VERSES TO BLESS

Think about the special people God has placed in your life. They're truly blessings, and I'm lifting them up in prayer right now, in Jesus' name. The Bible is full of verses about giving thanks and blessings, and that's what I'm doing for these folks. It's not just them, either; I'm also praying for your family, your country, and your fellow believers.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV). I'm also praying for your pastors, who are instruments of God's grace.

“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12 NIV). And you know, it's not just about blessing those who are good to us. We're called to something bigger. We're called to bless even those who give us a hard time. "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14 NIV).

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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.

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet.For I have given you an example – you should do just as I have done for you.

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

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

And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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

But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.

But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.

By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

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.

Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.

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

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him?If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food,and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it?So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.

but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward.”

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

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.

You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people,because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord.

Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.

The greatest among you will be your servant.

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

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

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.

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

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.

She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.

For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.

So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.

Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near!

and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked!

Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.

But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

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.

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.

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

My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you.

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

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

But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.

The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.

Everything you do should be done in love.

So the crowds were asking him, “What then should we do?”John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”

“I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.”

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means Dorcas). She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity.

and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress – as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works.

And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do.

Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.

But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right.

In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!

In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.

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

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

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 worldby 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.

“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints.

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.

to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,

if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.

Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops;

And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.

Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.

Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows,because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.

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

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!”

The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,

The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common.With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all.For there was no one needy among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the salesand placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

We love because he loved us first.

So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you,

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

He heals the brokenhearted, and bandages their wounds.

Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?”Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times!

I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern for me. (Now I know you were concerned before but had no opportunity to do anything.)

Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers,nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love,you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”

So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.

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.

How can I repay the Lord for all his acts of kindness to me?I will celebrate my deliverance, and call on the name of the Lord.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father!”

(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.

No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.

Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble.

For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,

With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed.

For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

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

Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come?My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!

Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone.And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.

“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one –I in them and you in me – that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.

Prayer