Better Myself
266. Visit a Volcano
267. Mentor a Young Person
268. Have a Date in Central Park, New York
269. Watch the Ball Drop Live on New Year’s Eve in Times Square
270. Race a Car on a Racetrack
271. Go to a Formal Party
272. Go Night Swimming in the Ocean
273. Write a Business Plan for a Company I’ve Been Thinking About
274. Try to Beat a Guinness World Record
275. Watch a Symphony Perform
276. Build a Snowman
277. Have a Spa Day
278. Swim with Sharks
279. Visit Hollywood
280. Ride in a Biplane
281. Get Backstage at a Concert
282. Do a Road Trip Across the USA
283. See a Solar Eclipse
284. Go Dogsledding
285. Sing at a Karaoke Club
286. Ride a Train
287. Learn how to Lasso
288. Collect Honey from a Beehive
289. Skate Board
290. Make a Bucket List
1. Express gratitude for having been graced with a role in life impacting not only individuals but the world for a lifetime.
2. Never cause another brother or sister to stumble.
3. Listen actively to feedback and constructive critiques.
4. Demonstrate humility and open-mindedness toward others.
5. Serve as a role-model representing a character of high integrity with utmost respect for others.
6. Support effective behaviors and healthy relationships through zero-tolerance for the belittling, mocking, shaming, or ridiculing of others.
7. Demonstrate a character of responsibility, honesty, and professionalism.
8. Shepherd others with your instructions.
9. Foster an optimistic environment consisting of fairness, honesty, loyalty, equality, and trustworthiness.
10. Maintain self-awareness of actions and words.
11. Express concern and accountability for the welfare and safety of others; identify those straying from a path of excellence and gently navigates them back in the correct direction.
12. Assist others in recognizing their individual, natural born gifts and the ability to coexist with the gifts offered by others.
13. Focus on serving with an open heart and sharing your wisdom or gift with others.
14. Focus on consistent and ethical task accomplishment.
15. Demonstrate commitment, adaptability and flexibility.
Christianity gets its name from the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and it is all about a relationship with Jesus from whom the religion gets its name. While Christ’s time on this earth in human form was not long, His presence had a profound impact on every living person thousands of years ago when He walked the earth and still continues to have an impact on people of today. Christ came as a baby and he was truly and properly God and truly and properly man. He came to this world not to perform miracles, but to lead God’s people back to God. Christ did this though acts of kindness and love with the ultimate act being Him tortured, crucified on a cross, and the rising from the dead three days later. According to Thomas Oden, “The meaning of Christianity is undecipherable without grasping the meaning of Christ’s life and death and living presence” (213). Christ’s death on the cross tore the veil that was separating us from God. Through Jesus’ death, we can now have a direct relationship with God and we can have eternal salvation.
Oden goes on to write, “Being a Christian does not mean, first, and foremost, believing in a message. It means believing in a person. Christian teaching hopes to show the way that leads to faith in this person. The Christian community emerges and live out of personal trust in this person” (213). Living and believing in this person is not easy now, nor was it easy during his lifetime or right after Jesus’ death. Jewish leaders were very hostile to Jesus. Although the Jewish leaders had many reasons for the disdain of Jesus, the biggest one is found in Mark 14:62 where Jesus states, “I am [the Christ, the Son of the Blessed], and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
As Jesus’ reputation as a healer and miracle worker grows more and more, crowds begin to come to Him. The hostility of the Jewish leaders grew as the crowds did. According to an article by Kevin DeYoung in The Gospel Coalition, “Jewish leaders looked down on him for eating with sinners and associating with those deemed unclean or unworthy. But most of all, they hated Jesus because he claimed to be from God, and as time went on, dared to make himself equal to God.”
Jesus had followers who learned and taught His teachings. These followers who later became known as disciples also faced opposition from Jewish leaders. Ultimately Jesus was crucified on a cross, but rose on the third day. Jesus appeared to the disciples to explain the scriptures in such a way they could understand. In Luke 24:46-48a Jesus says to His disciples, “this is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Jesus had to die and rise so that everything written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms would be fulfilled (Luke 24:44).
After Jesus’ persecution His followers were scattered all over the nations after fleeing for their lives. This helped to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To this day, we Christians are continuing to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Christians all over the world are persecuted and martyred for their faith. We will continue, despite opposition, to spread the Good News and make disciples because we know Christ to be true and our faith is firm.
Though we have been given instruction, The Word of God, with only one mission, “go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation (Mark 16:15), many areas must be considered. Dr. Stephen Martyn brought attention to many these areas as John Wesley did. These areas included but are not limited to Community, Prayer, Worship, Sacraments, Tithing, Fasting, Service, Body, and most importantly staying connected to God through his Word. We are to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). In doing this, a community of trusted relationships must be established.
As Ogden reminded us, currently many churches are 3000 miles wide but only an inch deep (Ogden 23) and many recipients of the Word of God are only passive in Nature (Ogden 24). Unfortunately, only a small percentage of believers have the discipline required (Ogden 26). Even Pastors have been diverted from their primary calling to “equip the saints for the work of ministry (Ogden 24). In developing disciples, methods are needed, but we have tried too often to make disciples through programs (Ogden 42). When developing others to be disciples, we must gradually move them different stages. Jesus moved his disciples through stages. These stages included Pre-discipline (Inquiry), Developmental (Living Example – I do, you watch), Provocative Teacher (I do, You Help), Supportive Coach (You do, I Help), the Ultimate Delegator (You Do, I Watch). These stages were demonstrated by Jesus but unfortunately have been ignored many times over (Ogden 79-98). Developing disciples is similar to a child moving from infancy to Adulthood (Ogden 103-118).
But, if we get a person to the Adulthood stage, we must remember that the disciple making (Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring, Leading) does not stop. Disciple Making is a lifetime process for each person. The process must be done slowly to build a solid foundation. Many times, committees are developed, who develop a program in an attempt to make disciples as if they were on a conveyor belt. Instead we need to focus on relationships built over time in an effort to make disciples. Hopefully, this model will lead to the multiplication of disciples over generations to come. Discipling is a process where the more experienced follower shares with a new believer the commitment, understanding, and basic skills to know and obey Jesus Christ as Lord (Ogden 140). So, to maintain this transformation, the environmentals must be maintained: Transparent Trust, Truth of God’s Word, and finally and foremost, mutual accountability. To do this, a covenant must be created between oneself and God and oneself and one another. Legacies are not about leaving large sums of money or getting a name etched on a building. We, as Christians, should see ourselves as a link to the next generation and generations to come. But we must practice our handoff, so the legacy established by Jesus lives on in all the hearts of those who live now and those who are to come.
1. Reverence the name of God and honor the Lord’s Day by divine worship and spiritual edification, participating in those activities which contribute to the moral and spiritual purposes of this day.
2. Seek only the leading of the Holy Spirit and abstain from all forms of spiritism, such as the occult, witchcraft, astrology, and other similar practices.
3. Contribute faithfully one-tenth of all increase as a minimum financial obligation to the Lord and freewill offerings in addition as God has prospered you and exercise faithful stewardship through the wise use of time and material resources, practicing careful self-discipline in order to further the mission of Christ’s church.
4. Regard the body as temples of the Holy Spirit avoiding the use of anything which would not help build the fellowship of the church, would not help the believers to realize their full potential in Christ, or which would enslave them.
5. Provide clear testimony to Christian purity and modesty by properly clothing the body and by dressing with Christian simplicity.
6. Follow the teachings of the Scriptures regarding gender identity and sexual conduct.
7. Follow the teachings of the Scriptures regarding marriage and divorce affirming that sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual relationships between persons of the same sex are immoral and sinful, and further affirming that marriage between one man and one woman is God’s design, and regarding sexual sin of the spouse, such as adultery, homosexual behavior, bestiality, or incest, as clear biblical grounds for considering divorce, and then only when
appropriate counseling has failed to restore the relationship.
8. Preserve the sanctity of the home by honoring Christ in every phase of family life and by demonstrating Christlike love (always avoiding violence, including physical, psychological, emotional, or sexual abuse toward one’s spouse or family members, as well as sexual infidelity or desertion, any of which warrant church discipline for the offender and may justify separation or divorce if true repentance and appropriate counseling cannot bring about reconciliation), and by living peacefully with one another, thereby building up one’s spouse and family members through word and deed, and encouraging the nurture and education of the children in the Christian faith so as to bring them early to the saving knowledge of Christ.
9. Work together for the advancement of God’s kingdom and for the mutual edification of fellow believers in holiness, knowledge, and love; walk together in Christian fellowship by giving and receiving counsel with gentleness and affection by praying for each other, helping each other in sickness and distress, and demonstrating love, purity, and courtesy to all.
10. Grow in the knowledge, love, and grace of God by participating in public worship, the ministry of the Word of God, the Lord’s Supper, family and personal devotions, and fasting.
11. Preserve the fellowship and witness of the Church with reference to the use of languages believing in the miraculous use of languages and the interpretation of languages in its biblical and historical setting but contrary to the Word of God by teaching that the use of an ecstatic prayer language has no clear scriptural sanction, or any pattern of established historical usage in the church. Therefore, the use of prayer language only readily understood by the congregation is to be used in public worship.
12.Do good as much as is possible to all people as God gives opportunity, especially to those in the body of Christ, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the destitute, by visiting or helping those who are sick or in prison; and by instructing, correcting, or encouraging in love.
13. Respect the inherent individual rights of all persons, regardless of race, color, or sex.
14. Live honestly being just in all dealings and faithful in all commitments.
15. Manifest social concern in every manner that is in keeping with Christian testimony.
16. Avoid the use of anything which would damage the body, destroy the family, harm society, undermine the fellowship of the church, hinder reaching full potential in Christ, enslave the will, inhibit evangelism, breach the Lord’s command to love God supremely and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, or become a stumbling block to the young in age or faith,
17. Practice self-discipline and temperance in matters of proper eating, exercise, and rest.
18. Overcome both the practice of sinful activity such as immoral and sinful sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual relationships between persons of the same sex leading to the practice of keeping the sexual experience, within the framework of marriage, a gift of God to be enjoyed as communion of a man and woman, as well as for the purpose of procreation.
19. Set aside one day a week, The Lord’s Day, as prescribed by God for the spiritual, mental, and physical well-being of humankind.
20. Recognize and preserve the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death opposing the use of induced abortion while recognizing that there may be rare pregnancies where there are grave medical conditions threatening the life of the mother, which could raise a serious question about taking the life of the unborn child in which such a case, a decision should be made only after very prayerful consideration following medical and spiritual counseling.
21. Exercise responsible stewardship of time for worship, work, rest, personal leisure, and service to others giving Special care to honoring Christ in one’s choices and pursuit of entertainment to include refusing to patronize and carefully regulate the use in the home of activities, media, and communication where they feature the cheapening of human life, the gratuitously violent, the use of immoral or profane language, and the sexually explicit and pornographic.
22. Refrain from membership in secret societies and lodges which are oath bound, believing that the quasi-religious nature of such organizations divides the Christian’s loyalty, their secret nature contravenes the Christian’s open witness, and the secret nature of their oaths is repugnant to the Christian conscience.
23. Choose total abstinence, the willing act of self-discipline, by voluntarily refraining from and totally avoiding the use of something in all unnecessary circumstances as determined by the individual Christian’s conscience in submission to the lordship of Christ and the admonitions of the Church and never a test of salvation or evidence of superior spirituality.
24. Avoid involvement with activities that tend to be addictive or conducive to gambling (i.e. risking one’s assets or property on the outcome of legal or illegal games of chance, including government-sponsored lotteries) believing gambling violates the principle of Christian stewardship and is harmful to the individual in that it is emotionally addictive; is a poor example to others polluting the moral climate of society in managing the resources of God or trust in God’s provision; appeals to greed; endangers families; lowers socio-economic standards and self-esteem; engenders false hope; and is exploitative in that it takes advantage of the misplaced hopes, compulsions, or poor judgment of others.
25. Abstain from and Oppose using, trafficking producing, purchasing, misusing, or abusing alcoholic beverages, tobacco, narcotics, other harmful drugs, unprescribed use of hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants, regularly prescribed medicines, or any substances destructive to physical, mental, and spiritual health (unless for mechanical, chemical, or medicinal purposes) which unarguably negatively impact the spiritual character and nature of individuals and the welfare of society to include the creation of barriers to conversion, family dysfunction and breakdown, poverty, disease and death, increased violence and crime, the incalculable loss to national economies, and the destruction of the individual caught by the power of addiction.
Acts 1:8
(New International Version)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 4:32
(New International Version)
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
Acts 20:32
(New International Version)
32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Colossians 1:19-20
(New International Version)
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Colossians 2:6-7
(New International Version)
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:13-14
(New International Version)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 4:6
(New International Version)
6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
1 Corinthians 10:13
(New International Version)
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
(New International Version)
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
1 Corinthians 15:10
(New International Version)
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
2 Corinthians 1:15
(New International Version)
15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice.
2 Corinthians 5:17
(New International Version)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 12:9
(New International Version)
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Deuteronomy 14:22
(New International Version)
22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
Ephesians 1:4-6
(New International Version)
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 2:8-10
(New International Version)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 5:1-2
(New International Version)
5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:15-16
(New International Version)
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 6:10-18
(New International Version)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:17
(New International Version)
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Galatians 1:15-16
(New International Version)
15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being
Galatians 5:22-23
(New International Version)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Genesis 1:28
(New International Version)
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Hebrews 2:10
(New International Version)
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.
Hebrews 4:16
(New International Version)
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 6:19
(New International Version)
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 9:27-28
(New International Version)
7 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 10:24-25
(New International Version)
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 12:14
(New International Version)
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Isaiah 40:30-31
(New International Version)
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 59:2
(New International Version)
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
James 1:2-3
(New International Version)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:17
(New International Version)
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 4:6
(New International Version)
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
James 4:17
(New International Version)
17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Jeremiah 17:7
(New International Version)
7 But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
Jeremiah 29:11
(New International Version)
11 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.
John 1:12-13
(New International Version)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:14
(New International Version)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3:16
(New International Version)
16 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 4:23-24
(New International Version)
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 5:24
(New International Version)
24 Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
John 6:35
(New International Version)
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 13:34
(New International Version)
34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 14:6
(New International Version)
6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:15
(New International Version)
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
John 14:20
(New International Version)
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
John 14:26
(New International Version)
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 15:5
(New International Version)
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:13
(New International Version)
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 16:33
(New International Version)
33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 17:3
(New International Version)
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
1 John 1:8-10
(New International Version)
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
1 John 3:4
(New International Version)
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:16
(New International Version)
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 5:13
(New International Version)
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Joshua 24:15
(New International Version)
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Luke 9:62
(New International Version)
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 10:27
(New International Version)
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Luke 18:1
(New International Version)
18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Luke 22:42
(New International Version)
42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Mark 2:17
(New International Version)
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 3:34-35
(New International Version)
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 4:18-22
(New International Version)
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 6:31-33
(New International Version)
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 7:7
(New International Version)
7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 11:28-33
(New International Version)
28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 13:24-33
(New International Version)
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Matthew 22:35-40
(New International Version)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 25:35-36
(New International Version)
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Matthew 28:19-20
(New International Version)
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Numbers 6:22-26
(New International Version)
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’
1 Peter 1:13
(New International Version)
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
1 Peter 2:24
(New International Version)
4 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
1 Peter 3:18
(New International Version)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
1 Peter 4:10
(New International Version)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 5:6
(New International Version)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
2 Peter 1:10
(New International Version)
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:4-6
(New International Version)
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:1-2
(New International Version)
2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Philippians 2:12-13
(New International Version)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Philippians 4:6
(New International Version)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:13
(New International Version)
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Proverbs 3:34
(New International Version)
34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
Proverbs 27:17
(New International Version)
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Psalm 45:2
(New International Version)
2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
Psalm 61:4
(New International Version)
4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 118:24
(New International Version)
24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
Psalm 119:105
(New International Version)
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 139:13-16
(New International Version)
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Revelation 20:15
(New International Version)
15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 22:14
(New International Version)
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
Romans 1:16
(New International Version)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Romans 3:22-25
(New International Version)
22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 4:5
(New International Version)
5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 5:8
(New International Version)
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:17
(New International Version)
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 5:19
(New International Version)
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Romans 6:23
(New International Version)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:28
(New International Version)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:31
(New International Version)
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 10:9-10
(New International Version)
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans 10:12-13
(New International Version)
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 12:1-2
(New International Version)
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:6-8
(New International Version)
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
1 Thessalonians 2:16-17
(New International Version)
16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. 17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
(New International Version)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:16
(New International Version)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 4:2
(New International Version)
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Ambassador – equipped to deliver a message.
an authorized representative or messenger
Apostle – equipped to Send Others.
a person who initiates a great moral reform or advocates an important belief or system
Evangelist – equipped to Share the Good News
an enthusiastic advocate
Prophet – equipped to Bring a Holy Presence.
an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group
Shepherd – equipped for Soul Care.
to guide or guard in the manner of a shepherd
Teacher – equipped to Learn and Apply God’s truth.
one whose occupation is to instruct
Character and Attitude
Just – acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good.
Unwavering – continuing in a strong and steady way.
Sincerity – honesty of mind : freedom from hypocrisy.
Trustworthy – worthy of confidence.
Wisdom – ability to discern inner qualities and relationships.
Humility – freedom from pride or arrogance.
Influence – the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command; an emanation of spiritual or moral force.
Self-Control – restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires.
Perseverance – continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.
Endurance – the ability to withstand hardship or adversity.
Resilience – an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.
Joyful – experiencing, causing, or showing joy : HAPPY
.
Empathy – the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.
Surrender – to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another.
Unbias – free from all prejudice and favoritism.
Servitude – a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one’s course of action or way of life.
Forgiveness – to cease to feel resentment against (an offender).
Love – unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.
Action – the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition.
Grace – disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency.
Mercy – compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power.
Optimistic -feeling or showing hope for the future.
Patient – steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.
Peace – freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.
Faith – belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
Forbearance – a refraining from the enforcement of something (such as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due.
Acceptance – the act of accepting something or someone.
Contentment – to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions.
Excellent – very good of its kind : eminently good.
Gentleness – free from harshness, sternness, or violence.
Grateful – appreciative of benefits received.
Kind – of a sympathetic or helpful nature.
Focus
Imprisoned – to put in or as if in prison.
Sick – spiritually or morally unsound or corrupt; affected with disease or ill health.
Hungry – feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food.
Orphan – one deprived of some protection or advantage.
Widow – a woman who has lost her spouse or partner by death and usually has not remarried.
Homeless – having no home or permanent place of residence.
Oppressed – burdened by abuse of power or authority.
Poor – inferior in quality or value.
Elderly – of, relating to, or characteristic of later life.
THE MEANING BEHIND THE 13 FOLDS OF OLD GLORY
The flag-folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which the United States was originally founded.
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as American citizens trusting in God, it is Him we turn to in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country. In the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood. It has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that has molded the character of the men and women who have made this country great.
The 10th fold is a tribute to father, who has also given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.
The 13th and last fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
~ https://www.military.com/flag-day/meaning-behind-13-flag-folds.html
JUST THINK
Just think, your not here by chance, but by God’s choosing you.
His hand formed you, He made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else — your one of a kind.
You lack nothing His grace can’t give you.
He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.
~ Roy Lessin
FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING
Plant Three Rows of peas
1. Peace of Mind
2. Peace of Heart
3. Peace of Soul
Plant Four Rows of Squash
1. Squash Gossip
2. Squash Indifference
3. Squash Grumbling
4. Squash Selfishness
Plant Four Rows of Lettuce
1. Lettuce Be Faithful
2. Lettuce Be Kind
3. Lettuce Be Patient
4. Lettuce Relly Love One Another
No Garden is Complete without Turnips
1. Turnip for Meetings
2. Turnip for Service
3. Turnip To Help One Another
To Conclude Our Garden We Must Have Thyme
1. Thyme for Bible Study
2. Thyme for Prayer
3. Thyme for Family
4. Thyme for Each Other
Water freely with patience and cultivate with LOVE.
There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.
~ unknown
HEAVEN’S GROCERY STORE
I was walking down life’s highway
a long, long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read,
“HEAVEN’S GROCERY STORE.”
As I got a little closer, the door opened wide,
and I found myself standing inside.
I saw a host of ANGELS.
They were standing everywhere.
One handed me a basket and said,
“My Child, shop with care.”
Everything a human needed
was in that grocery store.
And if you couldn’t carry it all,
you could come back the next day for more.
First, I got some PATIENCE.
LOVE was in the same row.
Further down was UNDERSTANDING,
you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of WISDOM,
a bag or two of FAITH.
I just couldn’t miss the HOLY GHOST,
for it was all over the place.
I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE
TO HELP ME RUN THIS RACE.
By then my basket was getting full,
but I remembered I needed some GRACE.
I didn’t forget SALVATION,
for SALVATION was free.
So I tried to get enough of that
to save both you and me.
Then I started up to the counter
to pay my grocery bill.
For I thought I had everything
to do the MASTER’S will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw PRAYER;
and I just had to put that in,
for I knew when I stepped outside,
I would run into sin.
PEACE and JOY were plentiful;
they were last on the shelf.
SONG and PRAISE were hanging near,
so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel,
“Now, how much do I owe?”
He smiled again and said, “MY CHILD,
JESUS PAID YOUR BILL A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.”
~ Ron DeMarco
IMAGO DEI—THE GOAL OF HUMAN LIFE
The most important is
not what we are
but what we well might be
Maybe cannot be as yet
but can and shall become.
~ Danish Poet Inger Christensen
THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST
More than nineteen hundred years ago, there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.
He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education.
In infancy He startled a king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the waves as pavement, and hushed the sea to sleep.
He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service.
He never wrote a book, and yet perhaps all the libraries of the world could not hold the books that have been written about Him.
He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the songwriters combined.
He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students.
He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired.
He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near.
Once each week multitudes congregate at worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.
The names of the past, proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone. But the name of this Man multiplies more and more. Though time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the mockers at His crucifixion, He still lives. His enemies could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.
He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the risen, personal Christ, our Lord and Savior.
~ unknown
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
One night I had a dream…
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, And Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life, There was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way; But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, There is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why in times when I needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child. I love you, and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.
THE CROSS IN MY POCKET
I carry a cross in my pocket
A simple reminder to me Of the fact that I am a Christian
No matter where I may be
This little cross is not magic Nor is it a good luck charm It isn’t meant to protect me From every physical harm
It’s not for identification For all the world to see It’s simply an understanding Between my Savior and me
When I put my hand in my pocket To bring out a coin or key The Cross is there to remind me Of the price He paid for me
It reminds me too, to be thankful For my blessings day by day And to strive to serve Him better In all that I do and say
It’s also a daily reminder Of the peace and comfort I share With all who know my Master And give themselves to Him care
So, I carry a cross in my pocket Reminding no one but me That Jesus Christ is Lord of my life If only I’ll let Him be
~ Verna Thomas
AMBER
AMBER – Glory of God, His judgment upon sin, and endurance (Ezekiel 1:4).
BLACK
BLACK – Darkness, sin, Earth, affliction, humiliation, calamity, death, mourning
Black symbolizes sin, darkness, death, and catastrophe (Zephaniah 1:15). Black, applied to the hair (Leviticus 13:31), and to horses (Zechariah 6:2,6). The word rendered “brown” in Genesis 30:32 (R.V., “black”) means properly “scorched”, i.e., the color produced by the influence of the sun’s rays. “Black” in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner’s robes (Jeremiah 8:21; 14:2), to a clouded sky (1 Kings 18:45), to night (Micah 3:6; Jeremiah 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16). It is used as symbolical of evil in Zechariah 6:2,6 and Revelations 6:5. It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jeremiah 14:2; Lamentations 4:8; 5:10).
BLUE
BLUE – Heaven, the Holy Spirit, authority
Blue in the Bible represents the heavens and the Word of God. In Exodus, when Moses, his sons, and 70 elders of Israel went up to Mount Sinai to worship God, they saw God and described the pavement under His feet as being bright as the blue sky (Exodus 24:10). Following this encounter, Moses received the 10 commandments. Blue is translated in Hebrew as tekelet. Tekelet was the color assigned for priest’s clothing, in particular, their hems (Exodus 28:5-6). In Luke 8:40-48, the woman with the issue of blood was healed by our High Priest, Jesus Christ, when she touched the hem of His garment. Therefore, blue is also accredited with being the color of God’s healing and grace.
BRONZE
Bronze stands for strength and durability. As an alloy, it is hard and durable and was used to make the ten brazen lavers, which were basins for washing (Exodus 30:18) and the Molten Sea, a large basin for ablution of the priests in the temple Solomon built (1 Kings 7:23-26). In the Book of Revelation, Jesus’ feet are described as being like bronze (Revelation 1:15).
BROWN
BROWN – End of season, rags, people, pride, weary, faint
Brown symbolizes the earth. It was often used as the color of a monk’s robe in the Bible, representing humility and devotion. It is also used to represent God’s association with the commonplace and the ordinary. His humanity. Brown is associated with wood in many passages, which is linked to salvation (like Noah’s Ark and the Cross). Brown also symbolizes acceptance and compassion, as seen in Genesis 30: 24-42 in the story of Jacob.
GRAY
GRAY – Wisdom, dignity, honor, and humility.
GREEN
GREEN – praise, growth, prosperity, new beginning, flourishing, restoration
Green, being the color of vegetation, symbolizes life, restoration, and new beginnings (Psalm 1:3). Green is also the color of resurrection, which we experience in Spring.
LILAC/ORCHID
LILAC/ORCHID – Care and Father’s concern over the Lilies-of-the-field.
ORANGE
ORANGE – Fire of God, deliverance, passionate praise
Orange is made by mixing red (the color of the flesh) and yellow (trials) to create the color of fire. This represents the fire of God, deliverance, and praise from on high. Through trials, man can become purified through Christ’s fire and be delivered, earning praise from all that is holy and transcending his earthly flesh. In addition, orange represents the prophetic ministry and change. Think of the color of changing seasons and the harvest.
PINK/FUCHSIA
PINK/FUCHSIA – Right relationship with God
Pink symbolizes new life, Father’s heavenly care, and Rose of Sharon.
PURPLE
PURPLE – Priesthood, kingship, royalty, mediator, wealth
Purple represents royalty, majesty, and priesthood in the Bible (John 19:2). Purple, a color obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor. The coloring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye. Robes of this color were worn by kings (Judges 8:26) and high officers (Esther 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:7; Luke 16:19; Revelations 17:4). With this color was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Judges 8:26; Daniel 5:7, 16,29).
RED
RED – blood of Jesus, love of God, blood of lamb, atonement, salvation
Red is translated in the Old Testament as oudem, which means “red clay.” It is the root word for mankind. Biblical figures such as Adam (Genesis 2:7) and Esau (Genesis 25:25) have their names derived from the word oudem. The symbolism of red extends its meaning for mankind as a metaphor for humanity. In the Old Testament, the blood sacrifice of an animal meant atonement for one’s sin (Leviticus 17:11). The Israelites also painted the blood of a Passover lamb offering in order for the angel of death to pass over their homes during the tenth and final plague of Egypt (Exodus 12:1-13). However, red is most commonly associated with the blood of Jesus Christ that He spilled as the bond price for our Salvation on the cross at Calvary (Colossians 1:20). Red, applied to blood (2 Kings 3;22), a heifer (Numbers 19:2), pottage of lentils (Genesis 25:30), a horse (Zechariah 1:8), wine (Proverbs 23:31), the complexion (Genesis 25:25). This color is symbolical of bloodshed (Zechariah 6:2; Revelations 6:4; 12:3).
SAPPHIRE
SAPPHIRE – Law, commandments, grace, the Holy Spirit, divine revelation
SCARLET/CRIMSON
SCARLET/CRIMSON – Royalty, fine linen for tabernacle
Scarlet can represent sin (Isaiah 1:18), but it also refers to royalty (Daniel 5:16). In Isaiah 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Genesis 38:28,30, the word so rendered means “to shine,” and expresses the brilliancy of the color. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone. The only natural object to which this color is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread (Cant. 4:3). Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (2 Samuel 1:24; Proverbs 31:21; Jeremiah 4:30. Revelations 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior’s dress (Isaiah 9:5). The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this color (2 Chronicles 2:7).
SILVER
SILVER – Word of God, purity, divinity, salvation, truth, atonement, redemption
Silver is symbolic for the Word of God, divinity, salvation, and refining (Psalm 66:10).
TURQUOISE
TURQUOISE – River of God, sanctification, healing, New Jerusalem
Turquoise symbolizes tranquility, patience, the New Jerusalem, and God’s healing (Psalm 65:9).
VERMILION
Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar was a color used for drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Ezekiel 23:14), or for decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jeremiah 22:14).
WHITE
WHITE – Bride of Christ, surrender, harvest, light, righteousness, conquest, victory, blessedness, joy, angels, saints, peace, completion, triumph
White refers to holiness, light, purity, redemption, and the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:5). White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Genesis 49:12), manna (Ezekiel 16:31), snow (Isaiah 1:18), horses (Zechariah 1:8), raiment (Eccl. 9:8). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble (Esther 1:6). This color was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Revelations 19:8, 14), of joy (Ecclesiastes 9:8), and also of victory (Zechariah 6:3; Revelations 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Ezekiel 27:9; 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Exodus 39:27,28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Leviticus. 16:4,32), were white.
WINE
WINE – New birth, multiply, overflow
YELLOW/GOLD
YELLOW – Faith and Glory of God, anointing, joy
GOLD – Glory, divinity, kingship, eternal deity, foundation, altar, beauty, precious, holiness, majesty, righteousness
Yellow is referenced in the Bible by the Hebrew word charuts, which refers to the precious metal gold. Yellow and gold also represent the presence of God (Deuteronomy 4:24) and purification through fire (1 Peter 1:7).
Gold represents the sovereignty of God. In the Old Testament, Solomon had the Temple built and overlaid in gold, even down to the priest’s utensils (1 Kings 6). At Jesus’ birth, one of the gifts He received was gold (Matthew 2:11). Additionally, in The Book of Revelations, the New Jerusalem is referred to as a city of pure gold (Revelation 21:18). Gold is well-known as a precious metal, high-valuable and sought-after. There’s an obvious connection to God’s love, which is also highly precious, valuable, and sought-after (John 3:16). Jesus Christ is precious, as are His promises (1 Peter 2:7). When giving instructions for building the furniture in the Tabernacle, God gave precise instructions about the use of gold. Every piece of furniture was designed to point to Christ and His power. In the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant was made of acacia wood (to symbolize Jesus’s humanity) and overlaid with pure gold (symbolic of His divinity). The same materials were used to make the lampstand (pure gold) and the table of shewbread and incense altar (acacia wood overlaid with gold). Similarly, the mercy seat and two cherubim were also made of pure gold (Exodus 25:10-21). A prominent meaning of the color gold in the Bible is also to indicate false gods and the allure of the world. When Moses was on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites created and worshipped a calf made of gold. Nebuchadnezzar had a statue representing the kingdoms of men. The head of the statue was made out of gold, representing the sinful kingdom of Babylon. With this symbolism comes the warning that the wealth of this world will never satisfy the soul (Ezekiel 7:19). Literal gold will leave us wanting more, but the symbolic gold of Christ’s love will bring us full circle.
Kalu, M. 2019. Is There Any Significance to Colors in the Bible? https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/is-there-any-significance-to-colors-in-the-bible.html
Biblical Meaning of Colors. https://www.color-meanings.com/biblical-meaning-colors/
1. Believe Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and continues to be such even after His resurrection—fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and was buried to be a sacrifice both for original sin and for all human transgressions and to reconcile us to God, was resurrected on the third day, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and there intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand until He returns to judge all humanity at the last day.
2. Believe that all people have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and can be saved from eternal death only through faith in Jesus Christ, whose atoning death and resurrection secures for us eternal life.
3. Believe in one God, infinite Spirit, creator, and sustainer of all things, who exists eternally in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence but distinct in person and function.
4. Believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
5. Believe that God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; that He always has been and always will be; and that while His existence is completely beyond our human ability to comprehend, He knows and cares for each one of us individually.
6. Believe that we owe our eternal lives to Jesus Christ and that, to the best of our ability, we must model our earthly lives according to the example shown to us by His life here on Earth.
7. Believe in the Second Coming of Christ; in the judgment of sins when He does; and in eternal life in heaven for His followers.
8. Believe that it is His will that we care for those who are needy in spirit as well as those who have physical needs.
9. Believe that, as brothers and sisters in Christ, each one of us is an integral part of the body of Christ and that if we fail to use the gifts and talents that He has given us, we are not living up to our full potential, nor to His will.
10. Believe that it is our responsibility to lift each other up in prayer and fellowship so that each of us may grow deeper in our walk of faith.
11. Believe that you are to bear one another’s burdens.
12. Believe in the one living and true God, both holy and loving, eternal, unlimited in power, wisdom, and goodness, the creator and preserver of all things.
13. Believe the Father is the source of all that exists, whether of matter or spirit. With the Son and the Holy Spirit, He made man, male and female, in His image. By intention He relates to people as Father, thereby forever declaring His goodwill toward them. In love, He both seeks and receives penitent sinners.
14. Believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is of the same essential nature, majesty, and glory as the Father and the Son, truly and eternally God.
15. Believe that God is the administrator of grace to all, and is particularly the effective agent in conviction for sin, in regeneration, in sanctification, and in glorification. He is ever present, assuring, preserving, guiding, and enabling the believer.
16. Believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures, the inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts and superior to all human authority, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine. The canonical books of the Old Testament are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The canonical books of the New Testament are: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.
17. Believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man or woman that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
18. Believe that both in the Old and New Testaments life is offered ultimately through Christ, who is the only mediator between God and humanity. The New Testament teaches Christians how to fulfill the moral principles of the Old Testament, calling for loving obedience to God made possible by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit.
19. Believe that the two great commandments which require us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and our neighbors as ourselves, summarize the divine law as it is revealed in the Scriptures. They are the perfect measure and norm of human duty, both for the ordering and directing of families and nations, and all other social bodies, and for individual acts, by which we are required to acknowledge God as our only supreme ruler, and all persons as created by Him, equal in all natural rights.
20. Believe that all persons should so order all their individual, social, and political acts as to give to God entire and absolute obedience, and to assure to all the enjoyment of every natural right, as well as to promote the fulfillment of each in the possession and exercise of such rights.
21. Believe that every person is created in the image of God, that human sexuality reflects that image in terms of intimate love, communication, fellowship, subordination of the self to the larger whole, and fulfillment.
22. Believe that God’s Word makes use of the marriage relationship as the supreme metaphor for His relationship with His covenant people and for revealing the truth that this relationship is of one God with one people. Therefore God’s plan for human sexuality is that it is to be expressed only in a monogamous lifelong relationship between one man and one woman within the framework of marriage thus being the only relationship which is divinely designed for the birth and rearing of children and is a covenant union made in the sight of God, taking priority over every other human relationship.
23. Believe that sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual relationships between persons of the same sex are immoral and sinful according to the teachings of Scripture regarding gender identity, sexual conduct, and the sacredness of marriage.
24. Believe that humanity’s creation in the image of God included the ability to choose between right and wrong making individuals morally responsible for their choices.
25. Believe that through the disobedience of Adam and Eve sin entered the world and all creation suffered its consequences to include disruption of the relationship between God and humanity, deterioration of the natural order of creation, and exploitation of persons by evil or misguided social systems.
26. Believe that the residual effects of Adam and Eve’s disobedience include a marred human nature from which arise involuntary shortcomings, faults, infirmities, and imperfect judgments, which should not be accounted the same as willful sin.
27. Believe that since the fall of Adam, people are unable in their own strength to do what is right. This is due to original sin, which is not simply the following of Adam’s example, but rather the corruption of the nature of each mortal, and is reproduced naturally in Adam’s descendants.
28. Believe that because of Original sin, humans are very far gone from original righteousness, and by nature are continually inclined to evil. They cannot of themselves even call upon God or exercise faith for salvation.
29. Believe that the whole of creation groans for redemption. Each person is born with a proclivity toward sin, manifested in an inordinate orientation toward self and independence from God, leading to deliberate acts of unrighteousness.
30. Believe that Willful sin results when a morally accountable person chooses to violate a known law of God, using freedom of choice to please self rather than obey God.
31. Believe that the consequences of willful sin include a loss of fellowship with God, a self-absorption with one’s own interests rather than love and concern for others, a bondage to things which distort the divine image, a persistent inability to live righteously, and ultimately everlasting misery and separation from God.
32. Believe that fallen nature of humanity manifesting the shortcomings of God’s holiness necessitates the merits of atonement, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and the self-control of the believer. The atoning work of Christ is the only remedy for sin, whether original, willful, or involuntary
33. Believe that through Jesus Christ, the Prevenient grace of God, bestowed freely upon all, makes possible what humans in self effort cannot do and enables all who will, to turn and be saved.
34. Believe that Christ’s offering of Himself, once and for all, through His sufferings and meritorious death on the cross, provides the perfect redemption and atonement for the sins of the whole world, both original and actual. There is no other ground of salvation from sin but that alone.
35. Believe that Atonement is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race. It is unconditionally effective in the salvation of those mentally incompetent from birth, of those converted persons who have become mentally incompetent, and of children under the age of accountability.
36. Believe that Atonement is effective for the salvation of those who reach the age of accountability only when they repent and exercise faith in Christ.
37. Believe that for men and women to appropriate what God’s prevenient grace has made possible, they must voluntarily respond in repentance and faith.
38. Believe that, though the ability to repent comes from God, the act is the individual’s.
39. Believe that Repentance is prompted by the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit involving a willful change of mind that renounces sin and longs for righteousness, a godly sorrow for and a confession of past sins, proper restitution for wrongdoings, and a resolution to reform the life.
40. Believe that Repentance is the precondition for saving faith, and without it saving faith is impossible. Faith, in turn, is the only condition of salvation.
41. Believe that Saving faith begins in the agreement of the mind and the consent of the will to the truth of the gospel, but issues in a complete reliance by the whole person in the saving ability of Jesus Christ and a complete trusting of oneself to Him as Savior and Lord. Saving faith is expressed in a public acknowledgment of His lordship and an identification with His church.
42. Believe that when one repents of personal sin and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, that at the same moment that person is justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, and assured of personal salvation through the witness of the Holy Spirit.
43. Believe that Justification is the judicial act of God whereby a person is accounted righteous, granted full pardon of all sin, delivered from guilt, completely released from the penalty of sins committed, by the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith alone, not on the basis of works.
44. Believe that Regeneration, or the new birth, is that work of the Holy Spirit whereby, when one truly repents and believes, one’s moral nature is given a distinctively spiritual life with the capacity for love and obedience.
45. Believe that new life is received by faith in Jesus Christ enabling the pardoned sinner to serve God with the will and affections of the heart, and by it the regenerate are delivered from the power of sin which reigns over all the unregenerate.
46. Believe that Adoption is the act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer becomes a partaker of all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a child of God.
47. Believe that although good works cannot save us from our sins or from God’s judgment, they are the fruit of faith and follow after regeneration. Therefore they are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and by them a living faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.
48. Believe that after we have experienced Regeneration, it is possible to fall into sin, for in this life there is no such height or strength of holiness from which it is impossible to fall. But by the grace of God one who has fallen into sin may by true repentance and faith find forgiveness and restoration.
49. Believe that Sanctification is that work of the Holy Spirit by which the child of God is separated from sin unto God and is enabled to love God with all the heart and to walk in all His holy commandments blameless.
50. Believe that Sanctification is initiated at the moment of Justification and Regeneration. From that moment there is a gradual or progressive Sanctification as the believer walks with God and daily grows in grace and in a more perfect obedience to God. This prepares for the crisis of entire Sanctification which is wrought instantaneously when believers present themselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, through faith in Jesus Christ, being effected by the baptism with the Holy Spirit who cleanses the heart from all inbred sin.
51. Believe that the crisis of entire sanctification perfects the believer in love and empowers that person for effective service. It is followed by lifelong growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
52. Believe that the life of holiness continues through faith in the sanctifying blood of Christ and evidences itself by loving obedience to God’s revealed will.
53. Believe that the gift of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit Himself, and He is to be desired more than the gifts of the Spirit which He in His wise counsel bestows upon individual members of the church to enable them properly to fulfill their function as members of the body of Christ.
54. Believe that the gifts of the Spirit, although not always identifiable with natural abilities, function through them for the edification of the whole church. These gifts are to be exercised in love under the administration of the Lord of the church, not through human volition.
55. Believe that the relative value of the gifts of the Spirit is to be tested by their usefulness in the Church and not by the ecstasy produced in the ones receiving them.
56. Believe that the Christian church is the entire body of believers in Jesus Christ, who is the founder and only head of the church. The church includes both those believers who have gone to be with the Lord and those who remain on the earth, having renounced the world, the flesh, and the devil, and having dedicated themselves to the work which Christ committed unto His church until He comes.
57. Believe that the church on earth is to preach the pure Word of God, properly administer the sacraments according to Christ’s instructions, and live in obedience to all that Christ commands.
58. Believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the sacraments of the church commanded by Christ and ordained as a means of grace when received through faith as a tokens of our profession of Christian faith and signs of God’s gracious ministry toward us working within us to quicken, strengthen, and confirm our faith.
59. Believe that water baptism is a sacrament of the church, commanded by our Lord and administered to believers. It is a symbol of the new covenant of grace and signifies acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ. By means of this sacrament, believers declare their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.
60. Believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death and of our hope in His victorious return, as well as a sign of the love that Christians have for each other. To such as receive it humbly, with a proper spirit and by faith, the Lord’s Supper is made a means through which God communicates grace to the heart.
61. Believe that the certainty of the personal and imminent return of Christ inspires holy living and zeal for the evangelization of the world.
62. Believe that at the return of Christ, He will fulfill all prophecies made concerning His final and complete triumph over evil.
63. Believe in the bodily resurrection from the dead of all people—of the just unto the resurrection of life, and of the unjust unto the resurrection of damnation.
64. Believe that the resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of the resurrection which will occur at Christ’s second coming. The raised body will be a spiritual body, but the person will be whole and identifiable.
65. Believe that the Scriptures reveal God as the judge of all and the acts of His judgment are based on His omniscience and eternal justice.
66. Believe that God’s administration of judgment will culminate in the final meeting of all persons before His throne of great majesty and power, where records will be examined and final rewards and punishments will be administered.
67. Believe that the Scriptures clearly teaches that there is a conscious personal existence after death.
68. Believe that the final destiny of each person is determined by God’s grace and that person’s response, evidenced inevitably by a moral character which results from that individual’s personal and volitional choices and not from any arbitrary decree of God.
69. Believe that Heaven with its eternal glory and the blessedness of Christ’s presence is the final abode of those who choose the salvation which God provides through Jesus Christ.
70. Believe that Hell with its everlasting misery and separation from God is the final abode of those who neglect the great salvation which God provides through Jesus Christ.
A Call to Rebuild the Temple
(Haggai 1:1-11, New Living Translation)
1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’” 3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! 7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. 9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. 10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
The New Temple’s Diminished Splendor
(Haggai 2:1-9, New Living Translation)
2 Then on October 17 of that same year, the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: 3 ‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ 6 “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Blessings Promised for Obedience
(Haggai 2:10-19, New Living Translation)
10 On December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: 12 ‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’” The priests replied, “No.” 13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?” And the priests answered, “Yes.” 14 Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin. 15 Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the Lord’s Temple. 16 When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. 17 I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the Lord. 18 “Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. 19 I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”
Hope for the Lord’s People
(Isaiah 10:20-34, New Living Translation)
20 In that day the remnant left in Israel, the survivors in the house of Jacob, will no longer depend on allies who seek to destroy them. But they will faithfully trust the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 21 A remnant will return; yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. 22 But though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. The Lord has rightly decided to destroy his people. 23 Yes, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, has already decided to destroy the entire land. 24 So this is what the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, says: “O my people in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you with rod and club as the Egyptians did long ago. 25 In a little while my anger against you will end, and then my anger will rise up to destroy them.” 26 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will lash them with his whip, as he did when Gideon triumphed over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb, or when the Lord’s staff was raised to drown the Egyptian army in the sea. 27 In that day the Lord will end the bondage of his people. He will break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders. 28 Look, the Assyrians are now at Aiath. They are passing through Migron and are storing their equipment at Micmash. 29 They are crossing the pass and are camping at Geba. Fear strikes the town of Ramah. All the people of Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, are running for their lives. 30 Scream in terror, you people of Gallim! Shout out a warning to Laishah. Oh, poor Anathoth! 31 There go the people of Madmenah, all fleeing. The citizens of Gebim are trying to hide. 32 The enemy stops at Nob for the rest of that day. He shakes his fist at beautiful Mount Zion, the mountain of Jerusalem. 33 But look! The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will chop down the mighty tree of Assyria with great power! He will cut down the proud. That lofty tree will be brought down. 34 He will cut down the forest trees with an ax. Lebanon will fall to the Mighty One.
A Taunt for Babylon’s King
(Isaiah 14:1-23, New Living Translation)
14 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. 2 The nations of the world will help the people of Israel to return, and those who come to live in the Lord’s land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies. 3 In that wonderful day when the Lord gives his people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and chains, 4 you will taunt the king of Babylon. You will say, “The mighty man has been destroyed. Yes, your insolence is ended. 5 For the Lord has crushed your wicked power and broken your evil rule. 6 You struck the people with endless blows of rage and held the nations in your angry grip with unrelenting tyranny. 7 But finally the earth is at rest and quiet. Now it can sing again! 8 Even the trees of the forest—the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon—sing out this joyous song:‘Since you have been cut down, no one will come now to cut us down!’ 9 “In the place of the dead there is excitement over your arrival. The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead stand up to see you. 10 With one voice they all cry out,‘Now you are as weak as we are! 11 Your might and power were buried with you. The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased. Now maggots are your sheet, and worms your blanket.’ 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ 15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. 16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? 17 Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’ 18 “The kings of the nations lie in stately glory, each in his own tomb, 19 but you will be thrown out of your grave like a worthless branch. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will be dumped into a mass grave with those killed in battle. You will descend to the pit. 20 You will not be given a proper burial, for you have destroyed your nation and slaughtered your people. The descendants of such an evil person will never again receive honor. 21 Kill this man’s children! Let them die because of their father’s sins! They must not rise and conquer the earth, filling the world with their ties.” 22 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I, myself, have risen against Babylon! I will destroy its children and its children’s children,” says the Lord. 23 “I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls, filled with swamps and marshes. I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Jerusalem’s Last Warning
(Jeremiah 6:1-30, New Living Translation)
6 “Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth-hakkerem! A powerful army is coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction. 2 O Jerusalem, you are my beautiful and delicate daughter— but I will destroy you! 3 Enemies will surround you, like shepherds camped around the city. Each chooses a place for his troops to devour. 4 They shout, ‘Prepare for battle! Attack at noon!’ ‘No, it’s too late; the day is fading, and the evening shadows are falling.’ 5 ‘Well then, let’s attack at night and destroy her palaces!’” 6 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through. 7 She spouts evil like a fountain. Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. I always see her sickness and sores. 8 Listen to this warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust. Listen, or I will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives.” 9 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Even the few who remain in Israel will be picked over again, as when a harvester checks each vine a second time to pick the grapes that were missed.”
Judgment for Disobedience
(Jeremiah 9:3-16, New Living Translation)
3 “My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord. 4 “Beware of your neighbor! Don’t even trust your brother! For brother takes advantage of brother, and friend slanders friend. 5 They all fool and defraud each other; no one tells the truth. With practiced tongues they tell lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning. 6 They pile lie upon lie and utterly refuse to acknowledge me,” says the Lord. 7 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “See, I will melt them down in a crucible and test them like metal. What else can I do with my people? 8 For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows. They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them. 9 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord. “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?” 10 I will weep for the mountains and wail for the wilderness pastures. For they are desolate and empty of life; the lowing of cattle is heard no more; the birds and wild animals have all fled. 11 “I will make Jerusalem into a heap of ruins,” says the Lord. “It will be a place haunted by jackals. The towns of Judah will be ghost towns, with no one living in them.” 12 Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it? 13 The Lord replies, “This has happened because my people have abandoned my instructions; they have refused to obey what I said. 14 Instead, they have stubbornly followed their own desires and worshiped the images of Baal, as their ancestors taught them. 15 So now, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Look! I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. 16 I will scatter them around the world, in places they and their ancestors never heard of, and even there I will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely.”
Weeping in Jerusalem
(Jeremiah 9:17-25, New Living Translation)
17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Consider all this, and call for the mourners. Send for the women who mourn at funerals. 18 Quick! Begin your weeping! Let the tears flow from your eyes. 19 Hear the people of Jerusalem crying in despair, ‘We are ruined! We are completely humiliated! We must leave our land, because our homes have been torn down.’” 20 Listen, you women, to the words of the Lord; open your ears to what he has to say. Teach your daughters to wail; teach one another how to lament. 21 For death has crept in through our windows and has entered our mansions. It has killed off the flower of our youth: Children no longer play in the streets, and young men no longer gather in the squares. 22 This is what the Lord says: “Bodies will be scattered across the fields like clumps of manure, like bundles of grain after the harvest. No one will be left to bury them.” 23 This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. 24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken! 25 “A time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit— 26 the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts.”
A Plot against Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 11:18-23, New Living Translation)
18 Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. 19 I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! “Let’s destroy this man and all his words,” they said. “Let’s cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever.” 20 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you. 21 This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord’s name.” 22 So this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says about them: “I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their boys and girls will starve to death. 23 Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.”
Jeremiah’s Shattered Jar
(Jeremiah 19:1-15, New Living Translation)
19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you. 2 Go out through the Gate of Broken Pots to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and give them this message. 3 Say to them, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will bring a terrible disaster on this place, and the ears of those who hear about it will ring! 4 “‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. 5 They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! 6 So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when this garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. 7 “‘For I will upset the careful plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will allow the people to be slaughtered by invading armies, and I will leave their dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals. 8 I will reduce Jerusalem to ruins, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will gasp at the destruction they see there. 9 I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.’ 10 “As these men watch you, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought. 11 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair. They will bury the bodies here in Topheth, the garbage dump, until there is no more room for them. 12 This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. 13 Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth—all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’” 14 Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth, the garbage dump where he had delivered this message, and he stopped in front of the Temple of the Lord. He said to the people there, 15 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will bring disaster upon this city and its surrounding towns as I promised, because you have stubbornly refused to listen to me.’”
Judgment on False Prophets
(Jeremiah 19:9-32, New Living Translation)
9 My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the Lord has spoken against them. 10 For the land is full of adultery, and it lies under a curse. The land itself is in mourning—its wilderness pastures are dried up. For they all do evil and abuse what power they have. 11 “Even the priests and prophets are ungodly, wicked men. I have seen their despicable acts right here in my own Temple,” says the Lord. 12 “Therefore, the paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall. For I will bring disaster upon them at the time fixed for their punishment. I, the Lord, have spoken! 13 “I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin. 14 But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.” 15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets that wickedness has filled this land.” 16 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: “Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord! 17 They keep saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’ 18 “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence to hear what he is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen? 19 Look! The Lord’s anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked. 20 The anger of the Lord will not diminish until it has finished all he has planned. In the days to come you will understand all this very clearly. 21 “I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying. 22 If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds. 23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord. “No, I am far away at the same time. 24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord. 25 “I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name. 26 How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say. 27 By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal. 28 “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain! 29 Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces? 30 “Therefore,” says the Lord, “I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me. 31 I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the Lord!’ 32 I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!
The Cup of the LORD’s Anger
(Jeremiah 25:15-38, New Living Translation)
15 This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. 16 When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them.” 17 So I took the cup of anger from the LORD and made all the nations drink from it—every nation to which the LORD sent me. 18 I went to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah, and their kings and officials drank from the cup. From that day until this, they have been a desolate ruin, an object of horror, contempt, and cursing. 19 I gave the cup to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people, 20 along with all the foreigners living in that land. I also gave it to all the kings of the land of Uz and the kings of the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod. 21 Then I gave the cup to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, 22 and the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings of the regions across the sea. 23 I gave it to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, and to the people who live in distant places. 24 I gave it to the kings of Arabia, the kings of the nomadic tribes of the desert, 25 and to the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media. 26 And I gave it to the kings of the northern countries, far and near, one after the other—all the kingdoms of the world. And finally, the king of Babylon himself drank from the cup of the LORD’s anger. 27 Then the LORD said to me, “Now tell them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink from this cup of my anger. Get drunk and vomit; fall to rise no more, for I am sending terrible wars against you.’ 28 And if they refuse to accept the cup, tell them, ‘The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: You have no choice but to drink from it. 29 I have begun to punish Jerusalem, the city that bears my name. Now should I let you go unpunished? No, you will not escape disaster. I will call for war against all the nations of the earth. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!’ 30 “Now prophesy all these things, and say to them, “‘The LORD will roar against his own land from his holy dwelling in heaven. He will shout like those who tread grapes; he will shout against everyone on earth. 31 His cry of judgment will reach the ends of the earth, for the LORD will bring his case against all the nations. He will judge all the people of the earth, slaughtering the wicked with the sword. I, the LORD, have spoken!’” 32 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: “Look! Disaster will fall upon nation after nation! A great whirlwind of fury is rising from the most distant corners of the earth!” 33 In that day those the LORD has slaughtered will fill the earth from one end to the other. No one will mourn for them or gather up their bodies to bury them. They will be scattered on the ground like manure. 34 Weep and moan, you evil shepherds! Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock! The time of your slaughter has arrived; you will fall and shatter like a fragile vase. 35 You will find no place to hide; there will be no way to escape. 36 Listen to the frantic cries of the shepherds. The leaders of the flock are wailing in despair, for the LORD is ruining their pastures. 37 Peaceful meadows will be turned into a wasteland by the LORD’s fierce anger. 38 He has left his den like a strong lion seeking its prey, and their land will be made desolate by the sword of the enemy and the LORD’s fierce anger.
A Letter to the Exiles
(Jeremiah 29:1-23, New Living Translation)
29 Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. 3 He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said: 4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” 8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord. 10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” 15 You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 16 But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. 17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. 19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. 22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Promises of Peace and Prosperity
(Jeremiah 33:1-26, New Living Translation)
33 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the Lord gave him this second message: 2 “This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: 3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. 4 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king’s palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy. 5 You expect to fight the Babylonians, but the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness. 6 “Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace. 7 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their towns. 8 I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. 9 Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for my people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for them. 10 “This is what the Lord says: You have said, ‘This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.’ Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah’s other towns, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord. They will sing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for the Lord is good. His faithful love endures forever!’ For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the Lord. 12 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: This land—though it is now desolate and has no people and animals—will once more have pastures where shepherds can lead their flocks. 13 Once again shepherds will count their flocks in the towns of the hill country, the foothills of Judah, the Negev, the land of Benjamin, the vicinity of Jerusalem, and all the towns of Judah. I, the Lord, have spoken!
14 “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. 15 “In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ 17 For this is what the Lord says: David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever. 18 And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me.” 19 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 20 “This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other, 21 only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me. 22 And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me.” 23 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 24 “Have you noticed what people are saying?—‘The Lord chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!’ They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. 25 But this is what the Lord says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky. 26 I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.”
Messages about Edom
(Jeremiah 49:7-22, New Living Translation)
7 This message was given concerning Edom. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Is there no wisdom in Teman? Is no one left to give wise counsel? 8 Turn and flee! Hide in deep caves, you people of Dedan! For when I bring disaster on Edom, I will punish you, too! 9 Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. If thieves came at night, they would not take everything. 10 But I will strip bare the land of Edom, and there will be no place left to hide. Its children, its brothers, and its neighbors will all be destroyed, and Edom itself will be no more. 11 But I will protect the orphans who remain among you. Your widows, too, can depend on me for help.” 12 And this is what the Lord says: “If the innocent must suffer, how much more must you! You will not go unpunished! You must drink this cup of judgment! 13 For I have sworn by my own name,” says the Lord, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror and a heap of ruins; it will be mocked and cursed. All its towns and villages will be desolate forever.” 14 I have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Form a coalition against Edom, and prepare for battle!” 15 The Lord says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations. You will be despised by all. 16 You have been deceived by the fear you inspire in others and by your own pride. You live in a rock fortress and control the mountain heights. But even if you make your nest among the peaks with the eagles, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord. 17 “Edom will be an object of horror. All who pass by will be appalled and will gasp at the destruction they see there. 18 It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns,” says the Lord. “No one will live there; no one will inhabit it. 19 I will come like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, leaping on the sheep in the pasture. I will chase Edom from its land, and I will appoint the leader of my choice. For who is like me, and who can challenge me? What ruler can oppose my will?” 20 Listen to the Lord’s plans against Edom and the people of Teman. Even the little children will be dragged off like sheep, and their homes will be destroyed. 21 The earth will shake with the noise of Edom’s fall, and its cry of despair will be heard all the way to the Red Sea. 22 Look! The enemy swoops down like an eagle, spreading his wings over Bozrah. Even the mightiest warriors will be in anguish like a woman in labor.
A Message about Elam
(Jeremiah 49:34-39, New Living Translation)
34 This message concerning Elam came to the prophet Jeremiah from the Lord at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. 35 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will destroy the archers of Elam—the best of their forces. 36 I will bring enemies from all directions, and I will scatter the people of Elam to the four winds. They will be exiled to countries around the world. 37 I myself will go with Elam’s enemies to shatter it. In my fierce anger, I will bring great disaster upon the people of Elam,” says the Lord. “Their enemies will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely. 38 I will set my throne in Elam,” says the Lord, “and I will destroy its king and officials. 39 But I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
The Lord’s Judgment on Babylon
(Jeremiah 50:21-46, New Living Translation)
21 “Go up, my warriors, against the land of Merathaim and against the people of Pekod. Pursue, kill, and completely destroy them, as I have commanded you,” says the Lord. 22 “Let the battle cry be heard in the land, a shout of great destruction. 23 Babylon, the mightiest hammer in all the earth, lies broken and shattered. Babylon is desolate among the nations! 24 Listen, Babylon, for I have set a trap for you. You are caught, for you have fought against the Lord. 25 The Lord has opened his armory and brought out weapons to vent his fury. The terror that falls upon the Babylonians will be the work of the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 26 Yes, come against her from distant lands. Break open her granaries. Crush her walls and houses into heaps of rubble. Destroy her completely, and leave nothing! 27 Destroy even her young bulls—it will be terrible for them, too! Slaughter them all! For Babylon’s day of reckoning has come. 28 Listen to the people who have escaped from Babylon, as they tell in Jerusalem how the Lord our God has taken vengeance against those who destroyed his Temple. 29 “Send out a call for archers to come to Babylon. Surround the city so none can escape. Do to her as she has done to others, for she has defied the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 30 Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her soldiers will all be killed,” says the Lord. 31 “See, I am your enemy, you arrogant people,” says the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Your day of reckoning has arrived—the day when I will punish you. 32 O land of arrogance, you will stumble and fall, and no one will raise you up. For I will light a fire in the cities of Babylon that will burn up everything around them.” 33 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “The people of Israel and Judah have been wronged. Their captors hold them and refuse to let them go. 34 But the one who redeems them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will defend them and give them rest again in Israel. But for the people of Babylon there will be no rest! 35 “The sword of destruction will strike the Babylonians,” says the Lord. “It will strike the people of Babylon—her officials and wise men, too. 36 The sword will strike her wise counselors, and they will become fools. The sword will strike her mightiest warriors, and panic will seize them. 37 The sword will strike her horses and chariots and her allies from other lands, and they will all become like women. The sword will strike her treasures, and they all will be plundered. 38 A drought will strike her water supply, causing it to dry up. And why? Because the whole land is filled with idols, and the people are madly in love with them. 39 “Soon Babylon will be inhabited by desert animals and hyenas. It will be a home for owls. Never again will people live there; it will lie desolate forever. 40 I will destroy it as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns,” says the Lord. “No one will live there; no one will inhabit it. 41 “Look! A great army is coming from the north. A great nation and many kings are rising against you from far-off lands. 42 They are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. As they ride forward on horses, they sound like a roaring sea. They are coming in battle formation, planning to destroy you, Babylon. 43 The king of Babylon has heard reports about the enemy, and he is weak with fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped him, like those of a woman in labor. 44 “I will come like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, leaping on the sheep in the pasture. I will chase Babylon from its land, and I will appoint the leader of my choice. For who is like me, and who can challenge me? What ruler can oppose my will?” 45 Listen to the Lord’s plans against Babylon and the land of the Babylonians. Even the little children will be dragged off like sheep, and their homes will be destroyed. 46 The earth will shake with the shout, “Babylon has been taken!” and its cry of despair will be heard around the world.
Babylon’s Complete Destruction
(Jeremiah 51:54-58, New Living Translation)
54 “Listen! Hear the cry of Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians. 55 For the Lord is destroying Babylon. He will silence her loud voice. Waves of enemies pound against her; the noise of battle rings through the city. 56 Destroying armies come against Babylon. Her mighty men are captured, and their weapons break in their hands.
For the Lord is a God who gives just punishment; he always repays in full. 57 I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her captains, officers, and warriors. They will fall asleep and never wake up again!” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 58 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground, and her massive gates will be burned. The builders from many lands have worked in vain, for their work will be destroyed by fire!”
Unworthy Sacrifices
(Malachi 1:6-14, New Living Translation)
6 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ “You defile them by saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect. 8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 11 But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. 13 You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the LORD,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the LORD. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!
The Coming Day of Judgment
(Malachi 4:1-6, New Living Translation)
4 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. 2 “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3 On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 4 “Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel. 5 “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. 6 His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
A Call to Return to the LORD
(Zechariah 1:1-6, New Living Translation)
1 In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo: 2 “I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ 4 Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’ 5 “Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. 6 But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”
A Man among the Myrtle Trees
(Zechariah 1:7-17, New Living Translation)
7 Three months later, on February 15, the Lord sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. 8 In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses. 9 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?” “I will show you,” the angel replied. 10 The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.” 11 Then the other riders reported to the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.” 12 Upon hearing this, the angel of the Lord prayed this prayer: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?” 13 And the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. 15 But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions. 16 “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.’ 17 “Say this also: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’”
Cleansing for the High Priest
(Zechariah 3:1-10, New Living Translation)
3 Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.” 3 Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.” 5 Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by. 6 Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, 7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here. 8 “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. 10 “And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”
A Flying Scroll
(Zechariah 6:1-15, New Living Translation)
5 I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air. 2 “What do you see?” the angel asked. “I see a flying scroll,” I replied. “It appears to be about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.” 3 Then he said to me, “This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side of the scroll says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land. 4 And this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely using my name. And my curse will remain in that house and completely destroy it—even its timbers and stones.” The Crowning of Jeshua 9 Then I received another message from the Lord: 10 “Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah will bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. As soon as they arrive, meet them at the home of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Accept their gifts, and make a crown from the silver and gold. Then put the crown on the head of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, he will build the Temple of the Lord. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’ 14 “The crown will be a memorial in the Temple of the Lord to honor those who gave it—Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah.” 15 People will come from distant lands to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. And when this happens, you will know that my messages have been from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. All this will happen if you carefully obey what the Lord your God says.
A Call to Justice and Mercy
(Zechariah 7:1-14, New Living Translation)
7 On December 7 of the fourth year of King Darius’s reign, another message came to Zechariah from the LORD. 2 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech, along with their attendants, to seek the LORD’s favor. 3 They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: “Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?” 4 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply: 5 “Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? 6 And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves? 7 Isn’t this the same message the LORD proclaimed through the prophets in years past when Jerusalem and the towns of Judah were bustling with people, and the Negev and the foothills of Judah were well populated?’” 8 Then this message came to Zechariah from the LORD: 9 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other. 11 “Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. 12 They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the LORD of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them. 13 “Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 14 As with a whirlwind, I scattered them among the distant nations, where they lived as strangers. Their land became so desolate that no one even traveled through it. They turned their pleasant land into a desert.”
Promised Blessings for Jerusalem
(Zechariah 8:1-23, New Living Translation)
8 Then another message came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: 2 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem! 3 “And now the LORD says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain. 4 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. 5 And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play. 6 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 7 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. 8 I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God. 9 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building. 10 Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other. 11 “But now I will not treat the remnant of my people as I treated them before, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 12 For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. 13 Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! 14 “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the LORD.” 18 Here is another message that came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 19 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace. 20 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. 21 The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the LORD to bless us. Let’s worship the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ 22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. 23 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Loyalty – Faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
Duty – Binding or obligatory force of something that is morally or legally.
Respect – Esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability
Selfless Service – Service rendered for the sole betterment of others without regard for personal reward or gratification.
Honor – High respect; great esteem, the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right, something regarded as a rare opportunity.
Integrity – Adherence to moral and ethical principles.
Personal Courage – Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.
~ https://www.army.mil/values/index.html
~https://www.merriam-webster.com/
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
~ https://www.army.mil/values/warrior.html
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.
CHARLES F. KETTERING
The only time you don’t want to fail is the last time your try.
CONFUCIUS
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
C.S. LEWIS
Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for an extraordinary destiny.
DOUGLAS MACARTHUR
“Duty, Honor, Country” — those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
GEORGE SANTAYANA
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.
JOYCE MEYER
I may not be where I want to be but thank God I am not where I used to be.
KARL VON CLAUSEWITZ
The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.
MAHATMA GHANDI
A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have but how many leaders you create.
MAHATMA GHANDI
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.
MAX BEERBPHM
There is much to be said for failure. It is more interesting than success.
MAYA ANGELOU
People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
MOTHER TERESA
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing.
RICHARD L. EVANS
Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.
ROBERT BROWNING
Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!
SOPHOCLES
Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.
SUN TZU
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
ZIG ZIGLAR
When You focus on problems, you get more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you have more opportunities.
THE APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe (John 3) in God, the Father (Psalm 103) almighty (Psalm 89) creator of heaven and earth. (Genesis 1)
I believe in Jesus Christ, (Colossians 1) his only Son, (John 1) our Lord, (Romans 14) who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1) born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7) suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, (Isaiah 53) died, and was buried; (Matthew 27) On the third day he rose again, (Luke 24) he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 9) and will come again (Mark 13) to judge the living and the dead. (Revelation 20)
I believe in the Holy Spirit, (Acts 2) the holy universal church, (1 Peter 1) the communion of saints, (Ephesians 2) the forgiveness of sins, (Jeremiah 31) the resurrection of the body, (Daniel 12) and the life everlasting. Amen. (Revelations 21)
OPTIMIST CREED
Promise Yourself-
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
~Optimist Creed
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
OATH OF ENLISTMENT
I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
GENERAL ORDERS
1st General Order
I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.
2nd General Order
I will obey my special orders and perform all my duties in a military manner.
3rd General Order
I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies, and anything not covered in my instructions, to the commander of the relief.
SOLDIER’S CREED
I am an American Soldier.
I am a warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
NCO CREED
No one is more professional than I.
I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers.
As a noncommissioned officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as “The Backbone of the Army”.
I am proud of the Corps of noncommissioned officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the military service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself.
I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety.
Competence is my watchword.
My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind—accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers.
I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient.
I am aware of my role as a noncommissioned officer.
I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role.
All Soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership.
I know my Soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own.
I will communicate consistently with my Soldiers and never leave them uninformed.
I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.
Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine.
I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my Soldiers.
I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike.
I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders.
I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage.
I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, noncommissioned officers, leaders!
DRILL SERGEANT CREED
I am a Drill Sergeant.
I will assist each individual in their efforts to become a highly motivated, well disciplined, physically and mentally fit Soldier, capable of defeating any enemy on today’s modern battlefield.
I will instill pride in all I train, Pride in self, in the Army, and in country.
I will insist that each Soldier meets and maintains the Army’s standards of military bearing and courtesy, consistent with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
I will lead by example, never requiring a Soldier to attempt any task I would not do myself.
But First, Last, and always, I am an American Soldier, sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
I am a Drill Sergeant.
ARMY CIVILIAN CORPS CREED
I am an Army civilian – a member of the Army team.
I am dedicated to our Army, Soldiers and civilians.
I will always support the mission.
I provide leadership, stability, and continuity during war and peace.
I support and defend the Constitution of the United States and consider it an honor to serve our Nation and our Army.
I live the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.
I am an Army civilian.
Airman’s Creed
I am an American Airman. I am a Warrior.
I have answered my Nation’s call.
I am an American Airman. My mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win.
I am faithful to a Proud Heritage, A Tradition of Honor, And a Legacy of Valor.
I am an American Airman. Guardian of Freedom and Justice, My Nation’s Sword and Shield, Its Sentry and Avenger.
I defend my Country with my Life.
I am an American Airman. Wingman, Leader, Warrior.
I will never leave an Airman behind, I will never falter, And I will not fail.
Coast Guard Creed
I am proud to be a United States Coast Guardsman.
I revere that long line of expert seamen who by their devotion to duty and sacrifice of self have made it possible for me to be a member of a service honored and respected, in peace and in war, throughout the world.
I never, by word or deed, will bring reproach upon the fair name of my service, nor permit others to do so unchallenged.
I will cheerfully and willingly obey all lawful orders.
I will always be on time to relieve, and shall endeavor to do more, rather than less, than my share.
I will always be at my station, alert and attending to my duties.
I shall, so far as I am able, bring to my seniors solutions, not problems.
I shall live joyously, but always with due regard for the rights and privileges of others.
I shall endeavor to be a model citizen in the community in which I live.
I shall sell life dearly to an enemy of my country, but give it freely to rescue those in peril. With God’s help,
I shall endeavor to be one of His noblest Works…
Navy The Sailors’ Creed
I am a United States Sailor.
I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and
I will obey the orders of those appointed over me.
I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
I proudly serve my country’s Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment.
I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.
The United States Marine Creed
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will.
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit.
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will.
Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace!!
Ranger Creed
Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers.
Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite Soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any other Soldier.
Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.
Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained Soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.
Rangers lead the way!
The Special Forces Creed
I am an American Special Forces soldier. A professional!
I will do all that my nation requires of me.
I am a volunteer, knowing well the hazards of my profession.
I serve with the memory of those who have gone before me: Roger’s Rangers, Francis Marion, Mosby’s Rangers, the first Special Service Forces and Ranger Battalions of World War II, the Airborne Ranger Companies of Korea.
I pledge to uphold the honor and integrity of all I am – in all I do.
I am a professional soldier.
I will teach and fight wherever my nation requires.
I will strive always, to excel in every art and artifice of war.
I know that I will be called upon to perform tasks in isolation, far from familiar faces and voices, with the help and guidance of my God.
I will keep my mind and body clean, alert and strong, for this is my debt to those who depend upon me.
I will not fail those with whom I serve.
I will not bring shame upon myself or the forces.
I will maintain myself, my arms, and my equipment in an immaculate state as befits a Special Forces soldier.
I will never surrender though I be the last.
If I am taken, I pray that I may have the strength to spit upon my enemy.
My goal is to succeed in any mission – and live to succeed again.
I am a member of my nation’s chosen soldiery.
God grant that I may not be found wanting, that I will not fail this sacred trust.
“De Oppresso Liber”
Navy SEAL Creed
In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.
My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.
My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.
I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.
We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.
I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.
We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.
We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.
Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.
Scout Law
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
~ Boy Scouts of America
Scout Oath
“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
~ Boy Scouts of America
Kentucky State Police Code of Ethics
Kentucky State Police sworn officers shall adhere to and abide by the following:
“As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all persons to liberty, equality and justice.“
“I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of the agency. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or is confided to me in my official capacity shall be kept secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of duty.“
“I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.“
“I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held as long as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession: law enforcement.“
~ Kentucky State Police
Code of Ethics for EMS Practitioners
As an EMS practitioner, I solemnly pledge myself to the following code of professional ethics:
To conserve life, alleviate suffering, promote health, do no harm, and encourage the quality and equal availability of emergency medical care.
To provide services based on human need, with compassion and respect for human dignity, unrestricted by consideration of nationality, race, creed, color, or status; to not judge the merits of the patient’s request for service, nor allow the patient’s socioeconomic status to influence our demeanor or the care that we provide.
To not use professional knowledge and skills in any enterprise detrimental to the public well being.
To respect and hold in confidence all information of a confidential nature obtained in the course of professional service unless required by law to divulge such information.
To use social media in a responsible and professional manner that does not discredit, dishonor, or embarrass an EMS organization, co-workers, other health care practitioners, patients, individuals or the community at large.
To maintain professional competence, striving always for clinical excellence in the delivery of patient care.
To assume responsibility in upholding standards of professional practice and education.
To assume responsibility for individual professional actions and judgment, both in dependent and independent emergency functions, and to know and uphold the laws which affect the practice of EMS.
To be aware of and participate in matters of legislation and regulation affecting EMS.
To work cooperatively with EMS associates and other allied healthcare professionals in the best interest of our patients.
To refuse participation in unethical procedures, and assume the responsibility to expose incompetence or unethical conduct of others to the appropriate authority in a proper and professional manner.
~ National Association Of Emergency Medical Technicians
Firefighters Code of Ethics
I understand that I have the responsibility to conduct myself in a manner that reflects proper ethical behavior and integrity.
In so doing, I will help foster a continuing positive public perception of the fire service.
Therefore, I pledge the following…
Always conduct myself, on and off duty, in a manner that reflects positively on myself, my department and the fire service in general.
Accept responsibility for my actions and for the consequences of my actions.
Support the concept of fairness and the value of diverse thoughts and opinions.
Avoid situations that would adversely affect the credibility or public perception of the fire service profession.
Be truthful and honest at all times and report instances of cheating or other dishonest acts that compromise the integrity of the fire service.
Conduct my personal affairs in a manner that does not improperly influence the performance of my duties, or bring discredit to my organization.
Be respectful and conscious of each member’s safety and welfare.
Recognize that I serve in a position of public trust that requires stewardship in the honest and efficient use of publicly owned resources, including uniforms, facilities, vehicles and equipment and that these are protected from misuse and theft.
Exercise professionalism, competence, respect and loyalty in the performance of my duties and use information, confidential or otherwise, gained by virtue of my position, only to benefit those I am entrusted to serve.
Avoid financial investments, outside employment, outside business interests or activities that conflict with or are enhanced by my official position or have the potential to create the perception of impropriety.
Never propose or accept personal rewards, special privileges, benefits, advancement, honors or gifts that may create a conflict of interest, or the appearance thereof.
Never engage in activities involving alcohol or other substance use or abuse that can impair my mental state or the performance of my duties and compromise safety.
Never discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual preference, medical condition or handicap.
Never harass, intimidate or threaten fellow members of the service or the public and stop or report the actions of other firefighters who engage in such behaviors.
Responsibly use social networking, electronic communications, or other media technology opportunities in a manner that does not discredit, dishonor or embarrass my organization, the fire service and the public. I also understand that failure to resolve or report inappropriate use of this media equates to condoning this behavior.
Educator Code of Ethics
Certified Personnel in the Commonwealth:
Shall strive toward excellence, recognize the importance of the pursuit of truth, nurture democratic citizenship, and safeguard the freedom to learn and to teach;
Shall believe in the worth and dignity of each human being and in educational opportunities for all;
Shall strive to uphold the responsibilities of the education profession, including the following obligations to students, to parents, and to the education profession.
To students:
Shall provide students with professional education services in a nondiscriminatory manner and in consonance with accepted best practice known to the educator;
Shall respect the constitutional rights of all students;
Shall take reasonable measures to protect the health, safety, and emotional well-being of students;
Shall not use professional relationships or authority with students for personal advantage;
Shall keep in confidence information about students which has been obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law;
Shall not knowingly make false or malicious statements about students or colleagues;
Shall refrain from subjecting students to embarrassment or disparagement; and
Shall not engage in any sexually related behavior with a student with or without consent, but shall maintain a professional approach with students. Sexually related behavior shall include such behaviors as sexual jokes; sexual remarks; sexual kidding or teasing; sexual innuendo; pressure for dates or sexual favors; inappropriate physical touching, kissing, or grabbing; rape; threats of physical harm; and sexual assault.
To parents:
Shall make reasonable effort to communicate to parents information which should be revealed in the interest of the student;
Shall endeavor to understand community cultures and diverse home environments of students;
Shall not knowingly distort or misrepresent facts concerning educational issues;
Shall distinguish between personal views and the views of the employing educational agency;
Shall not interfere in the exercise of political and citizenship rights and responsibilities of others;
Shall not use institutional privileges for private gain, for the promotion of political candidates, or for partisan political activities; and
Shall not accept gratuities, gifts, or favors that might impair or appear to impair professional judgment, and shall not offer any of these to obtain special advantage.
To the education profession:
Shall exemplify behaviors which maintain the dignity and integrity of the profession;
Shall accord just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession in the exercise of their professional rights and responsibilities;
Shall keep in confidence information acquired about colleagues in the course of employment, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law;
Shall not use coercive means or give special treatment in order to influence professional decisions;
Shall apply for, accept, offer, or assign a position or responsibility only on the basis of professional preparation and legal qualifications; and
Shall not knowingly falsify or misrepresent records of facts relating to the educator’s own qualifications or those of other professionals.
~ The Professional Code of Ethics for Kentucky Certified Personnel
Bucket List for God
1. Set Goals but Not in Concrete
2. Drive through the Storm
3. Be Last in Line
4. Go to Funerals
5. Love and be Loved
6. Don’t Put God in a Box
7. Come to the Garden
8. Put a Price on Your Head
9. Get Fired
10. No Excuses
11. Bounce Off Brick Walls
12. Redefine Vacation
13. Entertain Angels
14. Shun Easy Money
15. Create
16. Get Schooled at the County Fair
17. Get Out of Hot Water
18. Practice Your Penmanship
19. Live Grudge Free
20. Take Note of Any Quick Fix
21. Kill ‘Em with Kindness
22. Uncover Secrets of Generation Past
23. Make Sure You’re Missed
24. Do Typical Bucket List Stuff
25. Peck into Dark Corners
26. Get Nose-to-Nose with an Alligator
27. Dredge Up Mud-Filled Schlitz Cans
28. Strive Valiantly
29. Talk to ME
30. Dodge Counterfeit Happiness
31. Attend a Wild Game Night
32. Harvest the Fruit
33. Keep the Opposite of a To-Do List
34. Run with Scissors
35. Advocate Science
36. Ask to Play Football
37. Go Beyond Golden
38. Be a Friend
39. Be Ready to Die
40. Arm Yourself for Mockers
41. Untangle the Conundrums of Nice People
42. Be Your Brother’s Keeper
43. Celebrate Quirks
44. Recognize Jesus
45. Seek Wise Counsel
46. Know the Pythagorean Theorem
47. Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
48. Do the Right Thing
49. Write Your Tombstone
50. Finish What You Start
Anthony, M. J., & Benson, W. S. (2011). Exploring the History & Philosophy of Christian Education: Principles for the 21st Century. Wipf & Stock.
Anthony et al. (2011) explore the history and philosophy of Christian education from the earliest day of the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman periods to the 21st Century. The authors discuss and compare the origin of Christian education for various eras of cultures. The authors also cover the impact that philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato had on Christian Education. Additionally, the authors show the transformation and distancing of Christian Education away from scripturally based foundations as time moved toward the 21st Century leading to a trend of issues in Christian education ministries today.
Kegan, Robert, and Lisa Laskow Lahey. “Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization.” Harvard Business Review Press, 2009.
Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey having written a book about how difficult it is to make changes within yourself or your organization. Their insight into why change is so difficult is extremely helpful as they both have many years of experience within organizations that have resisted change even when change happens.
The book is divided into three parts. In the first section, the authors seek to provide its readers with new ways to understand change. It also shows the value of the authors approach for ourselves and our organizations. Lastly, the authors invite us to try out their approach so that the reader can see how to make these changes.
Miller, Brian. “Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect”. Web blog post. “Missional Orientation: thoughts on a sent people”. WordPress, 13 Oct. 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2018.
In a blog post published in 2015 Brian Miller shares how the practices that we take on shape our lives, Christian practices are important to the life of a follower of Christ. The thing that stands out in Miller’s post is that the practices don’t make perfect, there is not a perfect person and no matter how many practices that we have we will not be perfect. Miller quotes Bruce Pearl says that “practice makes permanent”. Though there is no perfection there is a sense of permanence with the practices that we have. The more that we do them, the more they become part of who we are and they become a permanent part of us. The choice is up to us though in what practices we will have and whether or not they are healthy and good for our Christian lives.
Pearcey, N. (2005). Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity. Crossway Books.
Pearcey (2005) reminds us of the cultural war which targets and recruits our children. The author discusses how people live two different lives, a Sacred (private) and a Secular (public) life. To avoid any confrontations, people, including Christians, are hiding their Sacred (private) life. In essence, people are living two stories, an upper and a lower story. In the earlier Colonial periods, the business and home were integrated. According to the author, every family member knew the role of the other family members and could so all roles could continue to be performed in the absence of any family member. However, as family members have individualized their roles and responsibilities, the home and business have become separated from each other as well as from scripture, no longer identifying scripture as objective truth. The story of creation has been overtaken by the story of evolution. Individuals have identified values as being a personal matter and each person’s values are relevant to that individual. And, as long as they are not hurting anyone, nobody should be interfering with their life. People are now devoting most of their life hours to their culture and not to God and their family thus eroding relationships and marriages. To remain focused on bridging the gap between the sacred and secular worldviews, Leaders must lead like Christ with a Christian Worldview. Leaders must continue to study scripture and its application to the principalities of living life; maintain a strong devotional life; go regularly and humbly to their knees in prayer in the presence of God for problem resolution; accept the highly needed tasks though hard and less fulfilling; learn to say no to requests not abiding by scripture; continually reflect on who their creator is and their assigned purpose and mission in life by their creator; remain focused on the Creation, Fall, and Redemption as proclaimed by scripture; and speak the hard truths that are counter to the ways of their culture.
Peterson, Eugene H. “Eat This Book: a Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading”. William Eardmans Publishing, 2006.
“Eat this Book” by Eugene Peterson focuses on the fact that “how” we read scripture is just as important as “that” we read it. This book focuses on the fact that scriptures are God breathed and we need to live them as we read them. The book is divided up into three main sections and then further divided into subsections. This quote from within the book sums up the idea of the book perfectly:
The words printed on the pages of my bible give witness to the living and active revelation of the God of creation and salvation, the God of love who became the Word made in flesh in Jesus, and I had better not forget it. If in my Bible reading I lose touch with this livingness, if I fail to listen to this living Jesus, submit to this sovereignty, and respond to this love, I become arrogant in my knowing and impersonal in my behavior. An enormous amount of damage is done in the name.
Raymond, Jonathan S. “Social Holiness: The Company We Keep”. Aldersgate Press, 2018.
Jonathan Raymond goes into detail and focuses on our social circles and what it can mean for our own personal holiness. Raymond gives adage to the age old saying, “you are the company that you keep.” The book is broken up into 14 chapters and each chapter dives into a section of holiness and the journey on the road to holiness. Raymond does a good job breaking down Christianity jargon so that anyone seeking to learn more about holiness can understand. Not only does this book clarify different aspects of holiness, but it also speaks about social holiness within a community. At the end of each chapter there are questions to help the reader self-reflect on the topics of the chapter. This book does a great job at forcing the reader to look at his or her social surroundings in terms of holiness.
Roxburgh, Alan, and Fred Romanuk. “The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World”. John Wiley and Sons, 2006.
In “The Missional Leader”, Roxburgh and Romanuk seek to provide leaders and pastors a clear model for leading the change necessary to create a missional church focused toward spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ into the community that it surrounds. The key component to creating this type of environment is for the leader must be able to discern what God is doing in, through, and among all of the changes that are happening. The authors provide what they call the Missional Change Model as a framework for navigating the changes that are occurring. This is a five step model that begins with awareness, moves into understanding then into evaluation and onto experimentation and finally to commitment. Roxburgh and Romanuk caution that this is not a quick fix but rather a process that each group must go through in order to make changes within an organization.
Scazzero, Peter. “The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes Lives”. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
Peter Scazzero writes about the importance of discipleship and how the church needs to structure how they do things in order to provide a way to reach those around us. Discipleship is crucial for the church and for the outreach ministry that the church is trying to do. Within the middle of the book there are a few chapters that really pour over this topic and breaks down the import aspects that churches needs to focus on. Scazzero names these 7 principles that will make up an emotionally healthy church and foster an attitude ready for missions. Look beneath the surface, there is more to a person than what we see on the outside. Like an iceberg there are many layers beneath that make up a person’s identity. Break the power of the past, our past is something that we can learn from and grow from but so often we let it control us with fear. Our past should not have power over us but rather allows us to move forward with the courage to make change. Live in brokenness and vulnerability. In ministry there are many people that we will meet that live in a state of brokenness. Being able to identify our own and live into it rather than hide from it is healthy vulnerability. Receive the gift of limits. We all have many gifts from God but it is important to remember to live those gifts and not a life that God never intended for us to live. Embrace grieving and loss, there are so many kinds of loss and we can grieve many things even within the church. God grieves for His people and the world and when we embrace living like God we too find we grieve for His people and the world. Make incarnation your model for loving well; simply put we must live like Jesus and love like Jesus. Finally, slow down to lead with integrity. It is more important to be the best you can be in how God has called you and not compromise the gospel.
Swindoll, Charles R. “Jesus: The Greatest Life of All”. Thomas Nelson, 2009.
Dr. Swindoll shows you the life of a carpenter as never seen before taking you through the complex and unforgettable life of Jesus from his birth, to his death, to his resurrection. The book offers clarity and practical application through the life of Jesus Life and aligns his life with the values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage) of focus for the Ministry Action Plan outlined in this paper. For example, the book demonstrates his Loyalty to his Duties. At anytime, he could have quit but he completed his duties fully dying upon the cross for the sins of all (Selfless Service). He was so scared at one time that he sweat blood. But, though he wished God would pass the cup, he continued following the will of God instead of his own will (Personal Courage/Selfless Service). And, he continued to give all Honor to his Father and Respecting all, even those who persecuted him.
Wilson, Josh. “Dream Small”. 2018.
Josh Wilson knew that he was designed to be the hands and feet of Jesus being light in a World of much darkness but he did not know how he was to do this. So, he envisioned an orchestra on stage with everyone playing their one instrument led by a conductor where the music wouldn’t exist without each individual part. God says we are all different parts of one body. And, as we all play our part through different actions of love and kindness, the parts eventually add up making rivers into oceans resulting in beautiful harmony. Upon writing a song about life surrounding him and family, he came up with the song Dream Small. Dream Small represents a song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukdkY37kso) that reminds us how everyone has been given an individual part and how all parts when they come together make a beautiful harmony. We are to let Jesus use us where we are being faithful to the duties assigned to us for the day and we are not to buy the lie that we have to do it all because a tiny rock can make a giant fall. The song was a great reminder though we have a large mission, the mission can be accomplished with the help of others. We can make great music together while accomplishing God’s mission.
1. Accomplishment of God’s Mission
2. Welfare of his Soldiers
1. I WILL love God with all of my heart, all of my mind, all of my strength, and all of my soul and love my neighbor as myself.
2. I WILL take full responsibility for myself and my family loving them, protecting them, serving them, and willing to lay down my life for them as Christ did for me.
3. I WILL be faithful to my spouse and family as Jesus Christ is faithful to me teaching them the Word of God as their Spiritual leader of the home.
4. I WILL honor authority, confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
5. I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
6. I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
7. I WILL learn from my mistakes, confess my sins, repent, and walk with integrity answerable to God.
8. I WILL love God’s children, serve them, and teach them the Word of God.
9. I WILL use wisely the resources entrusted to me and live responsibly with honor as the temple for the Holy Spirit of Christ working diligently to provide for the needs of others and train them to do the same.
10. I Will work with the strength God provides to honor Him, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will for His Glory for the rest of my life.
Encounter the Word of God as Children of God.
Encourage the reading of God’s Word and establishing a relationship with God.
Engage others to be disciples of Christ who are believers of one heart and mind claiming that no possessions are their own sharing everything they have and sustaining a lifetime commitment to following the Word of God.
Equip others through establishing a template that can be individually tailored for developing a closer relationship with God through Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, and Fasting.
Execute the Missio Dei showing Mercy and Love to God’s Children through ministries of Grace and Hope.
Empower a holistic lifestyle with a healthy mind, body, and soul seeking entire Sanctification, Holiness, and Peace.
Embrace God’s gift and a relationship with HIM (Hope, Inspiration, and Motivation).
Grow compliant worldly men and women into committed Kingdom building leaders of Christ-like character seeking Entire Sanctification and striving to restore the fullness of Living Life daily through a healthy, holistic, transforming lifestyle consisting of Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, Fasting, Exercise, Education, Collaboration, and Extracurricular activities while thriving with others from the heights of physical death, right, down to the firm foundation of everlasting life.
Discover Fellowship, Hope, Love, Joy, Happiness, and Peace through Renewal of the Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul by seeking first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness in all things Glorifying and Worshiping him in Truth and Faith through the Holy Spirit; Building Agape Relationships; Believing there is Good in the World; Being the Good in the World; Celebrating all Heavenly Creations; and Sharing the Word of God and Love of Jesus Christ.
Grow the Kingdom of God by bringing the love of Jesus Christ to others utilizing a mobile platform for Encountering the Word of God as Children of God and Encouraging others to read God’s Word and establish a relationship with God Engaging them to be disciples of Christ who are believers of one heart and mind claiming that no possessions are their own sharing everything they have and sustaining a lifetime commitment to following the Word of God Equipping them with a framework that can be individually tailored for developing a closer relationship with God through Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, and Fasting and Executing the Missio Dei showing Love to God’s Children through ministries of Grace and Mercy while Empowering a holistic lifestyle with a healthy mind, body, and soul seeking entire Sanctification, Holiness, and Peace resulting in Embracing God’s gift and a relationship with HIM (Hope, Inspiration, and Motivation).
Remember with gratitude that you have been graced with a position impacting not only individuals but the world for a lifetime through numerous implied roles to include but not limited to mentor, coach, counselor, and servant for consistent and ethical task accomplishment through supervising, managing, monitoring, and controlling work with expectations of yourself and others to demonstrate a character of responsibility, honesty, professionalism, patience, and the highest integrity with utmost respect for others.
Know your strengths and weaknesses, personally and professionally.
Seek to demonstrate being a person with qualities that present a high level of confidence with the ability to master emotions by maintaining a self-awareness of actions, words, abilities, experiences, and personal limitations.
Foster an empathetic, optimistic, approachable, healthy, and positive climate consisting of fairness, honesty, loyalty, equality, trustworthiness, and collaboration.
Remain humble while listening actively and attentively with an open-mind to constructive feedback.
Approach to Teaching
Teach with a holistic approach to education that cultivates a nurturing, inclusive environment where students are empowered to explore, question, and apply their faith to their academic pursuits shaping students into lifelong learners who integrate faith and learning and seek truth, embrace diversity, and contribute positively to both their communities and the world at large.
Role and Nature of the Teacher
Extend teaching beyond imparting knowledge by nurturing a supportive and respectful relationship with students as a guide, facilitator, and role model representing qualities such as patience, empathy, and humility while fostering an environment where students feel valued and empowered to explore their faith and education.
Role and Nature of the Learner
Accept responsibility for their own growth and development as an active unique participant with a distinct learning style, background, and need in a cultivating atmosphere where encouraged to question; seek understanding; and engage critically with the subject matter to become an independent thinker who applies their learning to real-life situations.
Purpose and Goals of the Lesson
Foster intellectual growth and spiritual development and equip students with knowledge and skills that enable students to excel academically while also nurturing their personal faith journeys with a sense of wonder, curiosity, and an ongoing quest for truth, all grounded in a biblical worldview.
The Curriculum
Integrate faith and learning seamlessly approaching all subjects from a Christian perspective, highlighting a deep understanding and the interconnectedness of faith and knowledge through critical thinking while exploring the moral and ethical dimensions of the subject matter.
Instructional Methodology
Employ a variety of instructional methods to cater to diverse learning styles and abilities through interactive discussions, collaborative projects, experiential learning, and incorporating multimedia resources contributing to a dynamic and engaging classroom experience that fosters open dialogue, inviting questions, and creates a safe space for students to express their thoughts and doubts.
Learning Environment
Cultivate a respectful, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable exploring their faith, sharing their experiences, and engaging in open conversations that extends beyond the classroom walls and embraces a community that encourages peer interaction, mentorship, and spiritual growth.
Outcomes Assessment
Measure not only rote memorization but also the application of knowledge and critical thinking by encouraging students to analyze situations from both an academic and biblical standpoint, promoting holistic growth while providing insight into individual progress, helping students set goals for continuous improvement, connecting the Bible and life, and working together — to draw closer to God and discover the meaning he gives life for gracious living and doing.
Articulate clearly the vision and goals of the organization and individuals assigning realistic, attainable tasks with clarity, relevance, depth, breadth, measurability, and significance.
Shepherd by example emulating the Values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage), a Warrior Ethos and Ethics, a passion for the mission, and balancing professional and personal time ensuring caring of yourself, your significant other, and family.
Demonstrate a character that opposes selfish actions taken for the purpose of status advancement, position of inferiority, monetary gain, or an opportunity to abuse a position of authority.
Set the example by seeking self-development improving the expertise required of your role and profession to inspire, energize, and intellectually stimulate the thought-process of others to broaden and elevate their interests.
Understand the roles and responsibilities of each of God’s children.
Understand each person’s strengths, weaknesses and likes, dislikes.
Assist each person in embracing their individual, natural born gifts; help them recognize their the ability to coexist with the gifts offered by others; and guide them towards levels of higher responsibility complimenting their gifts and character.
Provide purpose, direction, and motivation transforming and unifying gifted individuals from diverse backgrounds in an environment of accountability, and teamwork that seeks to ensure the health, welfare and safety of all of God’s children to include zero-tolerance for the belittling, mocking, shaming, or ridiculing of others.
Manage conflict by instituting techniques for conflict resolution consisting of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, partnering, and consensus building.
Influence God’s children to accomplish the mission and improve the Kingdom, themselves, and others by empowering each person to take ownership and complete their assigned tasks in a positive climate resulting in the growing of God’s Kingdom and growing the next generation of Shepherds.
Grow compliant worldly men and women into committed Kingdom building leaders of Christ-like character seeking Entire Sanctification and striving to restore the fullness of Living Life daily through a healthy, holistic, transforming lifestyle consisting of Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, Fasting, Exercise, Education, Collaboration, and Extracurricular activities while thriving with others from the heights of physical death, right, down to the firm foundation of everlasting life.
Discover Fellowship, Hope, Love, Joy, Happiness, and Peace through Renewal of the Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul by seeking first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness in all things Glorifying and Worshiping him in Truth and Faith through the Holy Spirit; Building Agape Relationships; Believing there is Good in the World; Being the Good in the World; Celebrating all Heavenly Creations; and Sharing the Word of God and Love of Jesus Christ.
Grow the Kingdom of God by bringing the love of Jesus Christ to others utilizing a mobile platform for Encountering the Word of God as Children of God and Encouraging others to read God’s Word and establish a relationship with God Engaging them to be disciples of Christ who are believers of one heart and mind claiming that no possessions are their own sharing everything they have and sustaining a lifetime commitment to following the Word of God Equipping them with a framework that can be individually tailored for developing a closer relationship with God through Prayer, Worship, Communion, Servitude, and Fasting and Executing the Missio Dei showing Love to God’s Children through ministries of Grace and Mercy while Empowering a holistic lifestyle with a healthy mind, body, and soul seeking entire Sanctification, Holiness, and Peace resulting in Embracing God’s gift and a relationship with HIM (Hope, Inspiration, and Motivation).
Remember with gratitude that you have been graced with a position impacting not only individuals but the world for a lifetime through numerous implied roles to include but not limited to mentor, coach, counselor, and servant for consistent and ethical task accomplishment through supervising, managing, monitoring, and controlling work with expectations of yourself and others to demonstrate a character of responsibility, honesty, professionalism, patience, and the highest integrity with utmost respect for others.
Know your strengths and weaknesses, personally and professionally.
Seek to demonstrate being a person with qualities that present a high level of confidence with the ability to master emotions by maintaining a self-awareness of actions, words, abilities, experiences, and personal limitations.
Foster an empathetic, optimistic, approachable, healthy, and positive climate consisting of fairness, honesty, loyalty, equality, trustworthiness, and collaboration.
Remain humble while listening actively and attentively with an open-mind to constructive feedback.
Approach to Teaching
Teach with a holistic approach to education that cultivates a nurturing, inclusive environment where students are empowered to explore, question, and apply their faith to their academic pursuits shaping students into lifelong learners who integrate faith and learning and seek truth, embrace diversity, and contribute positively to both their communities and the world at large.
Role and Nature of the Teacher
Extend teaching beyond imparting knowledge by nurturing a supportive and respectful relationship with students as a guide, facilitator, and role model representing qualities such as patience, empathy, and humility while fostering an environment where students feel valued and empowered to explore their faith and education.
Role and Nature of the Learner
Accept responsibility for their own growth and development as an active unique participant with a distinct learning style, background, and need in a cultivating atmosphere where encouraged to question; seek understanding; and engage critically with the subject matter to become an independent thinker who applies their learning to real-life situations.
Purpose and Goals of the Lesson
Foster intellectual growth and spiritual development and equip students with knowledge and skills that enable students to excel academically while also nurturing their personal faith journeys with a sense of wonder, curiosity, and an ongoing quest for truth, all grounded in a biblical worldview.
The Curriculum
Integrate faith and learning seamlessly approaching all subjects from a Christian perspective, highlighting a deep understanding and the interconnectedness of faith and knowledge through critical thinking while exploring the moral and ethical dimensions of the subject matter.
Instructional Methodology
Employ a variety of instructional methods to cater to diverse learning styles and abilities through interactive discussions, collaborative projects, experiential learning, and incorporating multimedia resources contributing to a dynamic and engaging classroom experience that fosters open dialogue, inviting questions, and creates a safe space for students to express their thoughts and doubts.
Learning Environment
Cultivate a respectful, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable exploring their faith, sharing their experiences, and engaging in open conversations that extends beyond the classroom walls and embraces a community that encourages peer interaction, mentorship, and spiritual growth.
Outcomes Assessment
Measure not only rote memorization but also the application of knowledge and critical thinking by encouraging students to analyze situations from both an academic and biblical standpoint, promoting holistic growth while providing insight into individual progress, helping students set goals for continuous improvement, connecting the Bible and life, and working together — to draw closer to God and discover the meaning he gives life for gracious living and doing.
Articulate clearly the vision and goals of the organization and individuals assigning realistic, attainable tasks with clarity, relevance, depth, breadth, measurability, and significance.
Shepherd by example emulating the Values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage), a Warrior Ethos and Ethics, a passion for the mission, and balancing professional and personal time ensuring caring of yourself, your significant other, and family.
Demonstrate a character that opposes selfish actions taken for the purpose of status advancement, position of inferiority, monetary gain, or an opportunity to abuse a position of authority.
Set the example by seeking self-development improving the expertise required of your role and profession to inspire, energize, and intellectually stimulate the thought-process of others to broaden and elevate their interests.
Understand the roles and responsibilities of each of God’s children.
Understand each person’s strengths, weaknesses and likes, dislikes.
Assist each person in embracing their individual, natural born gifts; help them recognize their the ability to coexist with the gifts offered by others; and guide them towards levels of higher responsibility complimenting their gifts and character.
Provide purpose, direction, and motivation transforming and unifying gifted individuals from diverse backgrounds in an environment of accountability, and teamwork that seeks to ensure the health, welfare and safety of all of God’s children to include zero-tolerance for the belittling, mocking, shaming, or ridiculing of others.
Manage conflict by instituting techniques for conflict resolution consisting of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, partnering, and consensus building.
Influence God’s children to accomplish the mission and improve the Kingdom, themselves, and others by empowering each person to take ownership and complete their assigned tasks in a positive climate resulting in the growing of God’s Kingdom and growing the next generation of Shepherds.
“Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.”
