Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

No Other Gospel (Galatians 1:6-9)

6 I am astonished that you are l so quickly deserting m him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to n a different gospel— 7 o not that there is another one, but p there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or q an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, r let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, r let him be accursed.

Mark 1:1-8

1The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^a

2It is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way”^b—

3“a voice of one calling in the desert,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.’”^c

4And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with^d water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Psalm 32:1

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven

whose sin is covered.

Illustrated here: 

1 John 4:9-12

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that n God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love,o not that we have loved God n but that he loved us and sent his Son to be p the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 q No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us andr his love is perfected in us.

Titus 2:11-14

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

For Asher

Psalm 42

 ¹ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

 ² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

 ³ My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

 ⁴ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

 ⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

 ⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

 ⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

 ⁸ Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

 ⁹ I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

 ¹⁰ As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

 ¹¹ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

I AM NOT PITIFUL

1 Corinthians 15:16-19

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who  have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope  in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.