The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. Let us praise his glory!

The LORD takes care of those who obey him, and the land will be theirs forever.

"And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.

You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.'

Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ's suffering, we will also share his glory.

For if God's gift depends on the Law, then it no longer depends on his promise. However, it was because of his promise that God gave that gift to Abraham.

(SEE 1:11)

Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve.

so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.

Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away.

Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you.

From the beginning I predicted the outcome; long ago I foretold what would happen. I said that my plans would never fail, that I would do everything I intended to do.

I am calling a man to come from the east; he will swoop down like a hawk and accomplish what I have planned. I have spoken, and it will be done.

which he gave to us in such large measure! In all his wisdom and insight

(SEE 12:12)

I make plans and carry them out. I have understanding, and I am strong.

You say, "Let the LORD hurry up and do what he says he will, so that we can see it. Let Israel's holy God carry out his plans; let's see what he has in mind."

All this wisdom comes from the LORD Almighty. The plans God makes are wise, and they always succeed.

Can anyone tell the LORD what to do? Who can teach him or give him advice?

With whom does God consult in order to know and understand and to learn how things should be done?

I said, "None of these prophets has ever known the LORD's secret thoughts. None of them has ever heard or understood his message, or ever listened or paid attention to what he said.

You make wise plans and do mighty things; you see everything that people do, and you reward them according to their actions.

He is the one who will build it and receive the honor due a king, and he will rule his people. A priest will stand by his throne, and they will work together in peace and harmony.'

In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him.

They gathered to do everything that you by your power and will had already decided would happen.

For I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.

As the scripture says, "Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to give him advice?

To those who were to receive what he promised, God wanted to make it very clear that he would never change his purpose; so he added his vow to the promise.