Church, Arise p. 73
"Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church." - Ephesians 4:15 NLT
"Here are the things you must do: Speak truth to each other. Pursue justice in your courts. Render decisions that reflect truth and bring peace to the community."
- Zecheriah 8:16 VOICE
"I will use justice as a measuring line and goodness as the standard. The lies you hide behind will be destroyed as if by hail. They will be washed away as if in a flood." - Isaiah 28:17 NCV
"When people work for peace in a peaceful way, they receive the good result of their right living." - James 3:18 ICB
"Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed." - Isaiah 56:1 KJV
"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
Heal the Earth p. 82
God’s Care of the Earth "You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness
become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!" - Psalm 65:9-13 NLT
After creating man "Then God blessed them and gave them this directive: 'Be fruitful and multiply. Populate the earth. I make you trustees of My estate, so care for My creation and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that roams across the earth.'" - Genesis 1:28 VOICE
"You may destroy and cut down only the trees you know are not fruit trees. Then you may build walls with the trees to help you fight against the city that makes war with you, until it falls." - Deuteronomy 20:20 NLV
"Those who are righteous treat their animals humanely, but the compassion of the wicked is really inhumane." - Proverbs 12:10 VOICE
Taking Action When Called p. 103
"You must be sure that your light shines well. Then you will give light to other people. They will see all the good things that you do. Then they will praise God, who is your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16 EASY
"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!" - Psalm 66:5 NLT
"Love is defined by our obedience to His commands. This is the same command you have known about from the very beginning; you must live by it."
- 2 John 1:6 VOICE
"Jesus does for us everything the holy law requires. The power of sin should no longer control the way we live. The Holy Spirit should control the way we live."
- Romans 8:4 NIRV
"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." - Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
"I will listen to what God the Lord will say. For He will speak peace to His people, to those who are right with Him. But do not let them turn again to foolish things."
– Psalm 85:8 NLV
Wave of the Spirit
"Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. 'Receive the Holy Spirit,' he said. 'If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?'" - John 20:22-23 MSG
"But the Holy Spirit will come to you, and he will give you power. The Holy Spirit will make your spirit strong. Then you will tell other people everywhere in the world about me. You will do that in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and in places far away." - Acts 1:8 EASY
"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." - Psalm 63:1 NIV
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in! 'Try it! Let me prove it to you!'" - Malachi 3:10 TLB
"But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders." - James 2:9 AMP
"We should think about how we can help one another. We want everyone to show love to each other. We want everyone to do good things to help one another."
- Hebrews 10:24 EASY
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 CEB
"Love will always continue. The gift to speak messages from God will not always be necessary. The gift to speak in different languages will stop one day. The gift to know special things will not always be necessary. At this time, we know only a part of everything. We can only speak a part of God's whole message. But a time will come when everything becomes complete. When God does that, we will not need the small parts that we have now." - 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 EASY
Warriors of Love p. 71
"When you are in distress and tribulation and all these things come on you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice."
- Deuteronomy 4:30 AMP
"Here are the things you must do: Speak truth to each other. Pursue justice in your courts. Render decisions that reflect truth and bring peace to the community."
- Zecheriah 8:16 VOICE
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." - James 1:22-25 NLT
"Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth." - 2 Timothy 2:25 NLT
"You give me your protective shield; your willingness to help enables me to prevail." - 2 Samuel 22:36 NET
"I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart."
- Psalm 40:8 NLT
Doing God's Will p. 80
"Each of you received a spiritual gift. God has shown you his grace in giving you different gifts. And you are like servants who are responsible for using God’s gifts. So be good servants and use your gifts to serve each other." - 1 Peter 4:10 ICB
"We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too." - 1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT
"God's way is perfect. Yes, the LORD's promises are always true. He keeps safe everyone who goes to him for help, like a shield that keeps a soldier safe."
- Psalm 18:30 EASY
"I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart."
- Psalm 40:8 NLT
"Be willing to help and care for each other because of Christ. By doing this, you honor Christ." - Ephesians 5:21 NLV
Man's Direction
p. 99
"LORD, you are the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Please help us, your people, to continue to obey you. Help us to serve you faithfully."
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 EASY
"Tell your sins to each other. And pray for each other so you may be healed. The prayer from the heart of a man right with God has much power." - James 5:!6 NLV
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."
- Philippians 2:1-4 NLT
"God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.' Then God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.' And it was so."
- Genesis 1:28-30 NIV
God's Love (poem)
p. 77
"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'" - Matthew 11:28 NLT
"You who love the LORD, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked." - Psalm 97:10 NLT
"I’ve lived far too long with people who hate peace. I’m for peace, but when I speak, they are for war." - Psalm 120:6-7 CEB
"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part." - Matthew 6:14 MSG
State of the World (poem) p. 118
"When anyone among you has troubles, you must help each other. If you do that, you will be obeying Christ's rule." - Galatians 6:2 EASY
"'My wayward children,' says the LORD, 'come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.' 'Yes, we’re coming,' the people reply, 'for you are the LORD our God.'" - Jeremiah 3:22 NLT
"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment." - Proverbs 18:1 NKJV
"You were making splendid progress; who put you off the course you had set for the truth? That sort of 'persuasion' does not come from the one who is calling you. Alas, it takes only a little leaven to affect the whole lump! I feel confident in the Lord that you will not take any fatal step. But whoever it is who is worrying you will have a serious charge to answer one day." - Galatians 5:7-10 PHILLIPS