VERSES OF STRENGTH

Hey there, I just wanted to remind you that God equips you to handle every tough situation. We often think we're not ready for the challenges life throws our way, but that's just not true. God always prepares us. His word tells us He hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So take heart, knowing God is right there with you, fighting for you in every battle.

Use those tools God has given you through His word and the Holy Spirit. Be brave and take firm, confident steps. "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24) So cheer up! God never fails.

He's your strength, your deliverer, your helper, your shield, your strong refuge. Trust in your Heavenly Father; everything will be alright. "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure." (2 Samuel 22:33)

“To the one in despair, kindness should come from his friend even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.

A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends.

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor.

Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your disaster; a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.

The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.

Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice, likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.

For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together!

A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.

A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.

Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.

No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life for his friends.

Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.

When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country – Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.

As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.

Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

Don’t set foot too frequently in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you.

Do not make friends with an angry person, and do not associate with a wrathful person,

lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, the way a person speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,

Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved during their lives, and not even in their deaths were they separated. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job.

Then someone will ask him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ and he will answer, ‘Some that I received in the house of my friends.’

When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life.

Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life.

I thank my God every time I remember you.

since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.

I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you

because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.

And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.

The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.

Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,

so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,

not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins.

I am a friend to all your loyal followers, and to those who keep your precepts.

For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who shared meals with me, has turned against me.

But it is you, a man like me, my close friend in whom I confided.

We would share personal thoughts with each other; in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.

You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life.

The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within his house. Now David was playing the lyre that day. There was a spear in Saul’s hand,

and Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.

So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.

Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back.

Now David achieved success in all he did, for the Lord was with him.

When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.

But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.

Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”

David said to Saul, “Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.

Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house.

Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him.

Saul said, “I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law.”

Then Saul instructed his servants, “Tell David secretly, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.”

So Saul’s servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law something insignificant to you? I’m just a poor and lightly-esteemed man!”

When Saul’s servants reported what David had said,

Saul replied, “Here is what you should say to David: ‘There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except a hundred Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his enemies.’” (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.)

So his servants told David these things and David agreed to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired

when David, along with his men, went out and struck down two hundred Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,

Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.

Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life.

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth –

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,

for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.

And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment.

But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me.

May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus.

Wait patiently for the Lord! Wait confidently for him! Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes!

Do not be angry and frustrated! Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.

For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body – though many – are one body, so too is Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

For in fact the body is not a single member, but many.

For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, both yours and mine.

Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

He despises a reprobate, but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

But you did not learn about Christ like this,

if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.

You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,

to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.

Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.

Do not give the devil an opportunity.

The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Prayer