1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die,

but when the last trumpet sounds;

we shall all be changed in an instant,

as quickly as the blinking of an eye when the trumpet sounds,

the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed.

For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal;

what will die must be changed into what cannot die.

S0 when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal,

then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!”

Where, Death, is your victory?

Where, Death, is you power to hurt?”

Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law.

But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

So then, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and steady.

Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.

Keep us, O God, from pettiness;

let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.

Let us be done with faultfinding

and leave off self-seeking.

May we put away all pretenses

and meet each other, face to face,

without self-pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment

and always generous.

Let us take time for all things;

make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.

Teach us to put in action our better impulses

-straightforward and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize it is

the little things of life that create difficulties;

that in the big things of life we are as one.

Oh, Lord, let us not forget to be kind.

Amen

With the cares that press each day?

Does the burden that you carry

Seem an endless load of pain?

Are you tempted oft to tarry,

Ne’er to lift the cross again?

Don’t despair; the way will brighten;

Arm yourself with strength anew;

Prayer will help the load to lighten;

Faith and hope will strengthen, too.

Keep in mind the thought so cheering,

Those who persevere will win!

Soon you’ll have the joy of hearing,

“Faithful servant, enter in.”

Sometimes your medicine bottle has on it, “shake well before using.” That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable.

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ

for all the benefits which thou has given me

for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,

may I know thee more clearly,

love thee more dearly,

and follow thee more nearly.

Amen.

by Joseph Mohr

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Saviour is born

Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love’s pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth “

“The will of God — nothing less, nothing more, nothing else.”

Malachi 3:13-18

“You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘What have we said about you?’

You have said, ‘It’s useless to serve God.

What’s the use of doing what he says or trying to show

the Lord Almighty that we are sorry for what we have done?

As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy.

Evil people not only prosper, but they test God’s patience

with their evil deeds and get away with it.”

Then the people who feared the Lord spoke to one another,

and the Lord listened and heard what they said.

In his presence, there was written down in a book a record

of those who feared the Lord and respected him.

“They will be my people,” says the Lord Almighty.

“On the day when I act, they will be my very own.

I will be merciful to them, as a father is merciful to the son who serves him.

Once again my people will see the difference between what

happens to the righteous and to the wicked, to the person

who serves me and the one who does not.

by Aaron Armstrong

I see how you go on from day to day
With smiles for everyone in every way
But deep down inside
I see the pain that you hide
And the hurt that just won’t go away
Give it to me I will take it all
I died for this reason to save your soul
I know it is hard, but you just must let go
Give it to me, I’ll remove it all
At the foot of the cross fall on your knees
And I will hear you when you cry out to me
You do not have to carry this load alone
Give it to me and I will lead you on.

Lord seek us, Lord find us
In Thy patient care,
Be Thy love before us, behind us
Lest he bait a snare,
Lest he forge a chain to bind us,
Lest he speak us fair,
Turn not from us, call to mind us,
Find, embrace us, hear.
Be Thy love before us, behind us,
Round us everywhere.