Philippians 2:12
King James Version
12 Wherefore, my beloved,
as ye have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling.
We were all born helpless.
Cold, hungry, in shock.
Needing every help we could get.
Then, one day, we got all grown up.
Are we independent now?
On top of the world?
Or in the dumps?
Whatever state you may be in, know GOD is there for you.
He did give you JESUS.
Through JESUS, we have a chance at real life.
He offered us eternal life.
John 3:16
King James Version
16 For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
He offered us salvation.
John 3:17
King James Version
17 For God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world through him
might be saved.
He offered believers a place with Him.
John 14:2
King James Version
2 In my Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
Through any of your life's up and downs, you're never alone.
GOD created you.
He had an eye on you, as He did with prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 1:5
King James Version
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of the womb
I sanctified thee,
and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations.
What, then, must you do as an individual?
What are you responsible for?
JESUS was clear:
Mark 12:29-31
King James Version
29 And Jesus answered him,
The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind,
and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
Without JESUS, we are nothing.
John 15:5
King James Version
5 I am the vine,
ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing.
Without love, we are nothing.
The King James Version of the Bible calls it "charity".
The version below calls it "love":
1 Corinthians 13:1-4
International Children’s Bible
13 I may speak in different languages of men
or even angels.
But if I do not have love,
then I am only a noisy bell
or a ringing cymbal.
2 I may have the gift of prophecy;
I may understand all the secret things of God
and all knowledge;
and I may have faith so great
that I can move mountains.
But even with all these things,
if I do not have love, then I am nothing.
3 I may give everything I have to feed the poor.
And I may even give my body
as an offering to be burned.[a]
But I gain nothing by doing these things
if I do not have love.
4 Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous,
it does not brag,
and it is not proud.
Now you know the guideposts for living, as an individual.
Never can you say again you don't know GOD's laws.
But life is about relationships.
We all interact with others.
And that's what we intend to write about in the next pages.
Click to read the succeeding posts.
Image: Clipart Library