Some songs I was listening to today...

The Lord seems to often speak to me through music. Here are a couple songs I was listening to today that spoke to my heart.

Mi Jesús mi amado - Jesús Adrian Romero
My Jesus, My Beloved/Love

Vengo a rendirme a tus pies agradecido Señor
I come to surrender myself at your feet thankfully, God
Me perdonaste cambiaste mi corazón
You forgave me, you changed my heart
Tu vida diste por mí en una muerte tan cruel
Your life that you gave for me in a horribly cruel death
Por que me amaste siendo yo un vil pecador.
Because you loved me, even as a vile sinner.

Quiero postrarme ante ti Jesús y en silencio
I want to bow down before you, Jesus, and in silence
Reconocer que tu amor por mi no merezco.
Recognize that your love for me is unearned / unmerited.
Mi Jesús mi amado
My Jesus, my Love/Beloved

Quiero postrarme ante ti para adorar Mi Jesús mi amado
I want to bow down before you to worship, my Jesus, my Love
Quiero regar con mis lágrimas tus pies
I want to shower your feet with my tears
Quiero besarlos y así permanecer
I want to kiss your feet and there remain
Y derramar ante ti todo mi ser.
And pour out before you all that I am
---

Take Me - Don Chaffer

"Old ain't a word the I'm fond of," he said.
"And these days I've begun to lose count."
Mumbling she rolls in her wheelchair, and says,
"I'm afraid that they've closed my account."

There's a blur that occurs in the line of their life
That decays the whole notion of sense
And they call to the past, insisting that it last,
While they're climbing down reality's fence

Singing with me
Take me
Take me
Write my name in the most Holy Tome
And when it's my time
To assume the sublime,
Take me to my promised home

And their hands aren't gnarled, they're in love with the earth
And they're dying to go there again
We say the essence of life is strong in our youth,
Slowly buried under wrinkles of skin

But there's God in the way that life comes to an end,
In the way that it draws to a close,
In the saying of soul to the house of the skin,
You're too weak now to really oppose.

Take me
Take me
Write my name in the most Holy Tome
And when it's my time
To assume the sublime,
Take me to my promised home
---

Center - Charlie Hall

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

:Pre-Chorus:
You hold everything together
You hold everything together

:chorus:
Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives


We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

worship

Worship, what it means and what it does to us in the process and what it does in the world are some things I have recently been contemplating. To add to these thoughts is a book I just began, "Manifest Presence," by Jack Hayford. I can't yet give you my opinion of this book as I just began it.

In this vein, i just looked up "worship" in the online Vine's Expository Dictionary, only to find 5 different verbs and 3 nouns in the greek. Here are some of my findings:

WORSHIP

1 proskuneo (Verb) - "to make obeisance [a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture. deference or homage], do reverence to" (from pros, "towards," and kuneo, "to kiss"), is the most frequent word rendered "to worship."

2 sebomai (Verb) - "to revere," stressing the feeling of awe or devotion
3 sebazomai (Verb) - Akin to No. 2, "to honor religiously," is used in Ro. 1:25.

4 latreuo (Verb) - "to serve, to render religious service or homage," is translated both "to worship" and "to serve" depending on the translation.
5 eusebeo (Verb) - "to act piously towards"

Notes: (1) The worship of God is nowhere defined in Scripture. A consideration of the above verbs shows that it is not confined to praise; broadly it may be regarded as the direct acknowledgement to God, of His nature, attributes, ways and claims, whether by the outgoing of the heart in praise and thanksgiving or by deed done in such acknowledgment. (2) In Ac. 17:25 therapeuo, "to serve, do service to" (so RV), is rendered "is worshiped." See CURE, HEAL.

6 sebasma (Noun) - Denotes "an object of worship that is worshiped;" every object of "worship,"

7 ethelothreskeia[-ia] (Noun) - "will-worship" (ethelo, "to will," threskeia, "worship"), voluntarily adopted "worship," whether unbidden or forbidden, not that which is imposed by others, but which one affects.

8 threskeia (Noun) - For which see RELIGION, is translated "worshiping" in Col. 2:18. Note: In Lu. 14:10, AV, doxa, "glory" (RV), is translated "worship."


Worshiper

1 proskunetes - Akin to proskuneo (see WORSHIP, A, No. 1), occurs in Joh. 4:23.

2 neokoros - Is translated "worshiper" in Ac. 19:35 AV: see TEMPLE KEEPER.

3 theosebes - Denotes "reverencing God" (theos, "God," sebomai, see WORSHIP), and is rendered "a worshiper of God"

---
wor·ship

–noun
1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.
2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage
3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.
4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.
5. (initial capital letter) British. a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually prec. by Your, His, or Her).

–verb (used with object)
6. to render religious reverence and homage to.
7. to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing).

–verb (used without object)
8. to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity.
9. to attend services of divine worship.
10. to feel an adoring reverence or regard.

Here are some passages that came up in my search of "worship" --

"And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets-- indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:

"For He is good, for His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. (2 Chronicles 5:11-14)

"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips." (Psalm 63:1-5)

"After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”" (Genesis 22:1-18)

Genesis 24:26,48 - where the servant goes on Isaac's behalf and God provides a wife, Rebekah, as He had promised

Exodus 12:27 - after God passed over and both delivered Israel from enslavement to Egypt, defending them, and led them to the promised land

"And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped." (Exodus 4:31)

And there are MANY, many more but this is just a beginning... God is AMAZING and as we encounter His glory and His PRESENCE our only response is to worship (in actions, attitude, words,...). And it changes us in the process, making us more like Him, helping us to live our lives in submission to Him, helping us to love and care for others as He does. AMAZING!!!

true hope

I'm still studying and here are some more excerpts from my notes. Amazing!!!

At Christ’s Return – Complete Restoration of God’s Image

The amazing promise of the New Testament is that just as we have been like Adam (subject to death and sin), we shall also be like Christ (morally pure, never subject to death again): “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Cor 15:49). The full measure of our creation in the image of God is not seen in the life of Adam who sinned, nor is it seen in our lives now, for we are imperfect. But the New Testament emphasizes that God’s purpose for creating man in his image was completely realized in the person of Jesus Christ. He himself “in the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4 NASB); “He is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15).

In Christ we see human likeness to God as it was intended to be, and it should cause us to rejoice that God has predestined us “to be conformed to the image of his son” (Rom 8:29, 1 Cor 15:49): “When he appears we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2).

I so long to be complete and to really be like him.

(from page 445 of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology)

what is our purpose in life?

I am presently studying for a seminary class I am taking and graciously the Lord is meeting me in the midst of it to remind me of who he is and what he things of me. Here are some of the notes I just wrote down.

Why was man created?

God did not need to create man, yet he created us for his own glory and we do bring him joy (he delights in us). The trinity was complete, with perfect love and fellowship.

We were created for God’s own glory.

Isaiah 43:1-7 – “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Ephesians 1:3-12 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

This fact (being created for God’s own glory) is a fact that guarantees that our lives are significant. When we first realize that God did not need to create and does not need us for anything… Scripture tells us that we were created to glorify God, indicating that we are important to God himself. This is the final definition of genuine importance or significance to our lives: If we are truly important to God for all eternity, then what greater measure of importance or significance could we want?

What is our purpose in life?

To Glorify God! To enjoy God and take delight in him and in our relationship to him.

John 10:10 - “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Psalm 16:10 – “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 27:4 – “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

Psalm 73:25-26 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Fullness of joy is found in knowing God and delighting in the excellence of his character.

As we glorify God and enjoy him, Scripture tells us that he rejoices in us.

Isaiah 62:5 – “For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

Zephaniah 3:17-18 – “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.”

I love these verses. It is so good to be reminded of what is true and of who I am because of who God is.

bienaventurados

"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revive you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltinesss be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown away and trampled under people's feet.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:1-20 (ESV)
---

"Cuando Jesús vio a las multitudes, subió al monte; y después de sentarse, Sus discípulos se acercaron a El. Y abirendo Su boca, les enseñaba, diciendo:

'Bienaventurados (Felices) los pobres en espíritu, pues de ellos es el reino de los cielos. Bienaventurados los que lloran, pues ellos serán consolados. Bienaventurados los humildes, pues ellos heradarán la tierra. Bienaventurados los que tienen hambre y sed de justicia, pues ellos serán saciados. Bienaventurados los misericordiosos, pues ellos recibirán misericordia. Bienaventurados los de limpio corazón, pues ellos verán a Dios. Bienaventurados los que procuran la paz, pues ellos serán llamados hijos de Dios. Bienaventurados aquéllos que han sido perseguidos por causa de la justicia, pues de ellos es el reino de los cielos. Bienaventurados seráis cuando os insulten o persigan, y digan todo género de mal contra vosotros falsamente, por causa de Mí. Regocijados y alegrados, porque la recompensa de vosotros en los cielos es grande, porque así persiguieron a los profetas que fueron antes que vosotros.

Vosotros sois la sal de la tierra; pero si la sal se ha vuelto insípida, ¿con qué se hará salada otra vez? Ya no sierve para nada, sino para ser echada fuera y pisoteada por los hombres.

Vosotros sois la luz del mundo. Una ciudad situada sobre un monte no se puede ocultar; ni se enciende una lámpara y se pone debajo de una vasija (un almud), sino sobre el candelero, y alumbra a todos los que están en la casa. Así brille la luz de vosotros delandte de los hombres, para que vean vuestras buenas acciones y glorifiquen a vuestro Padre que está en los cielos.'" Mateo 5.1-20 (BDLA)


Note: Just some stuff I've been reading and thinking about recently

some other thoughts on grace

Bono: "You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It's clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that "as you reap, so you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff...

...I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I'd be in deep s---. It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity.

Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. Christ says: No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: "I'm the Messiah." I'm saying: "I am God incarnate... I know you're expecting me to come back with an army, and set you free from these creeps, but actually I am the Messiah. So what you're left with is: either Christ was who He said He was—the Messiah—or a complete nutcase... The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that's farfetched …

...I love the idea of the Sacrificial Lamb. I love the idea that God says: Look, you cretins, there are certain results to the way we are, to selfishness, and there's a mortality as part of your very sinful nature, and, let's face it, you're not living a very good life, are you? There are consequences to actions. The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That's the point. It should keep us humbled... It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven.

If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed. …When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my s--- and everybody else's. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is this man? And was He who He said He was, or was He just a religious nut? And there it is, and that's the question. And no one can talk you into it or out of it."
---

Lyrics to "Grace" by U2

Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name

Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world

And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything

Grace
She's got the walk
Not on a wrapper on chalk
She's got the time to talk

She travels outside
Of karma, karma
She travels outside
Of karma

When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty
In everything

Grace
She carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips
Between her fingertips

She carries a pearl
In perfect condition
What once was hers
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stains

Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Grace finds beauty
In everything

Grace finds goodness
In everything
---

"Lo esencial es invisible a los ojos." - from "The Little Prince"

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliott

thoughts on grace

i'm not quite sure how to write about this in a gracious way. one of my big pet peeves with present-day "christianity" at times (i use the quotes because it is how christianity is represented, but not what i believe is truly at its essence) is when it becomes about everything people are against, or a law of morality. when it becomes that instead of undeserved grace and looking into the face of God and His greatness and being changed by that.

the Gospel is much more about God and Jesus than it is about me or you or the guy down the street or next door or even in my own house or apartment who does or doesn't do what he should.

and yet, way too often instead of calling people to look at Jesus and to be awed and amazed by who He is, to see that HE is worth everything I have and am and ever could want, that He IS in fact the GREATEST thing, for which I would give the world, it seems like we call people to a bunch of rules, to a life of "goodness" just because we should.

but the problem is that God and who HE is is what motivates us to be all the things that please him. it is falling in love with him and wanting to follow him and to do what HE would most desire, not because we should or have to, but because it would be pleasing to him. it is realizing that he LOVES me and that HE delights in ME, not because of what I do for him, or what I do to try to please him, but just because. I have worth in his eyes because HE loves me, he DELIGHTS in me, just as I am. And HE desires the best for me.

I am neither perfect nor do I do or say all the right things, far from it. I seek to and desire to, but inevitably I fail and fall. but as i said before, when i think of the gospel and grace, i think about the fact that it is not so much about me, as it is about HIM. It is about a VERY perfect GOD who loves me and loves mankind. He loved us so much that he came to earth as a man, to help us to understand, to help us to see HIM. He came as a humble baby, one born in a manger, one who grew up and faced hardship, who faced being misunderstood, who faced being ridiculed, who faced being hurt and abandoned and alone, who chose to be subjected to the worst condemnation and suffering to set us free, to act on our behalf, to become what we couldn't be for ourselves. THAT is the amazing, awesome, powerful, grace-filled, loving, wonderful, tender GOD that I want to follow and that I want to please and that I love. HE is the one who is my God.

And it is for that reason that at times it infuriates me when he is misrepresented. AND for me worse of all when it comes from the church. It is why it infuriates me when i hear sermons who call us to follow a list of rules (whether they be in the positive or the negative) or when christians talk about everything others do wrong (in or outside of the church). it is why i think sermons should always cause us to come away in awe of GOD, not with a to do list. and it is why this morning as i heard a sermon on missions and obedience, i neither had any idea why the guy preaching would try to guilt people into giving more (of themselves and of their time and their money), when my GOD is MUCH more convincing. When I look at HIM, at least when I get even a glimpse of who HE is, I don't need someone to pressure me. I may need some direction and advice, or guidance or correction, but the desire to follow HIM and to give him all of my being comes not from my being all that great, nor from someone convincing me it is what I "should" do, but instead from the fact that there is nothing I would rather do. And I say that about things I would naturally desire to do, things I would naturally run from, and things that are so far from my natural nature that it is obvious that something supernatural and someone holy happens when I come into God's presence.

now even as i say this, i am aware of the unfortunate fact that while it may infuriate me when others misrepresent the gospel and God, that i at times do the same. and most often i do so by my attitude or actions toward others. i desire not to and trust that the Lord is and will continue to change me, but it is most evident the inconsistencies in my own life when it comes to situations with my family or my roommates or those that don't treat me as i think they should. obviously these are the things i don't particularly like to admit nor like others to see. but, while i am loved by God and while I love him, I still far too often forget that it isn't all about me and my goodness (or even my lack there of). I am made good by what Jesus did, not by my being any better than any one else.

el cuidado de Dios (God's care)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:6-8

("No os aflijáis por nada, sino presentadlo todo a Dios en oración. Pedidle, y también dadle gracias. Así Dios os dará su paz, que es más grande que todo cuanto el hombre puede combreder; y esa paz guardará vuestro corazón y vuestros pensamientos, porque estáis unidos a Cristo Jesús. Por último, hermanos, pensad en todo lo verdadero, en todo lo que es digno de respeto, en todo lo recto, en todo lo puro, en todo lo agradable, en todo lo que tiene buena fama. Pensad en todo lo que es bueno y merece alabanza." Filipenses 4:6-8)

"The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry." Psalm 34:15

("Los ojos de Jehová están sobre los justos, y atentos sus oídos al clamor de ellos." Salmo 34:15)

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

("Echa sobre Jehová tu carga, y él te sustentará; no dejará para siempre caído al justo." Salmo 55:22)

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

("Humillaos, pues, bajo la poderosa mano de Dios, para que él os enaltezca a su debido tiempo. Dejad todas vuestras preocupaciones a Dios, porque él se preocupa de vostros." 1 Pedro 5:6,7)

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

("Venid a mí todos los que estáis cansados y agobiados, y yo os haré descansar. Aceptad el yugo que os impongo, y aprended de mí, que soy paciente y de corazón humilde; así encontraréis descanso." Mateo 11:28-30)

"For me to LIVE is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

("Porque para mí la vida es Cristo, y la muerte, ganancia." Filipenses 1:21)

"Come, everyone thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price... Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love..." Isaiah 55:1-3

("Todos los que tenéis sed, venid a beber agua; los que no tenéis dinero, venid, y de balde adquirid trigo, y comed; sin pagar nada, adquirid vino y leche... Oídme bien y comeréis buenos alimentos, comeréis cosas deliciosas. Venid a mí y prestad atención, escuchadme y viviréis. Yo haré con vosotros un pacto eterno, cumpliendo así las promesas que por amor hice..." Isaías 55:1-3)

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,m what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matt 6:25-34

("Por tanto, os digo: No estéis preocupados por lo que habéis de comer o beber para vivir, ni por la ropa con que habéis de cubrir vuestro cuerpo. ¿No vale la vida más que la comida y el cuerpo más que la ropa? Mirad las aves que vuelan por el cielo: ni siembran ni siegan ni almacenan en graneros la cosecha; sin embargo, vuestro Padre que está en el cielo les da de comer. Pues bien, ¿acaso no valéis vosotros más que las aves? Y de todos modos, por mucho que uno se preocupe, ¿cómo podrá prolongar su vida ni siquiera una hora? ¿Y por qué estar preocupados por la ropa? Mirad cómo crecen los lirios del campo: no trabajan ni hilan. Sin embargo, os digo que ni aun el rey Salomón, con todo su lujo, se vestía como uno de ellos. Pues si Dios viste así a la hierba, que hoy está en el campo y mañana se quema en el horno, ¿no os vestirá con mayor razón a vosotros, gente falta de fe? No estáis, pues, preocupados y preguntándoos: '¿Qué vamos a comer?' o '¿Qué vamos a beber?' o '¿Con que´nos vamos a vestir?' Los que no conocen a Dios se preocupan por todas esas cosas, pero vostros tenéis un Padre celestial que ya sabe que las necesitáis. Por lo tanto, buscad primeramente el reino de los cielos y el hacer lo que es justo delante de Dios, y todas esas cosas se os darán por añadidura. No estéis, pues, preocupados por el día de mañana, porque mañana ya habrá tiempo de preocuparse. A cada día le basta con sus propios problemas." Mateo 6:25-34)

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:7-11

("Pedid y Dios os dará, buscad y encontraréis, llamad a la puerta y se os abrirá. Porque el que pide recibe, el que busca encuentra y al que llama se le abre. ¿Acaso alguno de vosotros sería capaz de darle a su hijo una piedra cuando le pide pan? ¿O de darle una culebra cuando le pide un pescado? Pues si vosotros, que sois malos, sabéis dar cosas buenas a vuestros hijos, ¡cuánto más vuestro Padre que está en el cielo las dará a quienes se las pidan!" Mateo 7:7-11)