Who should you trust?
5 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He dwells in the barren desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.
7 "Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is in Him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:5-8
1 Blessed are the ones who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, nor walk in the way of sinners, nor sit in the company of the insolent and those who mock.
2 Instead, their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law they meditate day and night.
Psalm 1:1
For the sake of argument, Paul confronts the people's belief in a risen Christ and the hope of an afterlife.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all people.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20
This next gospel has been said to be one of Jesus' best sermons. The poor and downtrodden will one day rejoice and the high and mighty will face dire consequences for their greed. There will be justice for all....because it is said, for those who have much, much is expected. However, I believe it should not be forced upon them by others (such as the government), because that can cause resentment. Jesus taught that charity should come from your own heartfelt desire to be generous, kind and compassionate. He knows the difference, that is if we're doing it grudgingly or doing it of our own free will. He knows what's in our hearts.
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured,
19 and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.
20 Looking at His disciples, He said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of Me.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Luke 6:17-26
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