JOY of Living

1 John

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

Memory Verse

Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21The Message

That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.

Romans 8:28-29 The Message

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

2 Corinthians 13:12The Message

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us

toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love

extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

2 Corinthians 13:13The Message

For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of

religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior:

faith expressed in love.

Galatians 5:6The Message