20 Then God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
21 So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:20-21 (HCSB)
1 The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.
Genesis 12:1-7 (HCSB)
1 The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord evaluates the motives.
3 Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be achieved.
4 The Lord has prepared everything for His purpose — even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5 Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness, and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.
9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.
10 God’s verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.
11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His concern.
12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, since a throne is established through righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he loves one who speaks honestly.
14 A king’s fury is a messenger of death, but a wise man appeases it.
15 When a king’s face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.
16 Get wisdom — how much better it is than gold! And get understanding — it is preferable to silver.
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; the one who guards his way protects his life.
18 Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud.
20 The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy.
21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech increases learning.
22 Insight is a fountain of life for its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.
23 A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger urges him on.
27 A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
29 A violent man lures his neighbor, leading him in a way that is not good.
30 The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions; the one who compresses his lips brings about evil.
31 Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the way of righteousness.
32 Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, than capturing a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 16:1-33 (HCSB)
1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
2 “The Lord of Hosts says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”
Haggai 1:1-2 (HCSB)
9 But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind — God prepared this for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9 (HCSB)