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James 1:22-25 "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. " Luke 11:28. This is the reason James' instruction is so appropriate -- "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. " His "mirror" illustration enables us to know what it means to "observe" that needs attention. But we are deceived if we think that observing alone is enough. God wants us to observe and obey His Word.

Luke 18:1-8 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. " Colossians 4:2. In Luke, we see "... Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. " In the story, Jesus contrasts an "unjust judge ", who answers a request merely because he didn't want to be further bothered. However, Jesus encourages us that when we pray, God hears and welcomes our prayers. He loves us, and wants us to come to Him.

John 6:47-59 "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. " John 6:51. In the gospel of John, Jesus reminds His listeners that when their ancestors wandered hungry in the wilderness, God provided quail and bread. That food satisfied them for a time. But Jesus promises us that those who accept Him as the "bread of life", will "live forever. "

Ephesians 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. " We tend to think of blessings in terms of money, possessions or opportunities. But Paul uses the word to refer to the special relationship and position Christ offers: salvation, forgiveness and the hope of eternal life.

Mark 10:17-27 "With man this is impossible, but not with God, all things are possible with God. " Mark 10:27. Jesus told the rich man to sell his possessions, and give the money to the poor, and follow Him. But the rich man loved and relied on his wealth more than he trusted Jesus. Abandoning the security of his money to follow Jesus was a too great a risk for him. "with man this is impossible, ... but ...with God all things are possible. "

Psalm 103:13-18 "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field. " Psalm 103:15. While praising God, David reminds how quickly the joyful moments of our lives pass away, "the wind blows over it and it is gone. " In contrast, David further assures us, "from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him. "

John 10:11-15 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. " John 10:11. David wrote in Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd ". Matthew wrote, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. " And in John 10, Jesus declared His love and concern for the humans. He said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. "