A disciple is not above his teacher.
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. § If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. § I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. § Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind.
Matt. 10:24; John 13:13; Matt. 10:25; John 15:20; 17:14;
Heb. 12:3–4; 12:1–2; 1 Peter 4:1
My son, give me your heart.
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
Your heart is not right in the sight of God. § Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
They first gave themselves to the Lord. § In every work that [Hezekiah] began … to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord. § As bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. § I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.
Prov. 23:26; Deut. 5:29; Acts 8:21; Rom. 8:7–8;
2 Cor. 8:5; 2 Chron. 31:21; Prov. 4:23; Col. 3:23; Eph. 6:6–7; Ps. 119:32
Joshua had to wait seven days as he obediently marched around Jericho before God rewarded his patience and brought the walls down.
Israel waited for the Messiah to come. Mary waited nine months for Jesus’ birth. Jesus waited for the woman of Samaria to come to the well, Mary and Martha waited for Jesus to come to Bethany, and Jesus Himself waited three days in the tomb for the resurrection. A person who lives in submissive obedience to Christ is a person who is often called to wait.
Are you waiting on God for something? What plans have you made in the meantime? Who else have you involved in those plans? Is there someone else, a mother-in-law or pastor or best friend, who is leading you to join him or her in decisive action? Instead of blindly saying, “I’ll go with you,” take a moment to pray and ask God for His direction. Then wait until He answers you.
I have removed your iniquity from you,
and I will clothe you with rich robes.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. § We are all like an unclean thing. § I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. § You have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. § Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but … the righteousness which is from God by faith.
Bring out the best robe and put it on him. § The fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. § I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.
Zech. 3:4; Ps. 32:1; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 7:18; Gal. 3:27;
Col. 3:9–10; Phil. 3:9; Luke 15:22; Rev. 19:8; Isa. 61:10
The Day will declare it.
Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ … So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore.
God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. § The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son … [He] has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
The Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.
1 Cor. 3:13; 4:5; Rom. 14:10, 12–13;
2:16; John 5:22, 27; Jer. 32:18–19
Romans 8:28 says, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” In other words, when you are in the purpose, or will, of God, everything that comes into your life can work for your good. You may immediately question how the pregnancy of your unmarried daughter can work for your good, or how God can work even a divorce for your good, or how the loss of your job can be for your good, or how your terminal illness can be for your good. If, by “good,” Romans 8:28 meant your comfort, convenience, health, wealth, prosperity, pleasure, or happiness, we would all question it! But your ultimate good is conformity to the image of Jesus Christ. And when you are in God’s will – “called according to his purpose” – everything God allows into your life is used by Him to make you like Christ. Everything!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. § I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you. § Your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. § God in Christ forgave you. § That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. § They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.
1 John 1:9; Ps. 51:3–4; Luke 15:20; Isa. 44:22; 1 John 2:12;
Eph. 4:32; Rom. 3:26; Ezek. 36:25; Rev. 3:4; 1 John 5:6
Shall the throne of iniquity … have fellowship with You?
Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. § Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
The ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. § A High Priest … holy, harmless, undefiled.
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. § The prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.
Whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Ps. 94:20; 1 John 1:3; 3:2–3; John 14:30;
Heb. 7:26; Eph. 6:12; 2:2; 1 John 5:18–19
