Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.

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1 Corinthians 1:28 MSG

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

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James 4:9 MSG

Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy, share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

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Romans 12:15 MSG

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

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1 Peter 2:15

Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope in steadfast love.

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Jonah 2:8

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

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James 1:27

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

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Proverbs 11:2

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

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James 5:18-18

Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.

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Proverbs 16:3 MSG

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

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2 Timothy 1:7

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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Psalm 139:24

But they set an ambush for themselves; they attack their own lives. Such are the paths of all who profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it.

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Proverbs 1:18

But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means.”

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Matthew 9:12-13

If you disregard this advice, you’re not offending your neighbors; you’re rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit

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1 Thessalonians 4:8 MSG

You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

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John 8:32

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

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1 John 3:16

Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

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Proverbs 13:20 MSG

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.

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Proverbs 22:29

Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.

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Exodus 4:11-12

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

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Ecclesiastes 2:14