A favorite passage from 1 Peter
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
To Him be dominion forever and ever.  Amen.

Seven Always Pertinent Proverbs

Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

Proverbs 13:3
Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Proverbs 16:4
The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Proverbs 18:13
If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Proverbs 21:23
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Proverbs 29:20
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Reflections on some verses in 1 Thessalonians 5
Our women's Bible study is memorizing four verses from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, 24.  This is how I have broken them out:

Rejoice always; in God's character, not personal circumstances.

Pray without ceasing; in doing so you enter into Christ's current occupation as revealed in Hebrews 7:25 "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

In everything gives thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus; what God wills, He enables.

Faithful is He who calls you, and He will also bring it to pass; reminds me of Philippians 1:6 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ" as well as Philippians 2:12-13 "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but not much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

Regarding intended posts

All of the material from the Truth Matters Conference, which was held in early September, is available on the Grace to You website, gty.org.
I would strongly urge you to go there, click on the Truth Matters option, and listen or download the pdf files or order the cds.
You see, as much as I tried to, I could not do justice to the session by Phil Johnson.  The material Jeff Williams covered appears in his book, The Work of His Hands: A View of God's Creation from Space.
If I can, I will post my notes on other messages.