2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  “You go first.” That is my favorite line from Raiders of the Lost Ark when faced…

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  “Now there’s your…

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. “Fine….

            He does not deal with us according to our sins,        nor repay us according to our iniquities.              11       For as high as the heavens are above the earth,        so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;              12       as far as the east is from the west,        so far does he remove…

12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Every time I turn on the news, I see that someone…

Come, everyone who thirsts,        come to the waters;                    and he who has no money,        come, buy and eat!                    Come, buy wine and milk        without money and without price.  When we go to a baseball game, the vendors walk around yelling, “peanuts!”, “popcorn!”, “Beer here!”. Here is Isaiah, speaking prophecies of the Lord, calling out all that the Lord has to…