We’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on
the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on
us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a
day goes by without his unfolding grace. . . . There’s far
more here than meets the eye. The things we see now
are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t
see now will last forever.—2 Corinthians 4:16,18

May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached
out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending
help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate
your work, enliven your speech.
—2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Jesus said, “Stand up for me against world opinion and
I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you
turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?”
—Matthew 10:32-33

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you
fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention
on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly
respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always
dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God
brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity
in you.—Romans 12:2

Don’t become partners with those who reject God.
How can you make a partnership out of right and
wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best
friends with dark? . . . “So leave the corruption and
compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link
up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for
myself.”—2 Corinthians 6:14,17

Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth
talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious
sales talk but want nothing to do with him.
—Ephesians 5:6

God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified
to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that
when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—
only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that
battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and
the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden
agendas.—1 Thessalonians 2:3-4

Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that
he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on
God.—2 John 9

Jesus said, “I know you inside and out, and find little to
my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to
be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant.”
—Revelation 3:15-16