Justice makes no sense to the evilminded; those who seek God know it inside and out. It's better to be poor and direct than rich and crooked. Practice God's law-get a reputation for wisdom; hang out with a loose crowd-embarrass your family. God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him. Lead good people down a wrong path and you'll come to a bad end; do good and you'll be rewarded for it. You can't whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them. A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life; a hardhearted person lives a hard life. Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds, but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright. Walk straight-live well and be saved; a devious life is a doomed life. Doing Great Harm in Seemingly Harmless Ways In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated far more than bootlicking flattery. A grasping person stirs up trouble, but trust in God brings a sense of well-being. If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others. When corruption takes over, good people go underground, but when the crooks are thrown out, it's safe to come out. (Proverbs 28:5-7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 18, 23, 25, 26, 28 MSG)

God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness. God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan. Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath. Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time. He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone; not even a finger gets broken. God pays for each slave's freedom; no one who runs to him loses out. (Psalm 34:4-9, 15, 17-20, 22 MSG)

Poem from movie "Act of Valor"

Go see this movie Act of Valor to get the the real life tale this poem inspired.
"Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about his religion.
Respect others in their views and demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long and of service to your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,
or even a stranger, if in a lonely place.
Show respect to all people, but grovel to none.
When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light,
for your life, for your strength.
Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools
and robs the spirit of its vision.
When your time comes to die,
be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death,
so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time
to live their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home." -
-- Tecumseh

Thrive for depending on God

Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising. Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano! For God's Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out. Earth-creatures, bow before God; world-dwellers-down on your knees! God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world's power-schemes. God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last. Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will. Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone. Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We're depending on God; he's everything we need. Love us, God, with all you've got-that's what we're depending on. (Psalm 33:1, 2, 4, 8, 10-12, 17-20, 22 MSG)

Words to the wise

You grab a mad dog by the ears when you butt into a quarrel that's none of your business. When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down. A quarrelsome person in a dispute is like kerosene thrown on a fire. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you want junk like that in your belly? Smooth talk from an evil heart is like glaze on cracked pottery. Your enemy shakes hands and greets you like an old friend, all the while conniving against you. When he speaks warmly to you, don't believe him for a minute; he's just waiting for the chance to rip you off. No matter how cunningly he conceals his malice, eventually his evil will be exposed in public. Malice backfires; spite boomerangs. (Proverbs 26:17, 20-27 MSG)

Safe in His arms

Get down on my level and listen, and please-no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety. You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down. Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world. I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened. Love God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone. Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon. (Psalm 31:2-5, 14, 16, 19, 21-24 MSG)