VERSES FOR OFFERINGS

Think about giving – it's truly beautiful in God's eyes. When you're preparing your offering, remember it should be your best, given with a sincere heart. It should be a joyful act, knowing how much God has already blessed us with, even when we don't deserve it. He's been incredibly generous, hasn't He?

If you only give what's leftover, well, life might just mirror that back to you. Think about it – give as if you're giving to yourself. Don't do it out of obligation or because you expect something in return. True giving comes from the heart.

Don't make a big show of it either. It's not about getting praised or patted on the back. Let your giving be a quiet act between you and God. He sees what's in your heart, and He loves a cheerful giver. Remember what it says in 2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Giving is an act of worship, a way to give back a portion of what God has already given us. And when God gives, He gives abundantly. When you offer from the heart, you're opening the door for even more blessings. The more you give, the more you receive. It's a beautiful cycle.

I've placed my rainbow in the clouds, and this will be the sign of my agreement with you and with all life on earth.Whenever I make clouds form over the earth and the rainbow appears,it will remind me of my agreement between me and you and every kind of living creature that floodwaters won't ever again destroy all life.

This is how the Lord made an agreement with Abram that day and promised him, “I'm giving this land to your descendants. It extends from the Wadi of Egypt to the great Euphrates River,

I promise to continue my agreement with you, and with your descendants who come after you, for generations to come. This is an eternal agreement. I will always be your God, and the God of your descendants.I will give you and your descendants the whole country of Canaan—where you've been living as a foreigner—as land to own forever, and I will be their God.”

Now if you really obey what I say and keep the agreement with me, then out of all the nations you will be a special people that belong to me. While the whole world is mine,for me you will be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’ This is what you are to tell the Israelites.”

Then he picked up the Book of the Agreement and read it to the people. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord says. We will obey.”So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you following these terms.”

That's why you can be sure that the Lord your God is the true God, the faithful God who keeps his agreement based on trustworthy love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

It's not because you're so good or moral that you're going to take over their land. No, it's because of their wickedness that the Lord your God is driving out these nations ahead of you, to keep the promise he made to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

So make sure you keep and follow the terms of this agreement in order that you may be successful in everything you do.

Listen! Today I've placed a choice before you: life and what's good, or death and what's evil.I'm telling you today to love the Lord your God, to follow his ways, and to keep his commandments, rules, and regulations, so you can live and grow in number, and so the Lord your God may bless you in the country that you are entering and will own.

Though the mountains cease to exist and the hills disappear, yet my trustworthy love for you won't cease to exist and my agreement of peace won't disappear, says the Lord, who shows you kindness.

I, the Lord, love what is right. I hate robbery and injustice. I will faithfully reward my people and make an everlasting agreement with them.

Look! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah.It won't be like the agreement that I made with their forefathers when I held their hands and led them out of Egypt. They broke that agreement, even though I was faithful like a husband to them, declares the Lord.But this is the agreement I'm going to make with the people of Israel at that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws inside them and write them in their minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.No one will need to teach a neighbor or their brother, telling them, “You ought to know the Lord.” For everyone will know me, from the smallest to the greatest. I will forgive them when they do wrong, and I will forget about their sins.

I will make an agreement of peace with them, and get rid of the wild animals from the country, so that they can live safely in the wilderness and sleep securely in the forest.

I will give you a new mind and I will put a new spirit inside you. I will take away your stubborn mind and I will give you a loving mind.I will put my Spirit inside you so you will follow my laws and remember to do what I tell you.

My agreement with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him, and respect—he respected me. He stood in awe of me.

“For this is my blood of the agreement, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

In the same way after they had finished supper, he picked up the cup and said, “This cup is the new agreement in my blood which is poured out for you.”

But Jesus has been given a far better ministry just as he is the one who mediates a far better agreed relationship between us and God, which is based on much better promises.If that first agreement had been perfect, then a second wouldn't have been necessary.

This is why he is the mediator of a new agreed relationship. Since a death has occurred to set them free from the sins committed under the first agreed relationship, now those who are called can receive the promise of an eternal inheritance.

“This is the agreement that I will make with them later on, says the Lord. I will put my laws inside them, and I will write them in their minds.” Then he adds,“I won't remember their sins and lawlessness anymore.”

My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.”

The Lord told Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, your family home, and travel to the land I'm going to show you.But the land had been hit by famine. So Abram continued on to Egypt, planning to live there because the famine was so bad.As he approached Egypt and was about to cross the border, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are.When the Egyptians see you, they'll say, ‘She's his wife,’ and they'll kill me but not you!Tell them you're my sister so I'll be treated well because of you, and my life will be spared for your sake.”When Abram arrived in Egypt, the people there saw how beautiful Sarai was.Pharaoh's officials also noticed and spoke positively about her to Pharaoh. So Sarai was taken to his palace to become one of his wives.Pharaoh treated Abram well because of her, giving him sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.But the Lord caused Pharaoh and the people in his palace to suffer from terrible diseases because of Sarai, Abram's wife.So Pharaoh ordered Abram brought to him and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?Why did you say, ‘She's my sister,’ and let me take her to become one of my wives? So here's your wife! Take her and leave!”I will make you the ancestor of a great nation and I will bless you. I will make sure you have a great reputation and that you are a blessing to others.Pharaoh ordered his guards to expel him and his wife from the country, along with everyone with them and all their possessions.I will bless those who bless you; I will curse those who curse you. Everyone on earth will be blessed through you.”

When Abram was 99, the Lord appeared to him and told him, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and don't do wrong.This is my agreement with you and your descendants who come after you, the agreement you are to keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.You are to circumcise your foreskin, and this will be the sign of the agreement between me and you.From now and for all generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised. This includes not only your sons but also those born in your household or bought from foreigners.You must circumcise those born in your household or bought from foreigners as a sign in your bodies of my eternal agreement.Any uncircumcised male who refuses circumcision will be excluded from his people because he has broken my agreement.”Then God told Abraham, “Now about Sarai your wife. Don't call her Sarai any longer. Instead, her name will be Sarah.I will bless her and I promise to give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations, and kings will be among her descendants.”Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground. But inside he was laughing, asking himself, “How on earth could I have a son at the age of one hundred? How could Sarah have a child when she is ninety?”Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael always live under your blessing!”“No, it's your wife Sarah who is going to have a son for you!” God replied. “You are to call him Isaac. I will keep my agreement with him and his descendants as an eternal agreement.I will make my agreement between me and you, and I will give you many, many descendants.”

“I swear by myself, says the Lord, that because you have done this and didn't refuse to give me your son, your only son,you can be sure that I will bless you and give you many descendants. They will be as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore, and they will conquer their enemies.All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your descendants because you did what I told you.”

Then the Lord told Moses, “Write down these words, because these are the basis for the agreement I have made with you and with Israel.”Moses spent forty days and forty nights there with the Lord without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote down on the tablets the words of the agreement, the Ten Commandments.

Remember that the Lord our God made an agreement with us at Horeb.You must not give false evidence against others.You must not desire to have anyone else's wife. You must not desire to have their house or field, or their male slave or female slave, or their ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to them.”In a loud voice the Lord gave these commandments to all of you, speaking from the fire, the cloud, and the deep darkness that covered the mountain. He didn't add anything else. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.When you heard the voice that came from the darkness while the mountain was on fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me,and said, “Listen, the Lord our God has revealed his glory and majesty to us, and we have heard his voice that came from the fire. Today we have seen that human beings don't die even when God speaks with them.But we could still die, couldn't we? This enormous fire is going to burn us up, and we'll die if the Lord our God continues to speak to us.Has anybody else ever heard the living God speak from the fire and survived, as we have?You go and listen to everything the Lord our God tells you. Then you can repeat to us everything the Lord our God tells you. We promise to listen and obey.”The Lord heard what you told me, and he said to me, “I've heard what these people told you. All that they've said is good.I only wish they really did respect me and always kept my commandments so that they and their children would do well for all time.He didn't make this agreement with our fathers, but with us, all of those who are still alive today.

I will not annul the agreement I have with him; I will not alter a single word I've said.

“Bring me those who trust in me—those who confirmed the agreement with me through sacrifice.”

Lord, you are my God. I will honor you and praise who you are, because you have done wonderful things that you planned long ago. You are faithful and trustworthy!

But he was wounded because of our rebellious acts, he was crushed because of our guilt. He experienced the discipline that brings us peace, and his wounds heal us.

I will make an agreement of peace with them. This will be an everlasting agreement. I will make them secure and increase their numbers, and I will keep my sanctuary there with them forever.

Don't think I came to abolish the law or the writings of the prophets. I didn't come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.I assure you, until heaven and earth come to an end, not a single letter, not a single dot of the law will come to an end before everything is fulfilled.

God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.

Brothers and sisters, here's an example from daily life. If a contract is drawn up and agreed, signed and sealed, nobody can ignore it or add to it.Now the promises were given to Abraham, and to his son. It doesn't say, “sons” as if plural, but singular: “and to your son,” meaning Christ.

If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's children, and you are heirs of the promise!

Please promise you'll take care of me, your servant. Don't let these arrogant people mistreat me.

But the Lord's trustworthy love lasts for all eternity to those who accept him; his goodness to all generations,

For this is what the Lord says: To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths, who choose to do what pleases me, and to keep my agreement,I will give them, in my house and within my walls, a place to remember them and a reputation better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting reputation that will never fade.

This will be a day to remember for you. You are to celebrate it as a festival to the Lord for generations to come. You will observe this for all time to come.

The Lord said, “Look, I'm making an agreement with you. Right in front of all of you I will do miracles that have never been done before—not among anyone anywhere on earth. Everyone here and those around will see the Lord at work, for what I'm going to do for you will be incredible.

However, be careful not to forget the agreement of the Lord your God that he made with you. Don't make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything, because he has forbidden you to do this.For the Lord your God is a fire that burns everything up. He is an exclusive God.

If you listen to these regulations and are careful to observe them, then the Lord your God will keep his agreement and the trustworthy love that he promised to your forefathers.He will love you and bless you and give you many descendants. He will bless your children and the crops your land produces—your grain, new wine, and olive oil, the calves of your cattle herds and the lambs of your flocks—in the land that he promised your forefathers to give you.

The Lord's paths are those of trustworthy love and truth for those who keep his agreement and do as he says.

This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.

But this is the agreement I'm going to make with the people of Israel at that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws inside them and write them in their minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

But I won't forget the agreement I made with you when you were young, and I will make an everlasting agreement with you.

But then I ask, “Has God rejected his people?” Of course not! I'm an Israelite myself, from the tribe of Benjamin.May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.” So am I saying that they stumbled and consequently failed completely? Not at all! But as a result of their mistakes, salvation came to other nations, to “make them jealous.”Now if even their failure benefits the world, and their loss profits the foreigners, how much more beneficial it would be if they were to completely fulfill what they were meant to be. Now let me speak to you foreigners. Insofar as I'm a missionary to foreigners, I promote what I'm doingthat somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.If the result of God's rejection of them is that the world becomes God's friends, the result of God's acceptance of them would be like the dead coming back to life!If the first part of the bread dough given as an offering is holy, then so is all the rest; if the roots of a tree are holy, then so are the branches.Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you—a wild olive shoot—have been grafted in, and have shared with them the benefit of nourishment from the olive tree's roots,then you shouldn't look down on the other branches. If you're tempted to boast, remember it's not you who are supporting the roots, but the roots that are supporting you.You could make the claim, “Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.”God has not rejected his chosen people. Don't you recall what Scripture says about Elijah? How he complained about Israel to God, saying,

This is how Jesus became the guarantee of an agreed relationship with God that is so much better.

I will love him faithfully forever; my agreement with him shall never come to an end.

Remember your promise to me, your servant. It's my only hope.

This book is the record of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham, beginning with the family line: and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh; and Manasseh the father of Amon; and Amon the father of Josiah;and Josiah the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon.After the exile to Babylon, Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel; and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel;and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud; and Abiud the father of Eliakim; and Eliakim the father of Azor;and Azor the father of Zadok; and Zadok the father of Akim; and Akim the father of Eliud;and Eliud the father of Eleazar; and Eleazar the father of Matthan; and Matthan the father of Jacob;and Jacob was the father of Joseph, who was the husband of Mary, to whom Jesus was born, the one who is called the Messiah.So all the generations from Abraham to David add up to fourteen; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen; and from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen.

He was merciful to our fathers, remembering his holy agreement—the promise that he made to our father Abraham.

You are the sons of the prophets, and of the agreement which God made with your fathers when he said to Abraham, ‘From your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

They are my fellow-Israelites, God's chosen people. God revealed to them his glory and made agreements with them, giving them the law, true worship, and his promises.They are our forefathers—ancestors of Christ, humanly-speaking, the one who rules over everything, the eternally-blessed God. Amen.

However many promises God has made, in Christ the answer is always Yes. Through him we respond, saying Yes to the glory of God.

All those who rely on keeping the law are under a curse, for as Scripture says, “Cursed is everyone who doesn't carefully obey everything that's written in the book of the law.”Clearly nobody is made right with God by attempting to keep the law, for “Those who are made right will live by trusting God.”Obedience to the law has nothing to do with trusting God. Scripture only says, “You will live if you observe everything the law requires.”Christ has rescued us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. As Scripture says, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that through Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham could come to the foreigners as well, and we could receive the promise of the Spirit by trusting God.

The former system had instructions as to how to worship, and an earthly sanctuary.

By this the Holy Spirit indicated that the way into the true Most Holy Place hadn't been revealed while the first Tabernacle still existed.This is an illustration for us in the present, showing us that the gifts and sacrifices that are offered can't make the worshiper's conscience clear.

Today the Lord has announced that you are a special people who belong to him as he promised. He has announced that you are to keep all his commandments.

He proclaims his word to Jacob; his rules and laws to Israel.The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem, gathering together the people of Israel who have been scattered.He has not done this for any other nation—they don't know his laws. Praise the Lord!

Then he saw the Lord standing over him, who said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac. I'm giving you and your descendants the land you're lying on.Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and will spread out west and east, and north and south. Everyone on earth will be blessed by your descendants.Listen! I am with you and will take care of you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this country. I won't leave you because I'm going to do what I've promised you.”

“No, it's your wife Sarah who is going to have a son for you!” God replied. “You are to call him Isaac. I will keep my agreement with him and his descendants as an eternal agreement.

I call on heaven and earth to be my witnesses against you today that I have placed before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life, so you and your descendants will live,When that happens, and when you and your children come back to the Lord your God, and when you do what he says with all your mind and all your being in accordance with everything I'm telling you today, then the Lord your God will be merciful to you.so you will love the Lord your God, obey him, and hold onto him. For he is your life, and he will give you long lives in the country that the Lord promised to give your forefathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He keeps the borders of your land safe from attack; he provides you with plenty of the finest wheat.

Instead he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion which he loves.There he built his sanctuary, high like the heavens, on earth that he made to last forever.

This is my agreement with them, says the Lord. My Spirit, who is upon you, won't leave you, and my words that I have given you to speak will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children, and on the lips of your descendants, from now until forever, says the Lord.

I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be their leader. I the Lord have spoken.

However, I tell you, I won't drink this fruit of the vine until the day I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.”

“The Lord, the God of Israel, he is wonderful, for he has come to his people and set them free.He has given us a great Savior from the line of his servant David,

This promise is given to you, to your children, and to all who are far away—everyone the Lord our God calls.”

There's no difference between Jew and Greek—for the same Lord is Lord of everyone, and he gives generously to everyone who asks him.For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In complete contrast, you are a specially-chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Consequently you can reveal the wonderful things he's done, calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In my agreement I'm promising you that I won't ever again destroy all life by means of a flood—there won't be a destructive flood like this again.”

“Listen! This is the agreement I'm making with you. You will be the father of many nations,so your name won't be Abram any longer. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I'm going to make you the father of many nations.

You and your descendants are to remember to observe these instructions for all time to come.

He feeds those who respect him; he always remembers the agreement he made.

the one who made heaven and earth, and the sea along with everything it contains. He is trustworthy forever.

That's why I'm going to grant him a place among the great, and give him the prize of the victorious, because he poured out his life in death and was counted as one of the rebels. He took on himself the sins of many and asked forgiveness for the rebels.

This is what the Lord says: If you were able to break my agreement with the day and with the night, so that they wouldn't come at the right time,only then would my agreement be broken with David my servant and with the Levites who serve as my priests, so that David would not have a descendant to rule on his throne.

I will give them single-minded commitment and a whole new spirit. I will take away their hard-hearted attitude and replace it with one that is loving.

This is how I will endorse my agreement with you, and you will know that I am the Lord,

So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham—not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.

Brothers and sisters, here's an example from daily life. If a contract is drawn up and agreed, signed and sealed, nobody can ignore it or add to it.

But at the appropriate time God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the rule of law,so that he could rescue those who were kept under the rule of law, so that we could receive the inheritance of adopted children.

the agreement he made with Abraham, the vow he gave to Isaac.

to those who keep his agreement and who remember to follow his commandments.

Don't think I came to abolish the law or the writings of the prophets. I didn't come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

“This is the agreement that I will make with them later on, says the Lord. I will put my laws inside them, and I will write them in their minds.” Then he adds,

Then the Lord told Moses, “Write down these words, because these are the basis for the agreement I have made with you and with Israel.”

Because he loved your forefathers, he chose you, their descendants. He himself led you out of Egypt by his great power,driving out ahead of you nations that were greater and stronger than you, in order to lead you to their land and give it to you as yours to own, just as you do today.

But if his descendants abandon my laws, if they do not follow my rules,if they break my decrees, and do not keep my commandments,I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a rod, and their sin by lashing them with a whip.

Remember, Lord, your compassion and trustworthy love—they are eternal!Please don't remember the sins of my youth when I rebelled against you. Instead, remember me according to your trustworthy love, remember me because of your goodness, Lord.

This is how all Israel will be saved. As Scripture says, “The Savior will come from Zion, and he will turn Jacob away from his opposition to God.My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.”

But the heavenly Jerusalem is free. She is our mother.

How good, how delightful it is when people live together lin harmony!

To him who struck down the firstborn in Egypt. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.He led his people out of Egypt. For his trustworthy love lasts forever. He did this with his strong hand and outstretched arm. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.

This is my servant whom I've chosen, The one I love, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit on him, And he will tell the foreigners what's right.

You already know that you were not set free from your pointless way of living that you inherited from your forefathers by things that don't have lasting value, like silver or gold.You were set free by the costly blood of Christ, who was like a lamb with no flaw or defect.

So what's our response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He delivered his people. He commanded that his agreement would continue forever. How holy and awesome is his reputation!

However, it was the Lord's will for him to be crushed and to suffer, for when he gives his life as a guilt offering he will see his descendants, he will have a long life, and what the Lord wants will be achieved through him.After his suffering, he will see the results and be satisfied. Through his knowledge my servant who does what is right will set many right, and he will bear their sins.

Go and discover what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I didn't come to call those who do what's right—I came to call sinners.”

Everyone in the whole world will repent and return to the Lord; all the nations will worship before you.

Now that we have been made right by God by trusting in him, we have peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ.While we were his enemies, God made us his friends through the death of his Son, and so we can be absolutely sure that he will save us through the life of his Son.In addition to this we now celebrate what God has done through our Lord Jesus Christ to reconcile us and make us his friends.For through one man sin entered the world, and sin led to death. In this way death came to everyone, for everyone sinned.Even before the law was given, sin was in the world, however it wasn't counted as sin because there was no law.But death still ruled from Adam until Moses, even over those who didn't sin in the same way as Adam did. Now Adam prefigured the one to come.But the gift of Jesus is not like the sin of Adam. Though many people died because of one man's sin, God's grace is so much greater and has been shared with so many through his gracious gift in the person of Jesus Christ.The result of the gift is not like that of the sin. The result of Adam's sin was judgment and condemnation, but the gift sets us right with God, despite our many sins.As a result of one man's sin, death ruled because of him. But God's grace is so much greater and his gift sets us right, for everyone who receives it will rule in life through the person of Jesus Christ!Just as one sin brought condemnation on everyone, in the same way one right act gave everyone the opportunity to live right.Just as through one man's disobedience many became sinners, in the same way through one man's obedience many are made right with God.It's through Jesus, trusting in him, that we've gained access to this position of grace where we now stand, looking forward with happiness and confidence to sharing in God's glory.

He remembers his agreement forever, the promise he made lasts for a thousand generations;

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to become angry, full of trustworthy love and faithfulness.

Hold on to kindness and truth. Tie them around your neck; write them in your mind.Don't quarrel with anybody for no reason, when they haven't done anything to hurt you.Don't be jealous of violent people—don't choose to follow their example!For the Lord hates deceitful people, but he is a friend to those who do what is good.The houses of the wicked are cursed by the Lord, but he blesses the homes of those who live right.He mocks those who mock, but he is kind to the humble.The wise will receive honor, but fools are held up in disgrace.That way you'll gain a good reputation and be appreciated by both God and people.

This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.

Then you will live in the country I gave to your forefathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

No—in all that happens to us we're more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For the Lord is good. His trustworthy love lasts forever; his faithfulness continues for all generations.

Your goodness and justice last forever; and your law is the truth.

Let's never tire of doing good, for we'll reap a harvest at the proper time, if we don't give up.

He wants the wonderful things he has done to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and kind.

For I'm going to pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I'm going to pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.

For his anger only lasts a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime. You may spend the night in tears, but happiness comes with the morning.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.Everyone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks has the door opened for them.

I'm certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it's God's power to save everyone who trusts in him—to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well.For in the good news God is revealed as good and right, trustworthy from start to finish. As Scripture says, “Those who are right with God live by trusting him.”

Your faithfulness lasts for all generations, as permanent as the earth you created.

This is what the one who is high above all says, he who lives in eternity, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, together with those who repent and who act humbly, restoring their spirits and encouraging them.

Seek his kingdom first, and his way of living right, and everything will be given to you.

Now may the God of peace who raised our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, from the dead, with the blood of an eternal agreement—may he provide you with all that is good so you can do his will. May he work in us, doing everything that pleases him, through Jesus Christ—glory to him forever and ever. Amen.

He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages the wounded.

I'm so happy for your instructions. I love them!I lift up my hands in prayer, honoring your commandments. I will think deeply about all you say. Zayin

I bow down before your holy Temple, and I am thankful because of who you are—for your trustworthy love and faithfulness—and for the fact that your promises are even greater than what people expect of you.

Don't be afraid, for I am with you! Don't be frightened for I, your God, will make you strong, and I will certainly help you. I will support you with my strong hand, acting for what is right.

Come and see what God has done! What he does for people is truly awesome!

I will not annul the agreement I have with him; I will not alter a single word I've said.By my holy character I have made a vow to David that I will not lie to him.

At night I think about the kind of person you are, Lord, and do what you say.

It's not that God's promise has failed. For not every Israelite is a true Israelite,

However, you are my witnesses, the Lord declares, and my chosen servant, so that you can think about it, and believe me and understand that I am God. No god preceded me, and none will come after me.

He remembered the agreement he had made with them, and he held back because of his great kindness and love.

Your trustworthy love is better than life itself; I will praise you.

He held on to God's promise—he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.

The Lord vindicates me! Lord, your trustworthy love lasts forever! Don't give up on what you have made!

Let every part of me praise the Lord! Lord my God, you are so great, clothed with majesty and splendor!You make springs flow into the streams, running down between the hills.They provide water for all the wild animals, and wild donkeys quench their thirst.Birds build their nests in trees along the streams, singing from among the leaves.You send down rain on the mountains from your home high above; you fill the earth with good things.You make the grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to eat—crops produced by the earth for food,and wine to make them happy, olive oil to make their faces shine, and bread to make them strong.The Lord's trees are well-watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.Sparrows make their nests there; herons make their homes in the tall trees.Wild goats live high in the mountains; hyraxes hide among the rocks.You made the moon to mark the months, and the sun knows when to set.You wear light as your clothing; you stretch out the fabric of the heavens. You make darkness fall and the night comes, the time when the forest animals come out to hunt. The young lions roar as they seek their prey, looking for the food that God provides for them.When the sun rises they return to their dens to rest.Then people leave for work, working until the evening.Lord, how many different things you have made—all of them wisely created! The earth is full of your creatures.Consider the sea, deep and wide, full of all kinds of living things, large and small.Ships sail there, and Leviathan, that you made to play in it. All creatures look to you to give them food at the right time.When you provide it, they gather it up. You hand out food to them, and they are well-fed.When you turn away from them, they're terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to dust.You place the roof-beams of your house in the rainclouds. You make the clouds your chariots. You ride on the wings of the wind.When you send your breath, they are created, and life covers the earth again.May the Lord's glory last forever! The Lord is happy with all he has made.He only has to look at the earth and it trembles; mountains pour out smoke at his touch.I will sing to the Lord for as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God my whole life.May he be pleased with my thoughts because I am happy in the Lord. Let sinners be destroyed from the earth; let the wicked cease to exist. Let every part of me praise the Lord!You make your angels winds, and your servants flames of fire. You set the earth on its foundations; it will never be shaken.

But the Spirit produces fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trust,gentleness, self-control—and there's no law against these kinds of things!

Prayer