Jesus called out to them,

“Come, follow me,

and I will show you how to fish for people!”

And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Matthew 4:19-20

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted there by the devil.

For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. 

During that time the devil came and said to him,

“If you are the Son of God,

tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:1-4

After his baptism,

as Jesus came up out of the water,

the heavens were opened

and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

and settling on him.

And a voice from heaven said,

“This is my dearly loved Son,

who brings me great joy.”

Matthew 3:16-17

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse

so there will be enough food in my Temple.

“…If you do,” 

says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,

“I will open the windows of heaven for you. 

I will pour out a blessing so great 

you won’t have enough room to take it in!

Try it!

Put me to the test!”

Malachi 3:10

“I am the LORD, and I do not change…

…Now return to me,

and I will return to you,”

says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

Malachi 3:6-7

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,

“The day of judgment is coming,

burning like a furnace.

On that day the arrogant and the wicked

will be burned up like straw.

They will be consumed—roots, branches and all.

“But for you who fear my name,

the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.

And you will go free,

leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

Malachi 4:1-2

For there is only one God and one Mediator

who can reconcile God and humanity—

the man Christ Jesus.

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

This is the message God gave to the world

at just the right time.

1 Timothy 2:5-6

“…don’t be afraid.

But this is what you must do:

Tell the truth to each other.

Render verdicts in your courts that are just

and that lead to peace.

Don’t scheme against each other.

Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth.

I hate all these things, 

says the LORD.”

Zechariah 8:15-17

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says:

Judge fairly,

and show mercy and kindness to one another.

Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.

And do not scheme against each other.

Your ancestors refused to listen to this message.

They stubbornly turned away 

and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.

They made their hearts as hard as stone,

so they could not hear the instructions

or the messages that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies 

had sent them by his Spirit…

Zechariah 7:9-12

Be sure to give to the LORD

the best portions of the gifts given to you.

Numbers 18:29

(Hubble telescope photo– unbarred spiral galaxy NGC 5033, located in the constellation of Canes Venatici)