I really like this portion of Psalm 126 in the Message Bible! Verses 1-3:
126 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion's exiles.
2 We laughed, we sang,
we couldn't believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of the nations —
"God was wonderful to them!"
3 God was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.
We SHOULD be the "talk of the nations", right along with the nation of Israel! The Church of Jesus of Nazareth should be spoken about person to person and city to city, not for what we DON'T do, but for what we DO! The WORKS of Jesus (John 14:12)! Let's be about our Father's business of setting the captives free! Not everyone will like us. In fact, many will NOT! But those who DO will be set free and be able to set others free also!
1 Corinthians 15:39 is just one more witness AGAINST the "theory" (a supposition based on ignorance of the subject at hand!) of evolution!
39 For all flesh is not the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for beasts, another for birds, and another for fish.
The "one" kind for each DOES NOT turn into another! God knew what He wanted and He made it just that way! AMEN! Here's a fun pic!
I really like verse 55 in the Message Bible!
Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
55 Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
And then verse 58 from the Amplified Bible:
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].
Of course, that "work of the Lord" is referring to what the Holy Spirit is individually leading YOU to do! As believers we are all individuals, with individual and unique personalities, gifts, talents, AND callings! Fulfill what GOD is calling YOU to do and support everyone else in theirs! Don't pressure someone else to join you, and absolutely refuse to be pressured by anyone else! Our rewards in Heaven, and this earth, will be based on our OBEDIENCE! Thank You, Jesus!
One of the saddest things to me in Scripture is reading about how many times the people failed to obey the Lord. He promised to deliver them and He ALWAYS did, when they obeyed Him! He had instructed them to drive out ALL of the inhabitants of the lands that He delivered up to them. In Judges today we read how they did NOT do this! Is it REALLY any wonder then that they had trouble, during all of the years of their existence as a nation, with the heathen nations? Remember that the "curse causeless shall not come" (Proverbs 26:2). That means that, though SOME of the tests and trials we face come because we serve the Lord and the enemy wants to stop us, many of them come because of OUR disobedience to God's instructions! Which is it for you? No one else can answer that for you! But we DO know when we're being disobedient and when we're not! Let's get that straightened out in our own lives, then be prepared to help others! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
