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The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 18:22 (New Living Translation)

He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD.

Proverbs 18:22 (New International Version)

Find a good spouse, you find a good life—
and even more: the favor of God!

Proverbs 18:22 (The Message)

After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the God’s message with boldness.
—Acts 4: 31

Sometimes we will take a step of faith if there is a backup plan, if there is a safety net. While there is a place for caution, a place for prudence, and even a place for seeking the counsel of those who have lived longer than we have. But having said that, there is also a place for faith. There is also a place for taking chances and taking risks.

As we get older, we are less willing to do that. We want everything laid out for us. We want to know what will happen after this and after that. But sometimes God will say, “I am not going to tell you. I want you to just obey Me.” That is why I would rather try something and fail than never try at all. And if you do try and ultimately fail, then learn something from your failure. I would venture to say that any person who has been successful in ministry, in business, or in any other enterprise has had more than his or her share of failures and has learned something from every one of them. It has been said that the doorway of success is often entered through the hallway of failure. So if at first you don’t succeed, relax. You are just like the rest of us.

So take a chance and do something for God. If you have been thinking about starting a little Bible study at work and are unsure whether anyone would show up, go for it. If you are thinking of sharing the gospel with someone, but you don’t how they would respond, go for it. Try it. Pray about it. Ask the Lord for direction. But take a risk. Take a chance here and there and watch what God will do.

by Greg Laurie

Mockers can get a whole town agitated,
but the wise will calm anger.

Proverbs 29:8 (New Living Translation)

Mockers stir up a city,
but wise men turn away anger.

Proverbs 29:8 (New International Version)

A gang of cynics can upset a whole city;
a group of sages can calm everyone down.

Proverbs 29:8 (The Message)

Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.

Psalm 25:4 (New Living Translation)

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

Psalm 25:4 (New International Version)

Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

Psalm 25:4 (The Message)

But I, yes I, am the one
who takes care of your sins-that’s what I do.
I don’t keep a list of your sins.

Isaiah 43:25 (The Message)

I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.

Isaiah 43:25 (New International Version)

I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.

Isaiah 43:25 (New Living Translation)

Give your burdens to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Psalm 55:22 (New Living Translation)

Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 55:22 (New International Version)

Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.
He’ll never let good people
topple into ruin.

Psalm 55:22 (The Message)

God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (New Living Translation)

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (New International Version)

All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom. So please don’t, out of old habit, slip back into being or doing what everyone else tells you.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (The Message)