Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009!

Happy New Year everyone! 2008 has been a whirlwind of a year, more downs than ups it seems, but always reminding us of God's faithfulness and that in our weakness, His perfection is made complete. I compiled a bunch of verses I found rather profound throughout 2008, and I just wanted to share some of them.

I Samuel 15:22 Then Samuel replied:“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

Job 1:21 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Psalm 15:2-5 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, Who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, Who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, Who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, Who keeps his oath even when it hurts, Who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken

Psalm 55: 22 Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 71: 4 But as for me, I will always have hope

Psalm 121: 7-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; The Lord will watch over your coming & going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Psalm 133: 1 How good & pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I, send me!"

Isaiah 17:13 Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when He rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because He trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Romans 5:8,9 But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

II Cor 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen in eternal.

II Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God & Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thessalonians 3:12a May the Lord make your love increase & overflow for each other

Hebrews 12:-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders & the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's all have an awesome 2009.