Philippians 4 Because of this,
Believers,
Loved and missed,
My joy and crown,
Stand firm in the Lord,
In this way,
My loved ones,
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to think the same way in the Lord.
Yes,
I beg you also,
True partner,
Help these women,
For they worked with me in advancing the good news with Clement also,
And the rest of my fellow believers whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again,
I say,
Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all men.
The Lord is near.
Be anxious about nothing.
Instead,
In everything,
By prayer with thanksgiving,
Let your request be made known to God.
And the peace of God,
Which exceeds all understanding,
Will guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Finally,
Brothers,
Whatever things are true,
Honorable,
Just,
Pure,
Lovely,
Admirable,
If there is any virtue,
And if there is any praise,
Think about these types of things.
The things which you learned,
Received,
Heard,
And saw in me,
Do them,
And the God of peace will be with you.
I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me.
You did have concern before,
But you lacked opportunity to help.
I don't say this because I am in need,
For I have learned in whatever condition I am to be content in it.
I know how to live in humble circumstances and also in prosperity.
In all things,
I learn the secret,
Whether I am filled or hungry,
Rich or in need,
I can do all things through Christ,
Who strengthens me.
However,
You did well and that you shared in my difficulty.
You Philippians yourselves know that when I first brought you the good news and then I departed from Macedonia,
No other church shared with me in the matter of financial giving and receiving,
But you only.
For even when I was in Thessalonica,
You sent aid more than once for my need.
Not that I am seeking for a gift,
But I seek that you will have fruit that will increase to your account.
But I have everything I need and more.
I am well supplied after receiving from Epaphroditus the things that came from you.
They are a sweet-smelling fragrance,
An acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.
The brothers who are with me greet you.
All the saints greet you,
Especially those who are of Caesar's household.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen.
Matthew 6 Be careful that you don't do your acts of righteousness and charity just to be seen by people,
Or else you'll have no reward from your Father in Heaven.
When you do righteous acts,
Don't blow a trumpet to call attention to yourself,
As the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
So that they will be praised by people.
Most certainly I tell you,
That is the only reward they will receive.
But when you do righteous acts,
Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your righteous acts are done in secret.
Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you openly.
When you pray,
Don't be like the hypocrites because they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by people.
Most definitely I tell you,
That is the only reward they will receive.
But when you pray,
Enter into your private room and shut the door.
Then pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you openly.
When you are praying,
Don't use vain repetitions like the Gentiles do,
For they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
So don't be like them,
Because your Father knows what things you need before you ask Him.
Pray like this,
Our Father in heaven,
May your name be honored.
Let your kingdom come.
Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Don't let us be led into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom,
The power and the glory forever.
Amen.
For if you forgive others when they sin,
Your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you don't forgive others,
Neither will your Father forgive you.
Furthermore,
When you fast,
Don't be like the hypocrites who put on sad faces,
For they make faces so that others will see that they are fasting.
Most definitely,
I tell you,
That is the only reward they will receive.
But you,
When you fast,
Make yourself presentable and wash your face so that your fasting is not seen by others,
But it will be by your Father who sees what is done in secret and He will reward you.
Don't store up treasures for yourself on the earth where moth and rust consume and where thieves break through and steal,
But store up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust consume and where thieves don't break in and steal.
For where your treasure is,
There your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body.
If your eye is healthy,
Your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is evil,
Your whole body will be full of darkness.
If the light that is in you is darkness,
How great is that darkness!
No one can serve two masters,
For either he will hate the one and love the other,
Or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You can't serve both God and money.
So I tell you,
Don't be worried about your life,
What you will eat or what you will drink,
Or for your body,
What you will wear.
Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?
See the birds of the sky,
That they don't plant,
Harvest or store food in barns.
Your Heavenly Father feeds them.
Aren't you of much more value than they are?
Which of you by worrying can add one moment to his life span?
Why are you worried about clothing?
Think about how the lilies of the field grow.
They don't work,
Neither do they make clothes.
Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all of his glory was not dressed as nice as one of these.
But if God clothes the grass of the field which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
Won't he much more clothe you,
You of little faith?
So don't be worried,
Saying,
What will we eat,
What will we drink or what will we wear?
For the Gentiles search after all of these things,
But your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness,
And all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore,
Don't be worried about tomorrow,
For tomorrow will have its own worries,
But each day's own trouble is enough.
Psalm 23 A Prayer Song by David James 1 This letter is from James,
A servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
Greetings.
My brothers and sisters,
Count it all joy when you face various trials,
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Let endurance finish its work,
So that you may be perfected and complete,
Lacking nothing.
But if any of you lacks wisdom,
Let him ask God for it who gives generously to everyone and without criticism,
And it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith,
Without doubting,
For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea,
Driven by the wind and tossed around.
That man shouldn't think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
He is a double-minded man and unstable in all his ways.
But let the believer who is in humble circumstances glorify God in their high position,
And the rich,
In that God has humbled them.
Because just like a flower in the grass,
They will pass away.
For the sun rises with the scorching wind and withers the grass,
And the flower in it falls,
And its beauty perishes.
So also the rich will also fade away,
Even while they follow their pursuits.
Blessed is the person who endures temptation,
For when he has withstood it,
He will receive the crown of life,
Which the Lord promised to those who love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted,
I am tempted by God.
For God can't be tempted by evil,
And He Himself tempts no one.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and lured by his own lust.
Then the lust,
When it has been born,
Produces sin,
And the sin,
When it is fully grown,
Leads to death.
Don't be deceived,
My loved brothers and sisters.
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
Coming down from the Father of heavenly lights,
Who does not change or cast shadows.
He chose to give birth to us by the Word of Truth,
That we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
So,
Then,
My loved brothers and sisters,
Be quick to hear,
Slow to speak,
And slow to become angry.
For a person's anger doesn't produce the righteousness God desires.
So,
Be done with filth and wickedness,
And receive with humility God's Word that is implanted in you,
Which is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the Word,
And not only hearers,
Or else you're only fooling yourself.
For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer,
They are like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and sees himself,
Then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But those who look into the perfect law of freedom and continues in it,
Not being only a hearer who forgets,
But a doer of the work,
They will be blessed in what they do.
If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious,
But doesn't control his tongue,
He deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
Pure and faultless religion before God is this,
Help orphans and widows in their affliction,
And keep oneself unstained by the world.
Psalm 4,
For the chief musician on stringed instruments,
A prayer song by David.
Answer me when I call,
God of my righteousness.
Give me relief from my suffering.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
People,
How long will my glory be turned into shame?
Will you love arrogance and chase after lies?
Know that God has set apart for himself those who are godly.
God will hear me when I call him.
Stand in awe and don't sin.
Search your own heart on your bed and be still.
Offer righteous sacrifices.
Put your trust in God.
Many say,
Who will bless us?
God,
Let the light of your face shine on us.
You have put joy in my heart more than when grain and new wine increase.
In peace,
I will lay and sleep.
For you,
God alone,
Make me live in safety.
Psalm 16,
A poem by David.
Protect me,
God,
For I take shelter in you.
I have said to God,
You are my Lord.
Apart from you,
I have nothing good.
As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the excellent ones that I greatly admire.
Those who offer gifts to another God will have their sorrows multiplied.
I will not participate in their drink offerings of blood or speak the names of their gods.
God,
You have given me my share and my cup.
You have made me secure.
You have greatly blessed me.
Yes,
I have a good inheritance.
I will praise God,
Who has given me instruction.
Yes,
In my heart,
He instructs me in the night.
I have set God always before me because he is at my right hand.
I will not be moved.
Therefore,
My heart is glad and I proclaim my joy.
My body will also be safe for you will not leave my soul in the grave.
Neither will you allow your Holy One to remain in the tomb.
You will show me the path of life.
In your presence,
There is fullness of joy.
In your right hand,
There are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 27 by David.
God is my light and my salvation.
Whom will I fear?
God is the strength of my life.
Of whom will I be afraid?
When evil people came at me to eat up my flesh,
Those who are my enemies,
They stumbled and fell.
Though an army should take position against me,
My heart will not fear.
Though wars should rise against me,
Even then,
I will be confident.
One thing I have asked of God,
That I desire the most,
That I may live in God's house all the days of my life,
To see God's beauty and to learn in His temple.
For in the day of trouble,
He will keep me secretly in His pavilion.
In the secret place of His tabernacle,
He will hide me.
He will lift me up on a rock.
Now,
My head will be lifted up above my enemies around me.
I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tent.
I will sing,
Yes,
I will sing praises to God.
Hear,
God,
When I cry with my voice.
Have mercy on me and answer me.
When you said seek my face,
My heart said to you,
I will seek your face,
God.
Don't hide your face from me.
Don't put your servant away in anger.
You have been my help.
Don't abandon me or forsake me,
God of my salvation.
If my father and mother forsake me,
Then God will lift me up.
Teach me your way,
God.
Lead me in a straight path because of my enemies.
Don't deliver me over to the desire of my enemies.
For liars have risen up against me and breathe out cruelty.
I am still confident of this.
I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.
I wait for God.
Be strong and let your heart take courage.
Yes,
Wait for God.
Psalm 63,
A prayer sung by David when he was in the desert of Judah.
God,
You are my God.
I will earnestly seek you.
My soul thirsts for you.
I long for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have seen you in the sanctuary,
Watching your power and your glory.
Because your love and kindness is better than life,
My lips will praise you.
So I will bless you while I live.
I will lift up my hands in your name.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest food.
My mouth will praise you with joyful lips when I remember when I lay to sleep and think about you in the middle of the night.
For you have been my help.
I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.
My soul stays close to you.
Your right hand holds me up.
But those who seek my soul to destroy it will go into the lower parts of the earth.
They will be given over to the power of the sword.
They will be food for jackals.
But the king will rejoice in God.
Everyone who swears by him will praise him.
For the mouth of those who speak lies will be silenced.
