Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. | Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. |
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. | The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. |
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Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. | Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. |
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. | Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! |
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. | But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. |
And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. | And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. |
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. | For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. |
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. | But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, But the poor does not hear rebuke. |
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. | Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. |
But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. | But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. |
And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? | And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? |
So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. | Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. |
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” | But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” |
What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? | What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? |
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. |
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. | You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah |
John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. | Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. |
Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. | You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. |
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. |
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. | And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. |
But when you ask him, be sure that your 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. | But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. |
I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. | And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. |
Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. | Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. |
So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. | So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. |