“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; or desire their company; for like grass, they soon fade away and like spring flowers, they soon wither; but you, always continue in the fear of the Lord.”

“May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.” Lord, Jesus, I want my ways to be pleasing to you, I want others to see you in me and long to share in your joy. Oh, I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.  But, James chapter 4 and verse 3 says, if you ask and do not receive, it is because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may squander it on your own pleasure. My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not ask amiss, let us just ask God to give us those things that we need and the good things which we dare not or in our blindness cannot ask he will give us. Praise the Lord!

Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 1 John 3:21-22

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 1 John 3:18-19

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing; if one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:15-17

“He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, will you be on the right hand or on the left hand of the King?

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, prepare yourselves, for the Day of Judgment will come. All of us will have to give an account of our stewardship. The world and all that is in it are passing away but the word of God will live on, do all that you do for the glory of God.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, if you have suffered physically for Christ, you won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have already lived long enough like people who don’t know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you; but remember, that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting, He passed, and we follow Him there; over us sin no more hath dominion, for more than conquerors we are! His Word shall not fail you, He promised; believe Him and all will be well; then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!”