Bible verses to welcome the New Year with - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

More than the fruitcakes and the diaries and the calendars and the fountain pens and the hams and the candles and the shirts and the perfumes and the bags and the umbrellas and the what-nots that I received this Christmas, what I value the most are the cards (honest!) with heartfelt, sincere and meaningful dedications and notes.

One such valuable gift consisted of verses from the Bible printed in calling-card-size cartolinas of varied colors, sent by Coney Reyes, beautifully packaged in a small buri box neatly tied with a pink ribbon.

I thought it’s nice to share some of those Bible verses with Funfare readers, the better to start the New Year/New Millennium with. Here they are:

• FORGIVENESS

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.– Colossians 3:13

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice.– Proverbs 24:17

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.– Mark 11:25

• THE FAMILY

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.– Proverbs 22:6

• CONTENTMENT (GREED)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.– Hebrews 13:5

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.– Luke 12:15

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.– 1 Timothy 6:6,10

• PEACE

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.– Proverbs 14:30

• HATRED (STRIFE)

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.– 1 John 4:20

• ACCEPTANCE (JUDGING)

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.– Matthew 7: 1-2

• CORRECT VALUES

Jesus replied: "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 neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."– Matthew 22: 37-40

• REVENGE

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.– Romans 12: 19-21

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.– Romans 12:14

• ANGER

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.– Ephesians 4:26

• SUFFERINGS (TRIALS)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.– Matthew 11:28

• FAITH (DOUBT)

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.– Matthew 21:22

• FEAR

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid, What can man do to me?"– Hebrews 13: 5-6

• DEPRESSION

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.– Psalm 42:5-6

• TEMPTATION

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.– Hebrews 2:18

• HUMILITY (PRIDE)

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.– Luke 18:14

• GRIEF (LOSS)

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."– John 11: 25-26

• GOD’S LOVE

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.– John 3:16