Faith, Folklore, and Friends

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  The Message

He Gets the Last Word   Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does. 1 Peter 5:8- 11 The Message

Some Pharisees and Sadducees were on him  again, pressing him to prove himself to them. He  told  them, “You have a saying that goes, ‘Red sky at  night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailors  take warning.’ You find it easy enough to forecast  the weather—why can’t you read the signs of the  times? An evil and wanton generation is always  wanting signs and wonders. The only sign you’ll get  is the Jonah sign.” Then he turned on his heel and  walked away. ~Matthew 16:1-4; The Message