By Elaine
Scriptures
Acts 10:28
(NIV)
He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to
associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should
not call any man impure or unclean.
Romans
8:37-39 (NIV)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew
28:18 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me."
2
Corinthians 5:17-19 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was
reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against
them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Acts 10:44-48 (NIV)
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who
heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were
astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the
Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with
water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered
that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to
stay with them for a few days.
Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are
all one in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 2:9
(NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out
of darkness into his wonderful light.
Ephesians 4:1-16 (NIV)
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the
Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit- just as
you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one
baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in
all.
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is
why it says:
"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to
men." (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the
lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher
than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and
some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of
service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we 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.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and
blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and
craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth
in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is,
Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does
its work.
Mark 10:31
(NIV)
But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV)
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like
whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are
full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the
outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of
hypocrisy and wickedness.
Matthew 23:13-15 (NIV)
13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut
the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will
you let those enter who are trying to.
15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You
travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one,
you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
John
11:47-50 (AMP)
So the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the council (the
Sanhedrin) and said, What are we to do? For this Man performs many signs
(evidences, miracles).
If we let Him alone to go on like this, everyone will believe in Him and
adhere to Him, and the Romans will come and suppress and destroy and take
away our [holy] place and our nation [our temple and city and our civil
organization].
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, declared, You
know nothing at all!
Nor do you understand or reason out that it is expedient and better for your
own welfare that one man should die on behalf of the people than that the
whole nation should perish (be destroyed, ruined).
Ephesians 5:25-28 (NKJV)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of
water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy
and without blemish.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor
male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor
drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And
that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you
were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our
God.
1
Timothy 1:9-11 (NIV)
We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and
rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who
kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts,
for slave traders and liars and perjurers-and for whatever else is contrary
to the sound doctrine.
1
Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches
of the saints.
John 14:9
(NIV)
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you
such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you
say, 'Show us the Father'?
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his
being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in
heaven.
Luke
4:18-19 (NIV)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight
for the blind,
to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Genesis
6:1-4 (NIV)
When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to
them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they
married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not
contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and
twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also
afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had
children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
1 John 4:8
(NIV)
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:18
(NIV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has
to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Genesis 19:1-5 (KJV)
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of
Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with
his face toward the ground;
And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's
house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early,
and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all
night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and
entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened
bread, and they did eat.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom,
compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every
quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men
which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know
them.
Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood
shall be upon them.
Deuteronomy
23:17 (KJV)
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the
sons of Israel.
1
Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be
not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God.
1
Timothy 1:9-10 (KJV)
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the
lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and
profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for
menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other
thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Romans
1:21-31 (NKJV)
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were
thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of
the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds
and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their
hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth
of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women
exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another,
men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the
penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave
them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being
filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
Jude 1:6-7
(NKJV)
And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own
abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment
of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a
similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality
and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire.
2 Corinthians 13:1 (NKJV)
"...by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established."
2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and
wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
1 John
1:5-7 (NIV)
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light;
in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him
yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Romans
3:10-23
10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who
understands,
no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become
worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." 13 "Their throats
are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on
their lips." 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." 15 "Their
feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the
way of peace they do not know." 18 "There is no fear of God before their
eyes."
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under
the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held
accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his
sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of
sin.
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to
which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes
through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become
the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:22 (NIV)
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
1 John 3:5
(NIV)
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in
him is no sin.
Galatians 2:19-3:21 (NIV)
19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I
have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in
me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God,
for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for
nothing!"
Galatians 3
3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes
Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn
just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or
by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the
Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you
suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give
you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or
because you believe what you heard?
6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of
Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be
blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with
Abraham, the man of faith.
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written:
"Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the
Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law,
because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on
faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He
redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the
Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise
of the Spirit.
15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can
set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it
is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The
Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your
seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law,
introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously
established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the
inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but
God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of
transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law
was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however,
does not represent just one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!
For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would
certainly have come by the law.
Galatians 5:1-6 (NIV)
5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be
circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to
every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the
whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated
from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly
await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only
thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
James 2:8
(NIV)
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as
yourself," you are doing right.
Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got
together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this
question: 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."
John
13:34-35 (NIV)
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you
must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another."
Malachi 3:6 (NIV)
"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not
destroyed.
Hebrews
13:8 ( NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Romans
13:8-11 (AMP)
8 Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for
he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the
Law [relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].
9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You
shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other
commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your
neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Ex 20:13-17; Lev 19:18.]
10 Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore
love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
11 Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time
now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation
(final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered
to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah)
1 Corinthians 7:1
(NIV)
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.
1
Corinthians 7:33-34 (NAS)
but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he
may please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the woman who is
unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that
she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned
about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
1
Corinthians 7:32 (NAS)
But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned
about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
1
Corinthians 7:6 (NAS)
But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
1 Corinthians 7:7 (NAS)
Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his
own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.
1
Corinthians 7:2 (KJV)
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let
every woman have her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:5 (NIV)
Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that
you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan
will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (NLT)
Now about the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a
celibate life. 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man
should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
3 The husband should not deprive his wife of sexual intimacy, which is her
right as a married woman, nor should the wife deprive her husband. 4 The
wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband also
gives authority over his body to his wife. 5 So do not deprive each other of
sexual relations. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of
both husband and wife to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time, so
they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterward they should
come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt them because of
their lack of self-control. 6 This is only my suggestion. It's not meant to
be an absolute rule. 7 I wish everyone could get along without marrying,
just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of
marriage, and to others he gives the gift of singleness.
8 Now I say to those who aren't married and to widows--it's better to stay
unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can't control themselves, they should
go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.
1 Timothy 3:2 (NIV)
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife,
temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1
Corinthians 9:5 (NIV)
Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the
other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas
2 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV)
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2
Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Colossians 2:20-23 (AMP)
If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and
have escaped from the world's crude and elemental notions and teachings of
externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do
you submit to rules and regulations?--such as]
21 Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them],
22 Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to
follow human precepts and doctrines. [Isa 29:13.]
23 Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly
passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight
in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of
no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature).
[Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.]
Acts 10:1-11:18 (NIV)
10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was
known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and
God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God
regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He
distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a
memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man
named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner,
whose house is by the sea."
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his
servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them
everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching
the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted
something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a
trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let
down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed
animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13 Then a
voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or
unclean."
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that
God has made clean."
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to
heaven.
17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent
by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18
They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him,
"Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do
not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why
have you come?"
22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a
righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A
holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what
you have to say." 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his
guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from
Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was
expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25
As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in
reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a
man myself."
27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of
people. 28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law
for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me
that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for,
I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this
hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood
before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered
your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He
is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33 So I
sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all
here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded
you to tell us."
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does
not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do
what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel,
telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37
You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the
baptism that John preached- 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who
were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him
from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen
by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-by us who
ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as
judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that
everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all
who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter
were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on
the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with
water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 48 So he ordered
that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to
stay with them for a few days.
Acts 11
11:1 The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles
also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the
circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, "You went into the house of
uncircumcised men and ate with them."
4 Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened:
5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw
something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners,
and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed
animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 Then I
heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'
8 "I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered
my mouth.'
9 "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure
that God has made clean.' 10 This happened three times, and then it was all
pulled up to heaven again.
11 "Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at
the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation
about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered
the man's house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house
and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you
a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'
15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us
at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John
baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 So
if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus
Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God,
saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."
Matthew
10:30 (NIV)
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Hebrews
4:12-13 (NIV)
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the
eyes of him to whom we must give account.
(from New International Version)
1 John 1:5
(NIV)
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light;
in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 2:9-11 (NIV)
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the
darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing
in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness
and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going,
because the darkness has blinded him.
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans
7:21-25 (NIV)
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with
me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law
at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and
making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a
wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to
God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful
nature a slave to the law of sin.
1 John 1:8 (NIV)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us.
1 John 1:9
(NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
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. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light."
John 8:32
(NIV)
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Galatians 5:22-23(NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law.
Strong's OT #3045
yada` (yaw-dah'); a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain
by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition;
and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) [as follow]:
KJV - acknowledge, acquaintance (-ted with), advise, answer, appoint,
assuredly, be aware, [un-] awares, can [-not], certainly, comprehend,
consider, could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)
discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be
[ig-] norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come
to give, have, take) knowledge, have [knowledge], (be, make, make to be,
makeself) known, be learned, lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to,
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be
sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have [understanding], will
be, wist, wit, wot.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 (NIV)
"'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were
arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away
with them as you have seen.
Genesis 19:8 (NIV)
Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring
them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do
anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."
Ezekiel 16:48 (NIV)
As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her
daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
Ezekiel
16:45 (NIV)
You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her
children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their
husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an
Amorite.
Hebrews 8:6 (NIV)
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant
of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on
better promises.
Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as
yourself."
2
Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Matthew 22:40 (NAS)
On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.
Luke 11:42 (NIV)
"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and
all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of
God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former
undone."
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
Strongs NT #733
arsenokoites
arsenokoites (ar-sen-ok-oy'-tace); from NT:730 and NT:2845; a sodomite:
KJV - abuser of (that defileself) with mankind
Strongs NT #5446
phusikos
phusikos (foo-see-kos'); from NT:5449; "physical", i.e. (by implication)
instinctive:
KJV - natural. Compare NT:5591.
Strong NT #5449 phusis
phusis (foo'-sis); from NT:5453; growth (by germination or expansion), i.e.
(by implication) natural production (lineal descent); by extension, a genus
or sort; figuratively, native disposition, constitution or usuage:
KJV - ([man-]) kind, nature ([-al]).
Ecclesiastes 11:5
(AMP)
As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the
bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God,
Who does all.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
(NIV)
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed
(a) in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the
work of God, the Maker of all things.
(a) Or know how life (or the
spirit) | enters the body being formed
2 Thessalonians 1:6
(NIV)
God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
Revelation 19:2 (NIV)
for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood
of his servants."
James 1:13-15 (NIV)
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when,
by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after
desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
gives birth to death.
Romans 2:11 (NIV)
For God does not show favoritism.
Isaiah 55:8-11 (NIV)
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your
ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I
sent it.
Galatians 2:6 (NIV)
As for those who seemed to be important-whatever they were makes no
difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance-those men added
nothing to my message.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
John 3:16-18 (NIV)
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. 17 For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the
world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever
does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the
name of God's one and only Son.
Matthew 18:12-14 (NIV)
12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them
wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look
for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth,
he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not
wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any
of these little ones should be lost.
Hebrews 1:12 (NIV)
You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But
you remain the same, and your years will never end.
James 1:17 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Romans 4:21 (NIV)
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Matthew 3:9 (NIV)
And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'
I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
(NIV)
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you
were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of
noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the
wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He
chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things
that are not-to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast
before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the
Lord."
Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:1 (AMP)
THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for
those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of
the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. [John 3:18.]
John 3:18 (AMP)
He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not
judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is
no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not
believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already
been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not
believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is
condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.]
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 That if you confess 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 confess and are saved.
Colossians 1:10-14 (AMP)
10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the
Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things,
bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and
by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight,
acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power
according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance
and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, 12 Giving thanks to
the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is
the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.
13[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and
the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son
of His love, 14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which
means] the forgiveness of our sins.
Strongs NT #4991 soteria
soteria (so-tay-ree'-ah); feminine of a derivative of NT:4990 as (properly,
abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally):
KJV - deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
Romans 8:29 (NIV)
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness
of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Ephesians 4:13 (NIV)
until we 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 4:13 (AMP)
[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the
comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that
[we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality
which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection),
the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the
completeness found in Him.
Romans 7:15 (NIV)
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I
hate I do.
Romans 7:15 (NLT)
I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but
I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest
knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us
for what we really are.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing
power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 5:1
(NIV)
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a
building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
John 3:5-8 (NIV)
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but
the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my
saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You
hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is
going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Romans 8:15-16 (NIV)
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear,
but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
Galatians 4:3-7 (NIV)
3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic
principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his
Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we
might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has
made you also an heir.
Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
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 according to his good purpose.
1 John 2:12-14 (NIV)
12 I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on
account of his name.
13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the
beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil
one. I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the
beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word
of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1 Corinthians
13:10-12 (NIV)
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face
to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully
known.
John 10:10 (NIV)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they
may have life, and have it to the full.
2 Corinthians 3:18
(NIV)
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from
the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you
have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake
you."
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove
from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will
put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to
keep my laws.
John 16:13-15 (NIV)
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all
truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and
he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking
from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the
Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine
and make it known to you.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be
evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people
for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we
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.
Romans 11:21 (NIV)
For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Psalm 139:9-10 (NIV)
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the
sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
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. 10 That is why, for
Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in
persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Romans 11:29 (NIV)
for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
John 8:18 (NIV)
"I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent
me."
John 10:30-32 (NIV)
30 I and the Father are one."
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them,
"I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do
you stone me?"
John 1:1-2 (NIV)
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
John 8:58-59 (NIV)
58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself,
slipping away from the temple grounds.
Revelations 22:13 (NIV)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the
End.
Matthew 16:16-17 (NIV)
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not
revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
Matthew 26:62-66 (NIV)
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to
answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63
But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under
oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the
future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty
One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy!
Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
66 What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.
Luke 22:66-70 (NIV)
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief
priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before
them. 67 "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked
you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the mighty God."
70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."
John 10:9 (NIV)
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and
go out, and find pasture.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not
see.
Strong's OT #6945
qadesh
qadesh (kaw-dashe'); from OT:6942; a (quasi) sacred
person, i.e. (technically) a (male) devotee (by prostitution) to licentious
idolatry:
KJV - sodomite, unclean.
Exodus 20:3 (NIV)
"You shall have no other gods before me."
Exodus 34:14 (NIV)
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a
jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24 (NIV)
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Joshua 24:19-20 (NIV)
19 Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a
holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your
sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and
bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to
you."
Psalm 89:14 (NIV)
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”
Acts 2:17-18 (NIV)
"'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your
sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old
men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those
days,
and they will prophesy."
Matthew 13:24-30 (NKJV)
24 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like
a man who sowed good seed in his field;25 but while men slept, his enemy
came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.26 But when the grain
had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.27 So the
servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed
in your field? How then does it have tares?'28 He said to them, 'An enemy
has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and
gather them up?'29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you
also uproot the wheat with them.30 Let both grow together until the harvest,
and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together
the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into
my barn."'"
Matthew 13:36-41 (NKJV)
36 The Parable of the Tares Explained
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the
house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of
the tares of the field."
37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of
Man.38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom,
but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.39 The enemy who sowed them is
the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the
angels.40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it
will be at the end of this age.
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV)
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you
have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Romans 12:4-8 (NIV)
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do
not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one
body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts,
according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use
it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is
teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is
leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it
cheerfully.
1 Corinthians 12:1-6
(NIV)
12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced
and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is
speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say,
"Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are
different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds
of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
Matthew1:18-25 (NIV)
"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was
pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was
found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband
was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he
had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as
your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She
will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he
will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will
call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and
took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave
birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."
Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship
of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..
2 Timothy 2:12 (NIV)
If we endure, we will also reign with Him.
Psalm 39:4 (NIV)
"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how
fleeting is my life.
Matthew 5:14 (NIV)
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Luke 19:41-44 (NIV)
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said,
"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but
now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your
enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in
on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children
within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did
not recognize the time of God's coming to you."
Matthew 15:6-11 (NIV)
6 he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God
for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he
prophesied about you:
8 "'These people honor me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by
men.'"
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11 What
goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of
his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"
Matthew 13:34-35 (NIV)
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say
anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was
spoken through the prophet:
Mark 14:13-14 (NIV)
13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a
man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner
of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I
may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
Isaiah 65:17-25 (Isaiah)
17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create
Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over
Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.
20 "Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or
an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be
thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered
accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.
23 They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed
to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their
descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are
still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and
the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.
Luke
1:39-41 (NIV)
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of
Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Mark 16:20 (NIV)
20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked
with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
John 16:13 (NIV)
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all
truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and
he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 14:26 (NIV)
26 But the Counselor, 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 15:26 (NIV)
26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.
John 14:16-17 (NIV)
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be
with you forever- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,
because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives
with you and will be in you.