I have not spoken in secret or kept my purpose hidden. I did not require the people of Israel to look for me in a desolate waste. I am the LORD, and I speak the truth; I make known what is right."

And to Solomon he said, "My son, I charge you to acknowledge your father's God and to serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind. He knows all our thoughts and desires. If you go to him, he will accept you; but if you turn away from him, he will abandon you forever.

But even so, there is some good in you. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah which people worshiped, and you have tried to follow God's will."

But turn now and plead with Almighty God;

The LORD looks down from heaven at us humans to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him.

When you said, "Come worship me," I answered, "I will come, LORD."

So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them.

He is our God; we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides. Listen today to what he says:

Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you.

Yes, I say, you will find me, and I will restore you to your land. I will gather you from every country and from every place to which I have scattered you, and I will bring you back to the land from which I had sent you away into exile. I, the LORD, have spoken.'

Go to the LORD, and you will live. If you do not go, he will sweep down like fire on the people of Israel. The fire will burn up the people of Bethel, and no one will be able to put it out.

"If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.

"Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock.

"Later the others arrived. 'Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out.

'Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered."

The master of the house will get up and close the door; then when you stand outside and begin to knock on the door and say, 'Open the door for us, sir!' he will answer you, 'I don't know where you come from!'

Jesus said, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I shall go away to him who sent me.

You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be."

Again Jesus said to them, "I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going."

Jesus answered, "The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light." After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them.

In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted.

Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you." Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!

How, then, shall we escape if we pay no attention to such a great salvation? The Lord himself first announced this salvation, and those who heard him proved to us that it is true.

Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must help one another every day, as long as the word "Today" in the scripture applies to us.

Let everyone who lives in Zion shout and sing! Israel's holy God is great, and he lives among his people."

I am bringing the day of victory near--- it is not far away at all. My triumph will not be delayed. I will save Jerusalem and bring honor to Israel there."

"No other nation, no matter how great, has a god who is so near when they need him as the LORD our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help.

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks to you! We proclaim how great you are and tell of the wonderful things you have done.

He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity.

He made his nation strong, so that all his people praise him--- the people of Israel, so dear to him. Praise the LORD!

God said to me, "Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this."

I beg you, then, not to be discouraged because I am suffering for you; it is all for your benefit.