Author: cackywalker@yahoo.com

“Then the Lord will pity His people and jealously guard the honor of His land. The Lord will reply,’Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be a mockery among the surrounding nations. I will drive away these armies from the north. I will send them into parched wastelands. Those in front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean. The stench of he rotting bodies will rise over the land.’

Surely the Lord has done great things. Don’t be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things. Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more.

Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain He sends demonstrates His faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come as well as the rains of spring.” (vv. 18-23, NLT)

“This is what the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.’ Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” (vv. 12-13, NLT)

“Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer. They revive the spirit of their employer.” (Proverbs 25:13, NLT)

“Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Ephesians 6:7, NLT)

“Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” (Psalm 19:13, NLT)

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT)

“Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God so a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There He waits until His enemies are humbled and made a footstool under His feet. For by that one offering He forever made perfecct those who are being made holy.

And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For He says, ‘This is the new covenant I will make with My people on that day,’ says the Lord: ‘I will put My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’. Then He says,’I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.’

And when sins have been forgiven, their is no more need to offer any more sacrifices.” (vv. 15-18, NLT)

“Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do.” (2 Corinthians 10:7, NLT)

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” (James 1:5-8, NLT)

“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So, then let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” (Romans 14:7-9, NLT)

“Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, let them serve as deacons.” (1 Timothy 3:10, NLT)

“Then God looked over all that He had made, and He saw it was good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31, NLT)

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new life-giving way through the curtain of the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting in Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.: (vv. 19-25, NLT)

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shown like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him and they fell into a dead faint.

Than the angel spoke to the women. ‘Don’t be afraid! he said. ‘I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember what I have told you.’

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”(vv. 1-10, NLT)