Verses: For When You're Anxious & Afraid

“Do those things that you learned from me. Remember the things that I said. Remember the things that I did. You must do those things too. And so the God who causes us to be without trouble inside ourselves will be with you.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬ 

“Be strong like that, because God has given us his Spirit. And his Spirit does not cause us to be afraid. Instead, he causes us to be strong to serve God. He helps us to love God and other people. And he helps us to rule ourselves properly.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬

“He comforts us during all things that cause trouble and pain for us. So then, as a result, we ourselves can comfort other people who have any kind of trouble or pain. We can comfort them because God himself has comforted us.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:4‬

“Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” 

Philippians 4:8 

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7

“But now, GOD ’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:1-4‬

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-9‬ ‭

“When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭94:18-19

“On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won’t take anything for granted.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:14

Verses: Christmas

“For unto us a Child is born…” Isaiah 9:6a

• “For unto us a Child is born,
  Unto us a Son is given;
  And the government will be upon His shoulder.
  And His name will be called
  Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  Of the increase of His government and peace
  There will be no end,
  Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
  To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
  From that time forward, even forever.
  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” - Isaiah 9:6-7

• “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21

• “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

• "And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." – Luke 2:7

• “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” - Matthew 2:10

• “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:1-2

• “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11

• “And there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” – Luke 2:8-9

• “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:12

• “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:16

• “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29

• “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” – John 1:4-5

• “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” – Zechariah 9:9

• “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:14

Verses: About Love

“…BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.” - 1 CORIN. 13:13

• “Above all else, guard your heart,
  for everything you do flows from it.” - Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

• “Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil, does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-7‬ ‭(DARBY)‬‬

• “The LORD, your God, is with you. He is strong. He will save you. He will be very happy about you! He will quietly love you. He will sing, because he is so happy about you!” - ‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭(EASY‬‬)

• “Be strong like that, because God has given us his Spirit. And his Spirit does not cause us to be afraid. Instead, he causes us to be strong to serve God. He helps us to love God and other people. And he helps us to rule ourselves properly.” - ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭(EASY‬‬)

• “Remember to be kind to other people. Share with them the things that you have. God is happy with sacrifices like that.” - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:16‬ ‭(EASY‬‬)

• “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God ’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God ’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-12‬ ‭(MSG‬‬)

• “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7

• "Popularity contests are not truth contests… Your task is to be true, not popular. ’To you who are ready for truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. Live generously.” - Luke 6:17-21

• “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.” - ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:35‬ ‭(MSG‬‬)

• “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

  We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.” - 1 John‬ ‭4:17-21‬ ‭(MSG‬‬)

Verses: For When You're Hurting and in Pain

LIFE CAN SUCK. BUT TAKE HEART BABY, FOR GOD HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD.

• “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10

• “He comforts us during all things that cause trouble and pain for us. So then, as a result, we ourselves can comfort other people who have any kind of trouble or pain. We can comfort them because God himself has comforted us.” ‭‭- 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭EASY‬‬

• “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7

• “Jesus said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your rewarding heaven. For that is how their fathers treat the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their father treated the false prophets.” - Luke 6:17-21

• “So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” - ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-39‬ ‭MSG‬‬

• “Jerusalem will be told: “Don’t be afraid. Dear Zion, don’t despair. Your GOD is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.” - ‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

• “And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.” - Zechariah 2:5

• “But now, GOD ’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” - Isaiah‬ ‭43:1-4‬ ‭MSG‬‬

• “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” - ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-9‬ ‭MSG‬‬

• “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

• “When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” - Psalm‬ ‭94:18-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” - ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• “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.” - John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ NIV