SHARING BIBLE VERSES

[Joe Sperling]

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
       neither are your ways my ways,"
       declares the LORD.

  "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
       so are my ways higher than your ways
       and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (Isaiah 55:8,9)

The above verses make one truly wonder when any man expects unyielding submission
to himself, setting himself up to represent God. We also can fall into our own rationale at
times, coming to the conclusion that God must be thinking just as we are about issues that affect our lives.
God has given us reason, but we cannot fall into a trap of thinking that God reasons the same way
we do though. We always need to remember that the just shall live by faith in the Word of God,
not in our own reasoning power, when it comes to God himself, and how He alone chooses to work out His own plans.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your
ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths (Prov. 3:5,6)

[Joe Sperling]

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him". (Isaiah 57:15-19)

The Lord is so willing to forgive, and so willing to restore any who turn to Him. At times he hides His face, but it is only because He wants to draw us nearer to Himself. How comforting it is to know that the Lord says "I will never leave you nor forsake you". It is our enemy's great desire for us to distrust God, and thus he tempts us to doubt God's love, and to believe somehow God is not for us, or is simply ignoring us. Or, we can just simply fall into our own weakness of unbelief and accept the same thing.  But this is so far from the truth!  The Lord is really saying "Peace! Peace! to him that is near, or to him that is far off!"  The love of God is truly awesome!!

[Joe Sperling]

16 - And he saw that [there was] no man, and wondered that [there was] no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 - For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
18 - According to [their] deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19 - So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.  (Is. 59:16-19)

It's interesting to see in Verse 17 that the Lord himself says He put on the breastplate of righteousness, and the helmet of salvation, that the Christian is told to "put on" in Ephesians 6. It just reminds us that ALL IS OF GRACE----ALL IS OF THE LORD.  The very breastplate we put on is HIS breastplate, and the helmet is HIS helmet. The battle is really already won----all we need to do is believe.  The Lord doesn't say that when the enemy comes in WE lift up a standard against him---verse 19 says the "the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him".  We simply need to believe that when Jesus said "IT IS FINISHED" that it really is finished.  As the Psalmist says at the end of Psalm 108---"Through God we shall do valiantly, for HE it is who shall tread down our enemies".

[Joe Sperling]

"Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have stationed watchmen; Never, by day or by night, shall they be silent. O you who are to remind the LORD, take no rest And give no rest to him, until he re-establishes Jerusalem And makes of it the pride of the earth." (Is 62:6,7)

It's amazing to see that this verse has been fulfilled--but not completely.  God has re-established Jerusalem in the hands of his own people as of 1967.  It is not yet "the pride of the earth". The Lord though says he has stationed "watchmen" whose job it is "to remind the Lord", and they rest not day or night in reminding him of His own promises.   

We Christians too are watchmen, stationed by the Lord to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" and to cry to the Lord along with John the Apostle, "even so, come Lord Jesus!"  We are now the "remembrancers" (as the King James says in it's column) before the Lord, reminding Him of his promise to return to this earth.   And just as he fulfilled his promise to restore Jerusalem to his own people----so shall he also keep his promise to return to this earth. It's not too far away----what a day that will be!!!

[Joe Sperling]

"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name". (Is. 65:1)

Everyone has their own testimony as to how they came to Christ. I have mentioned mine before, and still remember that day so vividly, when I was found of Him that I wasn't seeking in the least. I was a dope-smoking 17 year old teenager who couldn't even name the (4) Gospels when I was asked by a friend--he laughed at my lack of religious knowledge (he was a Mormon, though I didn't know what the heck a Christian even was back then, let alone a Mormon). I was emabarrassed when I joined a YMCA youth group because I didn't know the Lord's prayer---in fact, I had no idea what it was or where it came from. So, I forced myself to memorize it just in case they called on me (they would ask one boy to lead in prayer by reciting the Lords prayer),  but I had no idea what it meant. 

Then one day my next door neighbor knocked on the door.  He had been talking for a couple of days about how he was a "christian" now---I just shook my head, as I was a "lutheran", at least that was what my Mom said we were.    He said "There's still time" and handed me a Living New Testament Gospel of John. It sat for a few days until I picked it up one day when I had an hour to kill.  I began to read it, and the Lord began to reveal himself to me.  By chapter 10 when Jesus says "I know my sheep by name" I asked a simple prayer "Jesus, can I be one of your sheep?"   Something incredible happened and I KNEW I WAS one of his sheep for sure!

I marveled at how clean I felt, and how real and alive the Gospel seemed to me--whereas when I had begun to read it at first, it was merely a book or story. Now I KNEW God was speaking directly to me and "calling me by name".  I immediately grabbed my guitar and wrote a song just for Jesus.  I was weeping for joy.  Isaiah 65:1 was literally fulfilled in me----I had been found by God when I wasn't even seeking for him.   I will always remember that day---I cannot deny what happened.  I don't even remember the date, because it didn't strike me at the time to write it down.  You see, I didn't even know I had been Born Again---I learned that was what happened to me later. All I knew was that Jesus was God, and He was the Good Shepherd, and that He loved me.

I wish I could say I faithfully and obediently followed the Good Shepherd from that day forward, but that would be a lie. Unfortunately, the Lord had to use his rod far more on me than his staff for quite a while. But thank God he did!!  Now, I constantly look back and remember that day, and remember that I was not seeking Him in the least----He was the one knocking. Isaiah 65:1 has been fulfilled in literally millions of people who remember in great wonder and thankfulness a God who died for them on the cross, and then sought them out even while they were still sinners (Romans 5-8).

How grateful we should be to the Lord for His lovingkindness and Grace to us!

[Joe Sperling]

"If you oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, and walk not after strange gods to your own hurt,  I will dwell with you in this place: in the land, which I gave to your fathers from the beginning and for evermore". (Jer. 7:6,7)

"But this thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk ye in all the way that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you". (Jer. 7:23)

It's interesting to read these two verses from Jeremiah 7.  Often, "religious" people see God as terribly angry when people turn away from him. They see him as angry at people for their sins, and God almost relishing the thought of closing the door on them, or casting them into outer darkness, etc.  We need to remember though we have heard it so many times before--- "God hates sin, but he loves the sinner".

When we read the first verse above we need to ask "Is God's great displeasure aimed at the act of people 'walking after strange gods' or at the dire results incurred on them for walking after these same false gods? As we read the verse we see God say "and walk not after strange gods to your own hurt.."  He also says "walk ye in all the way that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you".

Even in God's judgments, and warnings, we see his extreme mercy----his desire that people turn back to Him---not just that they turn from wrong, but that they do not harm themselves by choosing the wrong path. When people say that the God of the Old Testament is a mean, vindictive God, they simply have not read the  Old Testament carefully.  God never changes--His Covenant changed from Old to New, from Law to Grace--but he is the same merciful God he has always been. "I am the Lord, I change not."  God's desire is never to cast people away, but that they would turn to Him, so that he can show His lovingkindness towards them.

"The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)

[Joe Sperling]

"The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7)

We as men/women have a tendency to judge everything outwardly. We can even judge someone
immediately for something they say or do, without even really knowing them.  Recently, as you may
have noticed, the "Grammy's" and "Golden Globes" etc. have been on.  It is really praise-a-thon for musical and acting performances (not that some of the people don't deserve accolades for their great abilities), with dozens of shows afterwards judging how the attendees were dressed, with either praise or scorn for their clothing choices.

But it might be interesting to see how the Lord looks at some of those same people. In the verse above Samuel was sent by God to annoint the new King.  He was sent to Jesse, who had several sons.
Samuel thought that one of the tall and strong brothers must be God's choice, but God said it was none of the sons there.  Samuel asked if Jesse had another son, and he said "yes, he is out in the field watching over the sheep" (paraphrase).  It turned out to be David.  When Samuel questioned God's choice (because David was so young and apparently naive), God replied, "man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart". And of course, we see what a huge heart of faith David had, when he, with only a sling and a stone, slayed the braggart Goliath.

God had watched David, alone, faithfully shepherding and protecting the sheep, and singing his psalms to the Lord.  God had heard things secretly, not recorded in the Word----tears, and thoughts, and longings and desires before God (many are in the Psalms, but we know many more are not). And God doesn't forget. He remembers the yearning and tears, the tossings and turnings---he remembers every prayer.

David in one of the Psalms says:

You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me. (Psalm 56:6)


God is always looking at our hearts---outwardly we may be the fumblers and bumblers we
always are----but He knows what's really inside of those who trust in him.

[Joe Sperling]

"Am I a God near at hand only, says the LORD, and not a God far off? 
Can a man hide in secret without my seeing him? says the LORD. Do I not fill both heaven and earth? says the LORD".  (Jer. 23: 24,25)

Have you ever said 'God, you seem so far away' or 'you feel so far away'?  I know I have many
times. It's human nature to walk by our feelings---it's so easy to put them in front of faith.
But even when we "feel" that way God says he is so close that he hears every word and
knows every thought---he fills heaven and earth. Right now as you read this sentence God is
watching you read it.  And even as you read this and begin to think "I hate these stupid sappy things
that Joe always writes" God hears you and will one day judge you for it.    Just kidding!!

It truly is comforting to know just how close God really is to us at all times. No matter how we may 'feel'
God fills heaven and earth, and really is only a prayer away. 

[Joe Sperling]

This isn't a Bible verse, but I thought I'd share it:

"In all probability everyone is sensitive to beauty, although obviously some more than others. Yet experience shows that even those who are apparently most prosaic are touched, even to their own surprise by certain forms of beauty. The line along which this half-melancholy, half-magic touch may come varies enormously with different people. For some it is the appealing grace of childhood; for some the surge and thunder of the sea, for some the grand splendor of a mountain peak, for some the song of birds in the spring, for some the smell of wood-smoke on a frosty autumn evening, and for some--well, the list is endless.

All poetry and music, and art of every sort bears witness to man's continual falling in love with beauty, and his desperate attempt to induce beauty to live with him and enrich his common life.

True beauty always seems to bear with it a note of gentle sadness, sometimes very poignant; and it may puzzle us why this should be so. If the beautiful is so desirable and so welcome it should surely bring unqualified joy. There is rarely accompanying sadness in other earthly joys. In the enjoyment of a hearty meal, in the successful solving of a difficult problem, or in the fulfilment of creative activity, there is joy, but no melancholy. Is it possible that beauty is a hint of the real and true and permanent, so that we feel without conscious process of thought: "This is what life should be, or what it is in reality".  And therefore to compare that with our everyday experience with all of it's imperfection and ugliness gives rise to this poignant pain?

Is it the eternal spirit in a man remembering here in his house of clay the shining joys of his real home? We can say at any rate that beauty arouses a hunger and a longing which is never satisfied in this present world".

--- from J.B. Phillips  "Your God is too small"

[Joe Sperling]

10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication". (Ephesians 6)

It's a good reminder to read these verses, and to remember that we do have a REAL enemy.  Not to dwell on that fact, but to remember that often, when we pray, our enemy is set to thwart any attempt to make supplication before the Lord.  Ever noticed how frequently when you go to pray you get so distracted in your mind with other things? The phone has a tendency to ring, interruptions seem too well timed? 

Our enemy does not like us using the armour.  I think he really detests when we use the shield of faith and quench his fiery darts.  But I think he likes it a lot more when we are using the defensive armor, and not the offensive weapon.  He may not like the shield,  but I think he absolutely hates it when we raise the shield, but raise the sword also.  It means we are on the attack, not only in a defensive posture.

When we begin to claim promises in prayer, and plead for our children, and pray for the lost, we are on the "offensive"----and he absolutely hates that!!  So, you can bet on the fact he will do all he can to KEEP YOU from prayer!!  When we begin to pray for the world, and for the lost, we are sure to have some fiery darts thrown our way.  We have the shield of faith to quench those.  But it's always great to throw a few of your own fiery darts back the opposite direction, backed by the Word of God. As Christians we often forget what a serious and real conflict we are engaged in.  Thank God the armour isn't ours-----it's the Lord's!!  "Through God we shall do valiantly, for he it is that will tread down our enemies" (PS 108:13)

[Joe Sperling]

"The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still imprisoned in the
quarters of the guard.  Thus says the LORD who made the earth and gave it form and firm-
ness, whose name is the LORD:   Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell to you things
great beyond reach of your knowledge".  (Jer. 33:1-3)

We have most likely heard verse 3 from the above chapter many times.  The KJV translates it:  "Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you know not." But what I hadn't considered before is where Jeremiah was when the Lord said these words to him. He was actually in a dungeon.  And on top of that, this was the "second time" the Lord had come to him while he was still imprisoned.

We have a tendency to think of prophets and "holy men" of the Bible as being somehow above failure, or lack of faith.  We see Jeremiah in that prison, never failing of faith, constantly praising and blessing God.  We don't see him sitting there thinking doubtfully: "Call on me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things???  I'm in a prison for Pete's sake!! I'm in a little cell with nothing to eat, no light, and they have me chained to a wall!! I've already 'called on you' while I was here, and yet here you are a second time making promises while I continue to suffer in this place!" Perhaps that's why the Lord in his great mercy visited Jeremiah twice with words of encouragement. Jeremiah was indeed a great prophet of the Lord, but he was just a man with the same weaknesses we all have. Of course, maybe he didn't utter one word of doubt or weakness, but I know for sure I most likely would have, though I know the Lord would eventually turn that thinking around. 

But when the Lord says the famous words of verse 3 he doesn't tell Jeremiah how long he'll continue in his "confinement".  He just assures him that if he continues to call upon the Lord his prayer WILL BE ANSWERED.  The Lord doesn't say when, or how, just that IT WILL BE ANSWERED, and Jeremiah will be shown "great and mighty things" as a result.

Now, I don't mean to speak in "platitudes" or offer some "feel good" commentary on this.  I was just pondering how many of us are in our own "prisons" of sorts.  Jeremiah was in prison for preaching the word, while some of us may be in self-imposed prisons, or in the prisons that life just deals out to us at times.  The prisoner (in many cases) regrets what he has done, and yearns and longs to be out of the little cell he has gotten himself into.  Many of us are in our own little "cells" also----pacing back and forth, yearning to be free---feeling "trapped" and unfulfilled. We feel as though we are "caged", with our problems and weaknesses acting as walls confining us-- continuing reminders of the small area we actually live in, while we dream of different lives that always seem to be just beyond our reach.  Of course, this isn't true of all, and to some it may bring back only memories of a prison they "used" to be in-- but to others this will ring very true indeed as they consider the "prison" they call their life.

And I think what the Lord is saying, just as he once said to Jeremiah, is that we may continue in these "prisons" for a while. Some of us have lessons to be learned, while others sit in "cells" with the doors wide open, though they refuse to walk out and be free.  When we "call unto the Lord" he most likely will not IMMEDIATELY answer us, or in the way we would like Him to. But He PROMISES that if we just trust Him, he will ANSWER US (in his own timing), and when the "prison sentence" of sorts is over, He will bless us more abundantly than we could even imagine!!  And though it may not be easy--in fact a lot of the time it can be downright painful, He promises to get us through it--- and as Christians God has promised we WILL GET THROUGH IT--we need to believe that the Lord is true to his promise and will answer our cries to Him.

The "Lord is faithful" is far more than a platitude, or something we just "say" as Christians.  It is a reality. I know this (as I'm sure you do too) because I have been in "dungeons" before---and several times this "stay" was self-imposed. Unfortunately, while out on "parole" I didn't learn my lesson, and was forced to do a bit more "time" as a result.        But the Lord truly is faithful.  When He says "Call onto me, and I will answer you" he is not setting any time limits before the answer comes----but he is making a promise he will definitely keep--when we call he WILL answer!

 
 



 

[Joe Sperling]

 
All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.  
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, 
even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ  (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 
that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-7)

I've shared these verses before, but they are one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. Each of us who are Christians can remember the day before our conversion, and the path we were on. Most of us were not in any way looking for God at all.  But God in his great mercy stopped us in our tracks, and put us on another path.  One day we were "children of wrath", but the next we were "beloved Children" all because of God's great mercy and Grace--and because of "the great love he had for us".   How long will this love last?  "that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus".

I was on a path leading to destruction, but God stepped in. And now, due only to his Grace and kindness alone, I will learn of his immeasurable grace forever and ever more.  No matter how many times I read these verses, I just can't get enough of them! It really should make us fall to our knees in deep gratitude to God, and pour out our gratefulness to Jesus for suffering and dying for us, when we in no way deserved it!  It truly is "Amazing Grace"!

[Joe Sperling]

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory". (Col. 3:1-4)

Some verses are worth repeating over and over again.  The verse above says that when Christ appears, WE WILL APPEAR ALSO with Him in glory!  What a glorious day that will be!!
So, in the mean time, we need to seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God.  And we need to "set our minds" on things above---many times this has to be a conscious decision on our part, as we may not feel very heavenly minded at times.

We need to stop and conciously decide what is more important, and what we should be seeking, and setting our affections upon. One day, when He appears, this whole world with all of its cares will fade away, and He alone will be our entire focus.  God is asking us to make Jesus our focus right now, by setting our affections   on heavenly things.

These verses are always great to meditate upon in our hearts and minds. They bring us back to what is really important in our lives.

[Joe Sperling]

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son". (REV. 21:1-7 ESV)


This world getting you down?  It's always good to go to these great and blessed verses and look away to the future and what is in store for the believer in Jesus Christ.  And Jesus wants to assure us that it all indeed will come to pass--he knows how we are all subject to doubts-----He says "these words are trustworthy and true".  And the most blessed thing of all is in verse 7:  "I will be his God and he will be my son" (of course the word "son" refers to sons and daughters).  What an amazing hope we Christians have!! 

[Joe Sperling]

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God". (Heb. 12:1,2).

I think we can all remember as little kids when we left with our parents on a long drive to a vacation spot, or maybe to visit some relatives.  The drive would start out with great excitement and joy.  But as we all know, kids are very impatient, so not too long afterward the excitement would abate and the perpetual question "Are we there yet?!!?" would begin to fill the air, followed by squirming, and a lot of moaning and groaning.

What had happened (and it is only natural) is that the "focus" was gone---the future excitement and thoughts of the destination were replaced by the present reality of confinement, repetition, and impatience. Often though, when one of us kids would start talking about what we were going to do once we got there the excitement would return.

The above is a very lame example I'm sure, but as Christians we need to recall "what were going to do when we get there" also, but of course, on a much larger scale. This current life is filled with a sense of "confinement" and repetition. We grow impatient, and all of us truly at heart hate trials and struggles.  It is only natural. We are human.   So, we need to stir ourselves up at times.  We need to remember the day of our salvation and the deep joy, and huge excitement we experienced!!  We need to meditate on Scriptures that bring to remembrance our Heavenly hope, and the Loving Savior who will embrace us there!!   We need to "look away onto Jesus" and remember that the Bible says he "ever makes intercession for us"----he is praying for us and cheering us on during this life we are living---and because he prays we will not fail. Even as he said to Peter when he stated that "Satan had desired to sift him as wheat" he added with assurance, "But I have prayed for you that your faith fail not".  Peter may have stumbled greatly, but because Jesus prayed for him he was restored, and ended his life in great victory!!

When we "run with endurance" it doesn't mean we won't ever fail or fall.  It means we get back up if we have stumbled, and again "look away onto Jesus" and recall our salvation, and the promises that Jesus made to us then.  His promises are still the same--"I go to prepare a place for you" is a promise just as real and true now as it was when you read and believed it the first time.  We know we aren't "there yet", though we may squirm, moan and groan like little kids at times, and complain.  The important thing is to focus once again----read Romans 8, Hebrews 12,  Revelation 21 and other Scriptures that speak of that blessed destination we all hope for-----and especially that most blessed person, Jesus, who yearns more for our arrival than we do!  That truly is something to get excited about!! 

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)