religion

DC: Some brief reflections on 2 Corinthians 5:17

On 01/05/2023, in Daniel S. Christian, faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

From DSC:
Being transformed in our thinking is one of the LORD’s key goals for us and one of the areas where He is active in our lives. (Also see Romans 12:2.) Our thinking impacts many things, including our behaviors, attitudes, and perspectives.

But my reflection here is especially meant for new believers in Christ. This process of transformation takes time. Don’t expect immediate changes in some areas of your life. After you received Christ into your heart, you may doubt that anything has changed. But you will begin to see the world, God, and others differently over time. (Reading scripture regularly helps this process along.)

Micah 6:8

On 01/04/2023, in Access to Justice (A2J), faith, global / globalization, relationships, religion, society, by Daniel Christian

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

To those who celebrate it, here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

On 12/24/2022, in Daniel S. Christian, faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, religion, by Daniel Christian

⁶For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Christmas-related scripture

On 12/22/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, history, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

Luke 1:76-78

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:8-14

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Christmas scripture: Luke 1:30-33

On 12/15/2022, in faith, global / globalization, history, relationships, religion, society, by Daniel Christian

Luke 1:30-33 — from biblegateway.com

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

1 Timothy 1:12-17

On 12/09/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

Nehemiah 9:6

On 12/01/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

Nehemiah 9:6 — from biblegateway.com

⁶You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Psalm 100:4-5

On 11/24/2022, in creativity, faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

Psalm 100:4-5

⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

From DSC:
Thank you for you LORD!!! And thank you for your patience with me, and for your mercy, forgiveness, and love (which it has taken me a long time to realize/embrace). Thank you for being active (most likely, mind-blowingly so).

Thank you for your creativity. Thank you for my/our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch — and for all that our bodies can do. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you for our minds and our hearts — may they be inclined towards doing right by you and by others.

Psalm 95: 1-7

On 11/20/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

Psalm 95: 1-7 — from biblegateway.com

¹Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
²Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

³For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
⁴In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
⁵The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
⁷for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.

Psalm 40:5 and Proverbs 15:22-23

On 10/23/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

⁵Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

²²Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.

²³A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!

Isaiah 55:6 & Micah:8 6

On 10/09/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, parents/guardians, relationships, religion, society, youth, by Daniel Christian

Isaiah 55:6 — from biblegateway.com

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

Micah 6:8 — from biblegateway.com

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

On 08/22/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, society, by Daniel Christian

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 34:18

On 07/09/2022, in Emotion, faith, global / globalization, relationships, religion, society, by Daniel Christian

¹⁸The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 33

On 07/06/2022, in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, society, by Daniel Christian

¹Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
²Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
³Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

⁴For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
⁵The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

⁶By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
⁷He gathers the waters of the sea into jars^[a];
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
⁹For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
¹³From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
¹⁴from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
¹⁵he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

¹⁶No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
¹⁹to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰We wait in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
²¹In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
²²May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 36:5-7

On 07/03/2022, in Access to Justice (A2J), faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, by Daniel Christian

⁵Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
⁶Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
⁷How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

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