Thoughts About Life (Ecclesiastes 7:1, 5- 9, 11, 19 & 20) Good News Translation

1    A good reputation is better than expensive perfume;
      and the day you die is better than the day you are born.

5    It is better to have wise people reprimand you than to have
      stupid people  sing your praises.

6    When a fool laughs, it is like thorns crackling in a fire.  It
       doesn't mean a thing.

7    When a wise man cheats someone, he is acting like a fool.
        If you take a bribe, you ruin your character.

8     The end of something is better than its beginning.
        Patience is beter than pride.

9     Keep your temper under control; it is foolish to harbor a grudge.

11    Everyone who lives ought to be wise; it is as good as receiving
        an inheritance and will give you as much security as money can.
        Wisdom keeps you safe----this is the advantage of knowledge.

19   Wisdom does moe for a person than ten rulers can do for a city.

20   There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and
        never makes a mistake.

Prayer of Praise (Jude 24-25) Good News Translation

24  To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultlesss
       and joyful before His glorious presence---

25   to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory,
       majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever
       and ever! Amen.

Do Not Imitate What Is Bad (III John 11) Good News Translation

11  My Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good.
      Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does wht is bad has not
       seen God.

Being Filled with the Knowledge and Wisdom of God (Colossians 1:9-14) Good News

9          We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and 
             understanding that is Spirit gives.

10         Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what please with
             him.  Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your
             knowledge of God.

11-12    May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from the glorious power,
             so that you may be able to endure everything with patience.  And with joy give thanks
             to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his
             people in the kingdom of light.

13         He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his
             dear Son,

14         by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-6) Good News Translation

3  Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! and in our union with Christ
    he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world.

4  Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with
    Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love

5  God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his sons----

6  Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son!