Failure

 Another  New Year's Resolution bites the dust - I was going to publish a weekly blog based on my recent practice of attempting to commit to memory a short passage of the bible every week. But it isn't working ...

Contrast

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.
The righteous will inherit the land
    and dwell in it for ever.

Psalm 37:28b,29 / NIV 

Encouraging, for some ... 

Halved

 Psalm 37:27,28a / NIV 

Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones. 

Encouraging words ... 

Bewilderment

 What is truth ... 

Promise

 25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
    their children will be a blessing. 

Who are 'the righteous'? 

Those who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour (the rest have no real hope) ... 

Manifesto

‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ / Luke 4:18,29 / NIV 

Thus begins Jesus' ministry, as recorded by Luke in his gospel. A positive message, indeed, for the start of a new year ...