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By David O'Leary
The psalmist says, "I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalms 119:11). He is thinking of the way God's Word protects and strengthens us. Proverbs 3:5-6 takes us further when it says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." This makes me ask: What are the verses I lean on? What verses shape my thinking and guide my perspective in life? Verses to lean on. Though such verses are found all over the Bible, let me share my favorite New Testament verses. Perhaps they will give you something to lean on.
On Christ Himself:
 Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
On Christ's work:
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (II Corinthians 5:21)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10)
Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (I Peter 1:18-19)
On the need for salvation:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
On how sin pulls me to worship false things rather than God:
Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:22-25)
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3)
On the simplicity and beauty of the Gospel:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
On the joy of forgiveness and the hope of new life:
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
On being included in God's vast plan:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
On the motivation to serve God and others:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (I John 4:7)
On the blessings which are ours now and in the future:
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)
But as it is written, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." (I Corinthians 2:9)
On the grace and power which is given us to live for Christ:
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:9)
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (II Timothy 1:7)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. (II Corinthians 5:17)
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13)
Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (II Peter 1:3)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (I John 3:1)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (I Corinthians 15:58)
On the comfort I have when I suffer:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
On the model Christ sets for us:
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (I Peter 2:23)
We love because he first loved us. (I John 4:19)
On the work God does in us:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
Quotations from the English Standard Version
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rev. David O'Leary pastors a church in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He can be reached at doleary@opc-ipswich.org. |
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