I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”
1 Samuel 17:35-37 NLT
[Trust in the Lord, testify with your life, step out in faith and let His power be demonstrated. ]
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin ? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 10:28-31 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.10.28-31.NLT
[You are unique and precious to the Kingdom of God, believer. You are beloved by God so much that He came in the flesh as Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you. You have a particular purpose and mission in your life to demonstrate His love, His nature, His spiritual fruit, to a world in need of spiritual nourishment and healing. YOU have an opportunity today to serve Him, not out of religious obligation, but out of personal grattitude because of grace. ]
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
2 Timothy 1:6-11 NLT
[Yes, if we are going to boast in anything, it should be in the gift of grace that we have received, the Holy Spirit that strengthens us and guides us and inductees us and empowers us to see sin and death conquered under the foot of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. ]
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. ” Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
John 6:66-71 NLT
[We choose. Do we stay with Him, or turn away. Do we follow in His footsteps, or do we serve another master? Are we interested in the prizes that have no lasting value, or are we satisfied with Christ as our portion and prize? Will we trade in our inheritance for some silver coins or a bowl of soup? ]
Harold J. Ballinger 