Five Bible Quotes to Live By

1. 1 Peter 3:14 "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened."

This verse is in Peter. A clear tenant of Christianity is the fact that if you truly follow the Lord you will be actively persecuted by non-believers. In a transition to Christ you are no longer part of the world as it was. It states that should you suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Being right in Christ, means the world around you is most definitely wrong. A lot of times we can lose sight of this, especially when trying to integrate into popular culture through television and radio. The passage also states "Do not fear what they fear." People have a multitude of fears. When we are saved through Christ we no longer have a single thing to fear. The only thing we should fear is God. There is no reason for fear of any other kind. The Bible, God, demands that you "fear not" many times in the Bible. Normal people have many fears, but through being saved we are required to no longer be afraid.

2. Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness"

This verse is located in Galatians. It may seem straight forward enough but reading and living are two different things. The fruit of the spirit refers to the power of the holy spirit working within us. Once we have been saved and begin to grow in our spiritual lives these are the things that we will feel. They are also the things we must strive for daily. Once these feelings and states of mind become an everyday occurrence, they will grow and prosper within us. These are emotions and acts that are suppressed in our lives on earth. During the day we often feel miserable, sad, impatient, cruel, and depressed. Read the scriptures, attend church, and peace will be yours.

3. Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?"

This quote from Psalms is again about not being afraid. In this passage we are told the Lord is my stronghold. This is a message that when we are afraid we should try to recall that God has all power and all strength. Building up a mindset of constant contact with the Lord is essential in creating a kind of stronghold around your mind. This is the essence of the armor of God, not thinking, but knowing through and through that he will protect you from any and all danger. Then the question of "why should I fear?" becomes an obvious "I should not fear!"

4. Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This is a message in Jeremiah that is very simple. God is telling us that despite how much we suffer, his plans for us are not for disaster. This quote helped me when I was suffering with depression and all kinds of misery in my life. I knew it was natural for Christians to suffer, and this had gotten me down. The Lord declares that he has plans for us to prosper. It first states that God knows the plan, and he is in control. We should know this. It states he will not harm us, and should we follow his word we will have a future.

5. Rom 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."

This verse from Romans tells us that once saved through Christ we are to no longer conform to the pattern of the world. This is a message modern Christians don't seem to follow. We go to church on Sunday and for the rest of the week the daily world consumes us in sin and depravity. The passage speaks of a transformation, a spiritual renewing of the mind. The mind of the saved individual is fundamentally changed, and that person reworks their life to be aligned with the life of Christ. This demands sweeping changes to an old lifestyle that might include things like drinking, television, smoking, sinful thought, and participation in gossiping. After the mind is changed, we will have the ability to test situations and thoughts to know if they are right with God. This refers to a new morality, a new conscience that will alert us when something is not right. Listen for that inner voice, and more importantly obey it.