“The servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, what does the Lord require from you and I. “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

If we put our hands to the plough and turn back, after we have come to know God, if we have escaped the wickedness of the world and once again become entangled in them, scripture reminds us, that, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and turned away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’ In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. For, if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But, those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble.”

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God, and the power of the age to come and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; since by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, I have tasted, I have seen, I have experienced the goodness of the Lord. I have been lifted up, I have been redeemed, and from this day forward and with God’s help I will not turn away from him nor continue to nail him to a cruel cross. Troubles and temptations will come but I am confident of this very thing that, my God will always uphold me with his righteous right hand. I will never be alone because God walks with me.

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subjected to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But, because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.”

“Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil; and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.”

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, “He who oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him. Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.”

“If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother. Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.”

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

“Give generously, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so; and because of this, the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand. God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.”

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”