Rm12:1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. - NIV


Rm15:1
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches [insults] of those who reproached you fell on me." 4For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of [who gives] endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony [unity] with one another, in accord with [as you follow] Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one [heart and] voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome [accept] one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of [to bring praise to] God. - ESV


Rm4:18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. - NIV


Rm16:25Now to him who is able to strengthen [establish] you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith-- 27to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. - ESV


Rm15:14I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder [to remind you of them again], because of the grace given me by God 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of [proclaiming] the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be [Gentiles might become an offering] acceptable [to God], sanctified5 by the Holy Spirit. 17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of [glory in] my work for God. 18For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience [to God]--by word and deed, 19by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God--so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of [proclaimed] the gospel of Christ; - ESV


Rm9:1I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness [confirms it] in the Holy Spirit-- 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh [those of my own race]. 4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption [as sons], the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh [human ancestry], is the Christ who is God over all, blessed [praised] forever. Amen. - ESV


Rm11:33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
       How unsearchable are his judgments
       and how inscrutable [unfathomable] his ways!

    34"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
       or who has been his counselor?"
(Isa40:13)
    35"Or who has [ever] given a gift to him [God]
       that he might be repaid [God should repay him]?"
(Job41:11)
    36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
       To him be [the] glory forever. Amen.
- ESV


1Pet1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. - NIV


1Pet2:11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners [aliens] and exiles [strangers in the world] to abstain from the passions of the flesh [sinful desires], which wage war against your soul. 12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles [pagans] honorable, so that when [though] they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation [he visits us]. - ESV


1Pet4:7The end of all things is at hand [near]; therefore be self-controlled and sober[clear]-minded for the sake of your prayers [so that you can pray]. 8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly [deeply], since love covers [over] a multitude of sins. 9Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of [faithfully administering] God's varied grace [grace in its various forms]: 11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles [the very words] of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified [praised] through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion [power] forever and ever. Amen. - ESV


1Pet5:5 ..... you who are younger, be subject [submissive] to the elders [those who are older]. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for

   "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (Pro3:34)

6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you [lift you up], 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8Be sober-minded [self-controlled]; be watchful [alert]. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, [standing] firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm [make you firm], strengthen, and establish you [make you steadfast]. 11To him be the dominion [power] forever and ever. Amen. - ESV


Jud1:20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear�hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. 24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy� 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. - NIV


5 - Sanctify: to free from sin, purify, and set apart for a sacred purpose. ^


Faith   and   Love

Challenge:  True Life

Index