Tuesday, July 08, 2008

UNFAILING

We can often be disappointed by other people. Sometimes it is a loved one, a mother or father, a sister or brother or perhaps just a friend. We expect them to act as though they love us but our expectations may be based on a false definition of love. We want people to love us with an unfailing love, a perfect love.

Is it reasonable to expect unfailing love from someone? Here’s what God’s word says on the subject…


Many a man claims to have unfailing love,

but a faithful man who can find? Proverbs 20:6 NIV

While man’s love is often imperfect (women’s too by the way!), God’s love can be trusted…


8 It is better to trust in the Lord

Than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to trust in the Lord

Than to put confidence in princes. Psalms 118:8-9 NKJV

God’s love never fails…………………..1 Corinthians 13:8

God is love…………………………………….1 John 4:8

Therefore, God’s love is unfailing!

Let’s look at how realistic our interpretation of what love should be is. We generally want someone to love us no matter what we do, even when we’re selfish and mean to them. We want them to always give us what we want (not necessarily what is best for us). We want to be the center of their attention. We want!

Now let’s look at God’s definition found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV)

DESIRE TO HEAR (READ) A FRESH WORD FROM GOD ABOUT HIS LOVE...


8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul. Psalms 143:8 NIV

THANK HIM FOR HIS UNFAILING LOVE…


31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men. Psalms 107:31 NIV

Remember, whereas men can disappoint you, God never will. You may not always get your way, but God in His infinite wisdom and out of His unfailing love for you, will always give you what is best for your life as you seek to follow Him…


28And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 NLT

You can trust in His unfailing love. You can trust the God of all creation. Seek His will for your life. Seek His help in all things…

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Monday, July 07, 2008

HOPE

I hope I get a good grade in Math. I hope my boyfriend (or girlfriend) likes my outfit. I hope that the person that got hurt is going to be ok.

We all hope for certain things. But what is our hope based on? Is it in fate, karma or some mystical sounding word? Can we affect the outcome of our hope? Can our hope be based on something real?

Some of you may remember the story of Daniel’s friends that were thrown into the fiery furnace. Their hope was in the LORD. Here is their reply to the King regarding their forthcoming punishment…


Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. Daniel 3:16-17 NLT

Was their hope in vain? See for yourself…

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:25 NKJV

The three men walked out of the furnace unharmed!

Is your hope in yourself and your abilities or in the GOD of all Creation?

King David put his hope and trust in GOD.

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

2 in you I trust, O my God.

Do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one whose hope is in you

will ever be put to shame,

but they will be put to shame

who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,

teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long. Psalms 25:1-5 NIV

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in you. Psalms 33:17-22 NIV

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge. Selah

Psalms 62:5-8 NIV


5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope. Psalms 130:5 NIV

The Prophet Isaiah put it in these words…


28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

Jeremiah, another Prophet of the LORD proclaims…

11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For those of us who know Christ as Savior and the reason for our hope, this passage is meaningful…

23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Friday, July 04, 2008

LIBERTY

Today we celebrate liberty and freedom. Those words mean different things to different people. Here is how those concepts are defined in God’s view…

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

Because the LORD has anointed me

To bring good news to the afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to captives

And freedom to prisoners; Isaiah 61:1 NASB

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. Galatians 4:4-5 NLT

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. Ephesians 1:7 NLT


Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 NKJV

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NLT

I will walk in freedom,for I have devoted myself to your commandments. Psalms 119:45 NLT

If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15 NKJV

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Thursday, July 03, 2008

CHOICES

Life is filled with choices. We will all make some bad ones, but how can we increase the odds of making right choices, right decisions, more often?


1 Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers. Psalms 1:1 NLT

See, it isn’t just your mom and dad saying it! God said it first through the Psalmist, King David.

2 But they delight in the law of the LORD,

meditating on it day and night. Psalms 1:2 NLT

While we today are not under the law (no one can keep all 613 commandments) because of the grace of Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary on our behalf, we are to study His Word, the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15) and consider how it applies to our lives.

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do. Psalms 1:3 NLT

Jesus often referred to the results that our lives produced as “fruit.” If we are doing good things, hanging out with good friends and obeying the authorities over us we will produce good “fruit.”


Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 7:17 NKJV

The good news is that when we choose to depend on Him (Jesus) and let Him help us…we will produce good “fruit” and everyone around us will notice.


“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5-6 NKJV

Obviously, if choosing to hang out with good friends, studying and meditating on God’s Word and bearing good fruit brings a lasting joy and blessings to our lives, the opposite choice must produce depression, gloom and at the very least, short-lived “joy.” Here’s the rest of Psalms 1

4 But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6 For the LORD watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalms 1:4-6 NLT

In the words of Jesus from verse six in John chapter fifteen,

6If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

The choice is ours to make. The stakes are high. Think about it…

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

DIFFERENT

There is a marked difference between how God thinks we should act (as He puts forth in His Word, the Bible) and how the rest of society believes we should act.

The title of an article intrigued me the other day, so I opened it to see what the author had said. The title of the article was “How to find inner peace amidst outer chaos.” Dr. Mercola, who puts out a newsletter on health related issues, wrote it.

The phrases following “The WORLD” were part of Dr. Mercola’s answer to how we are to find inner peace. Immediately following are Bible verses addressing the same issue.

The WORLD: Learning that saying “no” to others is saying “yes” to yourself.


The BIBLE: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

The WORLD: Trusting your instincts -- they won’t steer you wrong. Realize, too, that if you’re too distracted you may not be able to recognize these inner cues.

The BIBLE: Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and shun evil.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV)

As you can see, there is a marked difference in ideologies. Here is God’s answer to how to experience inner peace…

Get to know God and His Son Jesus…

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 (NIV)

Have faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior…

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 (NIV)

Let Him be your Lord…

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

ANSWERS

I saw a statistic not too long ago that stated, 86% of all people pray (yes, teenagers too!). They may not know to whom they are praying, but they are looking for help; they are looking for answers.

The problem is, so many of us think we have to hear a booming voice from heaven that gives us the answer to our prayer. Let’s look at an example from God’s Word about how he answered the prayer of King Hezekiah…


15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. 2 Kings 19:15-16 (NIV)

The answer didn’t come to him in a booming voice or even in a little voice inside his head (or heart). It came through the prophet Isaiah…


20Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 21This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him… 2 Kings 19:20-21a (NIV)

Isaiah is now a book in the Bible. God’s words that were spoken through him were written down. The words that God spoke through Moses, Jeremiah, Matthew, Luke and all the other authors in the Bible were written down so that we could find answers in God’s Word.

How about this prayer…”Lord, I don’t know what to do.” Could these be possible answers?

  • Love each other

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NIV)

  • Help others

Look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27b (NIV)

21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21 (NIV)

Or how about this prayer…“God, I’m so mad at my friend, I don’t know what to do”

Could these verses be an answer from God?


14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)


21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV)

The point is God has answers to our concerns. He also has promises concerning what we can expect from Him…


8The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

29But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

The answers to our question, concerns and prayers to God can be found in His Word. We simply have to take the time to look! (If you’re interested in speed, get a software version of the Bible and use the search feature!!!)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Monday, June 30, 2008

RETURN

Sometimes we look at calamity as being entirely evil…death, wars, accidents and things like these. In the book of Second Kings, we read about the Israelites being captured and deported from their land…

5The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. 6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes. 2 Kings 17:5-6 (NIV)

What a horrible thing to happen. It surely must have been from the devil, right?

Hear the Word of the Lord…there is an accounting for sin, yes even the sin of an entire nation.


7All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. 2 Kings 17:7-8 (NIV)

Was this punishment undeserved? Perhaps the people didn’t know!


13The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” 2 Kings 17:13 (NIV)

What about us in the United States? Have we been warned? Has God sent His servants to warn us? What about the preachers and teachers that proclaim the message of God’s Holy Word…are we listening to them?

Does this scenario sound familiar?


29Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. 30The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made Ashima; 31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. 2 Kings 17:29-33 (NIV)

Now when he says, “they worshiped the Lord,” he is saying, “They went through the motions.” Listen to the next verse…


34To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 2 Kings 17:34 (NIV)

Does that scene sound familiar? Here in the United States today do we not have a similar situation? Do we not have more and more people that are just “going through the motion” but worshiping something else like position in their particular social circle or “church”, career advancement, new cars, new houses, or just plain old money?

Do we not have people from other countries living here that worship Allah, Jah, Amlak, Brahman, Vishnu, Artemis, and a myriad of other gods? Yet it is becoming more and more “taboo” and considered “narrow-minded” to worship the One True God who Created us.

Do we not see more and more of our children being sacrificed to the gods of selfishness, addiction and apathy? Should we not expect God to punish us as He did the Israelites?

Here are the first three of the Ten Commandments…

6“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

7“You shall have no other gods before me.

8“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Deuteronomy 5:6-10 (NIV)

We must pray for our nation. We must pray for a return to God, the only God, through His Son and the Way that He prescribed…

9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NIV)


12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NIV)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Sunday, June 29, 2008

TIMING

God’s ways are not our ways. His timing does not necessarily match up with our idea of appropriate timing. We usually want it NOW. God may say, “Wait.”

We are often driven by emotions and feelings to do certain things at certain times. God, however, sees the whole picture. He sees every possible thing that could happen if we go down a certain path at a certain time and He knows which one is the best one for us to take. He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Often He will use other people to help us with this type of decision. Sometimes we listen and sometimes we don’t.

The Apostle Paul was advised not to go into the amphitheater in Ephesus when his traveling companions were dragged in by an angry mob…


30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. Acts 19:30-31 (NIV)

Paul listened to their advice. Had he gone in to the amphitheater, his life may have been ended prematurely and he might not have had the opportunity to continue to share the message of Jesus Christ with others. He would not have been able to share his testimony and the gospel with the council in Jerusalem, King Agrippa and his wife, Festus the governor, the people in Malta, the sailors on the ship that transported him to Rome or the Jews in Rome.

He listened to God speaking through others and was able to preach Jesus as the Messiah for many more years.

We all need to listen to the counsel of other Christians when it comes to the proper timing of things in our lives. God often uses others to speak with us. Of course, the first thing to do is seek God’s wisdom and advice through his word, but be prepared to have him answer you by speaking through circumstances and the godly people that you surround yourself with.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Saturday, June 28, 2008

SHARE

We are an impatient people. We’d all rather have “it” now than have to wait. Patience is something that not many of us come by when it comes to getting something really exciting. Maybe it’s that new car or latest electronic gizmo…it’s just so hard to wait.

Then there’s what it takes to get those things we really want. You know, like money and time. If we want that new car, we have to work to save money, plan, figure out which car would work best for us, struggle through the sales pitch, wade through the bargaining process trying to get the best price…It can sometimes be unpleasant.

HOWEVER, the best things

are worth waiting for…

are worth working for…

are worth suffering for…

Well, what about living forever in a place that has no problems, no money is required, no complaining or crying and only joyful singing can be heard…Wouldn’t that be worth experiencing a little difficulty?

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

18Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. Romans 8:16-18 (NLT)

In order to provide us with such a wonderful heavenly reward, Jesus Christ suffered much. He experienced rejection by the very people he came to help. He experienced being beaten with heavy whips and even being nailed to a cross where he was left to die. Now that’s suffering!

Fortunately, the power of God raised him after three days and he is now in heaven preparing a place for us…for all those who will believe in him and accept his sacrificial death on their behalf.

Why then would we expect to have no problems on earth? The scripture above says, “if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” If we are living our lives for him we will be mocked, ridiculed and suffer because of our beliefs. That’s OK, because He is more than able to bring us through all of that and into glory someday to be with him forever.


We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NLT)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Sunday, June 22, 2008

DOUBTING

I was talking last night with one of the kids. I think I mentioned that we were going to have a time of prayer and praise today at the SPRING. Anyway, this particular kid’s response was “I don’t want to burst your religion stuff, but I don’t really believe in God.” Well after asking a few questions this person said, “Well I guess I do believe there’s a God but I don’t really believe everything the Bible says.” After a few more questions, it simply became apparent that these were simply excuses not to deal with the Lord’s call on her life. She was running away and her “doubting” was simply her means of escape.

Have you ever talked to someone who didn’t believe in God? Who had doubts about His Word? How do you deal with those questions? Perhaps by asking other questions...

Where did this world and everything in it come from anyway?


In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 (NASB)

We may be able to take someone's life but can we cause life to come into existence? Can we create life out of nothing but the dust of the earth? Who on earth created the process of conception and birth?


Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NASB)

‘See now that I, I am He,

And there is no god besides Me;

It is I who put to death and give life.

I have wounded and it is I who heal,

And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

Deuteronomy 32:39 (NASB)

How many perfect people do you know; Perfectly Holy, perfectly pure, immovable and unchangeable?

“There is no one holy like the LORD,

Indeed, there is no one besides You,

Nor is there any rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:2 (NASB)

He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 1 Kings 8:23 ( NASB )

The Bible has been around for a long time. It is a compilation of 66 books written by over 40 different authors inspired by God. There are no contradictions and no errors in the original manuscripts. Nobody has ever disproved anything in the Bible. Archaeology has in fact supported and substantiated many things in the Bible. God’s Word is true.


All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

The Bible says in Psalms 14:1a,

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

The key to believing in God is faith…believing what He says in His Word…that He is God, that sin has spoiled our relationship with Him and that we must have faith that He has our best interest at heart…


And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

Seek Him today. Trust Him today. You have a lot more to gain (eternal life, purpose for living, etc.) than you have to lose (your doubts, living for self only, etc.).


“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB)

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Romans 10:9 (NASB)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD