And withoutfaithit is impossibleto please[Him], for he who comesto Godmustbelievethat He is and [that] He is a rewarderof thosewho seekHim.
"I lovethose who loveme; And those who diligentlyseekme will findme.
"But seekfirstHis kingdomand His righteousness,and allthese thingswill be addedto you.
"As for you, my sonSolomon,knowthe Godof your father,and serveHim with a wholeheartand a willingmind;for the LORDsearchesallhearts,and understandseveryintentof the thoughts.Ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will rejectyou forever.
"But seekHis kingdom,and these thingswill be addedto you.
With allmy heartI have soughtYou; Do not let me wanderfrom Your commandments.
ThereforeHe is ablealsoto saveforeverthosewho draw nearto GodthroughHim, since He alwayslivesto make intercessionfor them.
Howthenwill they callon Him in whomthey have not believed?Howwill they believein Him whomthey have not heard?And howwill they hearwithouta preacher?
Take care,brethren,that there not be in any oneof you an evil,unbelievingheartthat falls awayfrom the livingGod.
But as for me, the nearnessof Godis my good;I have madethe LordGODmy refuge,That I may tellof allYour works.
Jesussaidto him, "I amthe way,and the truth,and the life;no onecomesto the Fatherbut throughMe.
Nowfor thisveryreason also,applyingalldiligence,in your faithsupplymoralexcellence, and in [your] moral excellence,knowledge,
Therefore,sinceit remainsfor someto enterit, and thosewhoformerlyhad good news preachedto them failedto enterbecauseof disobedience,
For in ChristJesusneithercircumcisionnoruncircumcisionmeansanything,but faithworkingthroughlove.
Therefore,beloved,since you lookfor these things,be diligentto be foundby Him in peace,spotlessand blameless,
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Howlongwill thispeoplespurnMe? And howlongwill they not believein Me, despite allthe signswhichI have performedin their midst?
"ThereforeI saidto you that you will diein your sins;for unlessyou believethat I am[He], you will diein your sins."
Therefore,brethren,be all the morediligentto makecertainabout His callingand choosingyou; for as long as you practicethese things,you will neverstumble;
(for the Lawmadenothingperfect),and on the other handthere is a bringingin of a betterhope,throughwhichwe draw nearto God.
In spite of allthisthey stillsinnedAnd did not believein His wonderfulworks.
For indeedwe have had good news preachedto us, justas they also;but the wordthey hearddid not profitthem, because it was not unitedby faithin thosewhoheard.
The wickedearnsdeceptivewages,But he who sowsrighteousness[gets] a true reward.
"But for the cowardlyand unbelievingand abominableand murderersand immoral personsand sorcerersand idolatersand allliars,their part[will be] in the lakethat burnswith fireand brimstone,whichis the seconddeath."
But the LORDsaidto Mosesand Aaron,"Becauseyou have not believedMe, to treatMe as holyin the sightof the sonsof Israel,thereforeyou shall not bringthisassemblyinto the landwhichI have giventhem."
Afterthesethingsthe wordof the LORDcameto Abramin a vision,saying,"Do not fear,Abram,I am a shieldto you; Your rewardshall be verygreat."
consideringthe reproachof Christgreaterrichesthan the treasuresof Egypt;for he was lookingto the reward.
"Thesesignswill accompanythosewho have believed:in My namethey will castout demons,they will speakwith newtongues;
"Inclineyour earand cometo Me. Listen,that you may live;And I will makean everlastingcovenantwith you, [According to] the faithfulmerciesshown to David.
and the headof Ephraimis Samariaand the headof Samariais the sonof Remaliah.Ifyou will not believe,you surelyshall not last."'"
And menwill say,"Surelythere is a rewardfor the righteous;Surelythereis a Godwho judgeson earth!"
"But loveyour enemies,and do good,and lend,expectingnothingin return;and your rewardwill be great,and you will be sonsof the Most High;for He Himselfis kindto ungratefuland evil[men].
Then they despisedthe pleasantland;They did not believein His word,
"They sayto God,Departfrom us! We do not even desirethe knowledgeof Your ways.
Becausethey did not believein GodAnd did not trustin His salvation.
"May the LORDrewardyour work,and your wagesbe fullfrom the LORD,the Godof Israel,underwhosewingsyou have cometo seekrefuge."
"Wheneveryou fast,do not puton a gloomy faceas the hypocrites[do], for they neglecttheir appearancesothat they will be noticedby menwhen they are fasting.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"Whenyou pray,you are not to be likethe hypocrites;for they loveto standand prayin the synagoguesand on the streetcornerssothat they may be seenby men.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"O generation,heedthe wordof the LORD.Have I beena wildernessto Israel,Ora landof thickdarkness?Whydo My peoplesay,We [are free to] roam;We will nolongercometo You'?
"Rejoiceand be glad,for your rewardin heavenis great;for in the same waythey persecutedthe prophetswho were beforeyou.
"Yes,Father,for this waywas well-pleasingin Your sight.
