Friday, November 07, 2008

Steadfast love calls us to steadfastness

Thank the Lord for His steadfast, covenant love

Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of men!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! — Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.

“The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” — He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved... so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

How great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! — The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Ps. 107:8; Ps. 34:8; Ps. 31:19; Isa. 43:21; Eph. 1:5, 6, 12; Zech. 9:17; Ps. 145:9-12

Blessed are the steadfast


Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. — For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. — Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing... Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.—Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me... For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jas. 5:11; Rom. 5:3-5; Heb. 12:11; Jas. 1:2-4, 12; 2 Cor. 12:9, 10

Selah.

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