^Rm15:17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of [glory in] my work for God. ¹⁸For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience [to God]--by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God--so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of [proclaimed] the gospel of Christ; - ESV

^Rm4:18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." ¹⁹Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. ²⁰Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²²This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." ²³The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, ²⁴but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. - NIV

^Rm15:8For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised [Jews] to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

   "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
       and sing to your name." (2Sam22:50; Psa18:49)
¹⁰And again it is said,
   "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (Deu32:43)
¹¹And again,
   "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
       and let all the peoples extol him." (Psa117:1)
¹²And again Isaiah says,
   "The root of Jesse will come,
       even he who arises to rule the Gentiles [nations];
   in him will the Gentiles hope." (Isa11:10)

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [as you trust in him], so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - ESV

^1Pet1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. - NIV

^1Pet4:7The end of all things is at hand [near]; therefore be self-controlled and sober [clear]-minded for the sake of your prayers [so that you can pray]. ⁸Above all, keep loving one another earnestly [deeply], since love covers [over] a multitude of sins. ⁹Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of [faithfully administering] God's varied grace [grace in its various forms]: ¹¹whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles [the very words] of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified [praised] through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion [power] forever and ever. Amen. - ESV

^2Pet1:2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. ³His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. ¹⁰Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - NIV

Faith   and   Love

Challenge:  True Life

Index