Do you have...
 

...a favorite Bible verse, passage or book?

Wasn't sure the best place to start this thread, but literature seemed to be a good place for it.

If you have a favorite portion of the Bible, I'd love to have you share it.

I had been a convert to Christianity for about 5 years when my wife and I experienced three deaths of immediate family members in less than 6 months. It was a difficult time for me. I reacted by doubting God for a time, though in retrospect I'm sure this was also part of my grieving.

But in time, I found my way back to faith through Matthew chapter 5, the beginning of "the Semon on the Mount."

It was a blessing to have God's Word speak to my heart, and heal my soul. So I'm partial to the whole Sermon, chapters 5-7 of Matthew.

Looking forward to anything you might have to share.

God bless.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8

Isaiah 53 The Suffering Servant

1Has anyone believed us
or seen the mighty power
of the LORD in action?

2Like a young plant or a root
that sprouts in dry ground,
the servant grew up
obeying the LORD.

He wasn't some handsome king.
Nothing about the way he looked
made him attractive to us.
3He was hated and rejected;
his life was filled with sorrow
and terrible suffering.

No one wanted to look at him.
We despised him and said,
"He is a nobody!"
4He suffered and endured
great pain for us,
but we thought his suffering
was punishment from God.

5He was wounded and crushed
because of our sins;
by taking our punishment,
he made us completely well.

6All of us were like sheep
that had wandered off.

We had each gone our own way,
but the LORD gave him
the punishment we deserved.
7He was painfully abused,
but he did not complain.
He was silent like a lamb
being led to the butcher,
as quiet as a sheep
having its wool cut off.
8He was condemned to death
without a fair trial.

Who could have imagined
what would happen to him?
His life was taken away
because of the sinful things
my people had done.

9He wasn't dishonest or violent,
but he was buried in a tomb
of cruel and rich people.
10The LORD decided his servant
would suffer as a sacrifice
to take away the sin and guilt of others.

Job, Book 1, v9-11:

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

I'm not sure about a favourite but I am focusing on one I like a lot at the moment.

Mark 3:24 - And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

also
Mark 3:29, 30 - But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

I'm looking at this in terms of living with the heart and mind divided and how that affects our thoughts and actions, and often in my opinion, a lot of the conflict within the self that results in negative actions and outcomes. Once I made the connection of a "divided kingdom" with our heart v's mind, or logic v's emotion, this has made much more sense to me...

Great thread PastorTim, it's nice to meet you & welcome :)

"And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
(Revelations 13:17-18)

I think Babbie [sp?] Mason sings a lovely song with lyrics based on this text. Very nice choice! To me, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of these truths. Sets a high bar for His followers to strive for! Thanks for sharing! God bless.

In a lot of ways this passage REALLY captures the Reason for the Christmas Season! Good post, thanks for sharing. God bless.

I'm thankful for Job's initial reactions / responses. A great example for believers in suffering. Helps to learn some of the other lessons in Job, though. Good thoughts, BigBen, thanks for sharing. God bless.

Interesting thoughts, Seeker. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the kind thoughts, Seeker! God bless!

Well, that's a bit of a surprising choice, Johnny. Makes ya think! Personally I don't plan to be here when the mark's given out.

My son's favorite verse is also from Revelation ~ Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Thanks for sharing and adding to the thread. God bless.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and they put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

I love that. Do right, and through that righteousness you will help everyone and glorify God.

Edit: I just realized my signature looks pretty contradictory to what I'm saying here. Oh well.

This one is pretty important to me. In fact, I use it almost everyday (or at least I try to).

Good ol' Golden Rule:

Matthew 22:37

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The parable of the prodigal son is my favorite, I always loved listening to that Gospel being read.

From the Book of Matthew, 5:1-10

Part of the famous "Sermon on the Mount", this bit is known as the Beatitudes. The whole Sermon is my favorite part of the Bible, but the Beatitudes win as my favorite part of the Sermon :)

That's my favorite :lol:

Actually I like many verses from the Bible, but I'd have to look them up again, to get the exact wording right...

Welcome Pastor Tim and I truly hope you enjoy TFP. You are among very good people and friends.

Matthew 7 1-29 are by far the most interesting to me, and 21-27 are to me the most important. I think it describes a lot of the Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell types. To me it illustrates that you do God's work and good for all, and expect nothing in return, but if you say look what I have done and now reward me.... the good you have done was for only yourself and your advancement. It maybe easy to fool men but you can never fool God.

I ccp'd http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...er=7&version=9 so I wouldn't have to type it all.

Ezekiel 4:12-15


Nothin' says lovin' like poop for an oven. :eek:

Chapter 14 of the book of John has always been one of my favorites, but especially the beginning....gives me more comfort than I deserve sometimes lol

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Well, it's been a long time since I thought about Bible verses, but here is what came to mind after this long year.

Jesus wept.

John 11:35

I think I have wept more this year than any other in my life.

I'm not a believer, but since I'm born and raised in Western civilisation I can't escape the Bible. There are three Bible books that tends to pop up every now and then in my life, namely Job, Ecclesiastes, and Tobit. (Tobit is apocryphal though so I don't know if that one counts?) So those are special to me. We got an incredible new Bible translation to Swedish in 2000 that managed to both get rid of a lot of the old misinterpretations and breathe fresh life into the poetry, it's like reading an entirely different text now.

Er... sorry, wrong thread.

*backs out*

I like Isaiah a lot, my favorite right now is probably the promise in Isaiah 4:5-6.
To me it's one of the most beautiful promises.

5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Matthew 5:29

"And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Something I try to live my life by, though it only gets harder.

I found it because my birthday is May 29th (and my name is Matthew).