Compass Point

‘And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains:  and the keepers before the door kept the prison. ‘And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly.  And his chains fell off from his hands. ‘And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.  And so he did.  And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ‘And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. ‘When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord:  and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. ‘And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.’ —Acts 12:6–11 ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’ —Luke 1:37

‘And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants:  and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.’ —Genesis 40:20

‘And he is the head of the body, the church:  who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.’ —Colossians 1:18 ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ‘ —Romans 5:1

‘ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ‘But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot’ —1 Peter 1:18, 19

‘For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.’ —Isaiah 41:13 ‘And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.’ —John 10:28

‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ —Psalm 119:11

‘I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.’ —Psalm 143:5 ‘My meditation of him shall be sweet:  I will be glad in the Lord.’ —Psalm 104:34 ‘My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned:  then spake I with my tongue’ —Psalm 39:3

‘Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound’ —Romans 5:20

‘See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:15

‘The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.’ —Acts 5:30 ‘And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree’ —Acts 10:39

‘In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.’ —Psalm 120:1 ‘I am for peace:  but when I speak, they are for war.’ —Psalm 120:7 ‘Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ —1 Peter 5:7

‘So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.’ —Nehemiah 4:6

‘Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips:  for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ —Isaiah 6:5 ‘O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ —Matthew 12:34

‘What is man, that thou art mindful of him?  and the son of man, that thou visitest him?’ —Psalm 8:4

‘And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.’ —Exodus 2:9

Praying those affected by war in Ukraine.

‘He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.’ —1 John 2:6

‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.’ —Isaiah 53:5

‘Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. ‘… ‘My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. ‘… ‘My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long:  for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.’ —Psalm 71:8, 15, & 24

‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ —Genesis 1:1 ‘Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them’ —Ecclesiastes 12:1 ‘For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.’ —Mark 13:19

‘And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ —1 John 2:17 ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ —Matthew 24:35

‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ —Psalm 119:105

‘If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth’ —1 John 1:6

‘But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ —1 John 1:7 ‘While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.  These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.’ —John 12:36 ‘I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.’ —John 12:46

‘If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth’ —1 John 1:6

‘This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’ —1 John 1:5 ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ —James 1:17

‘This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’ —1 John 1:5 ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ —Psalm 27:1 

‘For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.’ —Psalm 74:12

‘Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? ‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ —John 14:5-6

‘Abstain from all appearance of evil.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:22

‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:21

‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:18

‘Pray without ceasing.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:17

‘Rejoice evermore.’ —1 Thessalonians 5:16

‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ —Jeremiah 29:13 ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’ —John 6:37

‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ‘Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ‘Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ‘Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ‘Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.’ —1 Corinthians 13:4–8

‘Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.’ —Mark 10:21

‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before’ —Philippians 3:13 ‘Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.’ —2 Corinthians 5:9

‘But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’ —Luke 11:42

‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.’ —Psalm 27:4

‘He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.’ —John 9:25 ‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed:  for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.’ —2 Timothy 1:12

‘Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus’ —Romans 3:24

‘In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.’ —Proverbs 14:26

‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.’ —Proverbs 3:13

‘A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: ‘To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ —Proverbs 1:5–7 ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.’ —Proverbs 9:10

‘And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.’ —Luke 5:17

‘And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.’ —Acts 9:41

‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High’ —Psalm 92:1

‘For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.’ —Matthew 26:9 ‘But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.’ —Hebrews 2:9 ‘For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.’ —Hebrews 10:37

‘As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby’ —1 Peter 2:2

‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.’ —Romans 5:6 ‘But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.’ —Luke 5:24

‘And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.’ —Luke 5:20 ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’ —John 5:24 ‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ —John 14:6

‘And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.’ —Luke 5:20 ‘To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.’ —Acts 10:43

‘And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.’ —Luke 5:20 ‘For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:  but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.’ —Hebrews 9:26

‘And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.’ —Luke 5:20 ‘How many are mine iniquities and sins?  make me to know my transgression and my sin. —Job 13:23

‘So there was a division among the people because of him.’ —John 7:43

More Than Earthlings: An Astronaut's Thoughts for Christ-Centered Living (Broadman Press, ISBN 0-8054-5255-9) is a 1983 non-fiction work by Apollo 15 astronaut James B. Irwin.