Isaiah 43:19 See something new

The Lord calls the Messianic King “my servant” in Isaiah 42–53. It is through the suffering of the servant that salvation in its fullest sense is achieved. Christ delivered humankind from the prison of sin (52:13-53:12) He became a “light for the Gentiles” (42:6), so that those nations that faced judgment (13–23) could find salvation (55:4–5). These Gentiles also became “servants of the Lord” (54:17).
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Believe God (1 Corinthians 15:1-58)

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)

  • The facts of the resurrection (15:1-11)
  • The results if people deny the resurrection (15:12-19)
  • The results of the resurrection of Jesus (15:20-34)
  • The nature of the resurrection body (15:35-50)
  • The time of the resurrection body (15:51-57)

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1 Cor 15:58 NLT).

You are unmistakably wonderful and valued by God (Psalm 139)

God who created the heaven and earth also created you. God has searched us, knows our entire lives completely. Before we were born he saw all our days before they came to be. He wants you to know him like he knows you. Ask him in prayer:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
    • (3-4) familiar with all my ways, even words not spoken known completely
    • (5-6) Enclosed me behind and before, hand upon me - this knowledge is unattainable
    • (7) Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
    • (8-9) Heaven, earth you are there
    • (10) Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast
    • (11-12) Darkness will not be dark to God
    • (13-14) Lord created my inmost being, knit me together in mother's womb, praise I'm fearfully, wonderfully made
    • (15-16) You watched me being formed in the womb, my unformed body, ordained all the days before they came to be
    • (17-18) Your thoughts are precious to me, infinite and wise
    • (19-22) I'm Lamenting over God's enemies
    • (23-24) Search me, know my heart, test me - point out anything in me that offends you

God's grace reaches for you(2 Corinthians 4:13-18)

But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

    • I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”

    How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!

    I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.” In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!” What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

    The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people— in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

The Lord disciplines those he loves (Hebrews 12)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

    • Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

    For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

    So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

    Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

    You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

    No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

    Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

    Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

The Lord knows those who are his (2 Tim 2:19-26)

God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”

    • In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

    Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

    Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Trust in the Lord, do good, delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:3-5)

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed,

    • Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.

    The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

    The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

    It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.

    Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.

    But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.

    The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.

    The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

    Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.

    Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly.

    He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.

    The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from his path.

    The wicked wait in ambush for the godly, looking for an excuse to kill them. But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.

    Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

    I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

    Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future.

    The Lord rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble. The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.

God's word in our heart, is carried on to others (Psalm 119:11)

Faith, Hope, and Love last forever but the greatest is Love (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT)

Verbs of love, regarding people (in relationship) to win people: patient, long-suffering, kind, active good-will,

  • Love doesn't have these attitudes and mannerisms: not envious (desire for or against), not boasting (boasting in what someone can't have), not arrogant (proud people don't listen), not rude (good manors, please and thank you), not a bully, not irritable, not grouchy, not holding grudges, not keeping score
  • Love is true and truthful, bears all things, not joyful in catching people
  • Love believes the best in people, favorable outcomes, hopes all things, keeps on hoping after faith. Love is optimistic.
  • Love endures all things. It's a stronghold. Refuse to stop loving. Love is tenacious, has grit -Bulletproof.
  • Love leads to effective ministry.
  • Love should inform every gift and relationship
    • And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love. (2 John 1;6)
    • Sacrificial one another love (John 13:34, 1 John 3:11)
    • Unselfish love that accompanies salvation (Hebrews 6:9), brotherly love (1 John 4:21)
    • Everyone who loves this way is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7)
    • We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:11)
    • And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. (1 John 3:23)
    • Define true Christian love. - Expects (faith), sees (hope), and desires (love) the best for everyone, bringing God praise, joy and glory.
    • Love is rejoicing in truth not wrongdoing (1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬6 ESV)
    • in Christ Jesus the only thing that matters is faith working through love (Galatians 5:6)
    • Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth..." - John 14:15-17

People from every nation, all tribes, and languages (Revelation 7:9-17)