Monday 2 March 2015

8Yes most certainly,and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus,my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things,and count them nothing but refuse,that I may gain Christ9and be found in him,not having a righteousness of my own,that which is of the law,but that which is through faith in Christ,the righteousness which is from God by faith,10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection,and the fellowship of his sufferings,becoming conformed to his death,11if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.12Not that I have already obtained,or am already made perfect;but I press on, that I may take hold of that forwhich also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

13Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold,but one thing I do:forgetting the things which are behindand stretching forward to the things which are before,14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

1Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked,nor stand on the path of sinners,nor sit in the seat of scoffers;2but his delight is in the Lord’s law.On his law he meditates day and night.

3He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water,that produces its fruit in its season,whose leaf also does not wither.Whatever he does shall prosper.

4The wicked are not so,but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,but the way of the wicked shall perish.

3For I say through the grace that was given me,to everyone who is among you,not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think;but to think reasonably,as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.4For even as we have many members in one body,and all the members don’t have the same function,5so we, who are many,are one body in Christ,and individually members of one another,6having gifts differing according to the gracethat was given to us:if prophecy, let’s prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;7or service, let’s give ourselves to service;or he who teaches, to his teaching;8or he who exhorts, to his exhorting;he who gives, let him do it with generosity;he who rules, with diligence;he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

9Let love be without hypocrisy.Abhor that which is evil.Cling to that which is good.10In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another;in honor prefer one another,11not lagging in diligence,fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,12rejoicing in hope,enduring in troubles,continuing steadfastly in prayer,13contributing to the needs of the saints,and given to hospitality.

13“You are the salt of the earth,but if the salt has lost its flavor,with what will it be salted?It is then good for nothing,but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

14“You are the light of the world.A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.15Neither do you light a lampand put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand;and it shines to all who are in the house.16Even so, let your light shine before men,that they may see your good worksand glorify your Father who is in heaven.