“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Gal. 5:16-17 (ESV) Every […]
“‘Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’” John 12:25-26 (ESV) Why did you wake up this morning? What are you giving […]
“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’” John 12:24 (ESV) Are you dying to live? God has placed within you unlimited potential. God created you to share His love and to shine His light. Your life […]
“And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’” John 12:23 (ESV) Victory comes through surrender. Our culture teaches you to take control of your life. Be the best! Give it your all! Get all you can! Be happy! Win at all costs! Reality shows have glamorized the self-centered life. […]
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) Get on your toes and be aware, be alert, and be armed. The Devil is real. Spiritual warfare is a reality of the life God has for you. This is not a time to embrace spiritual apathy or lethargy. Choose to live […]
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) The Devil beneath you is another obstacle to abundant life. Satan’s mission is to disrupt and to dismantle God’s agenda. As a result, the enemy seeks to attack that which is closest to God’s heart, namely, God’s […]
“‘You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends […]
“’As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’” Matthew 13:23 (ESV) Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and […]
“But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, ‘There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.’” Luke 13:14 (ESV) Legalism bypasses relationship. Instead of operating out of an abiding relationship with […]
“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31 (ESV) Rejection hurts. Have you been there? When you don’t feel that you measure up to a standard that has […]
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) God has made it possible for everyone to come to repentance. The redemptive work of Christ on the cross is sufficient to save everyone who […]
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) One of the highest privileges of life is that of seeking God. When you contemplate the vast canyon between God’s bigness and our smallness, God’s holiness and our sinfulness, humility becomes our reality. The fact that God, the […]
“’I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’” Joshua 24:13 (ESV) The children of Israel drifted from God’s best and slipped into immorality. Joshua called them back […]
“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better […]
“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (ESV) There are more verses in the Bible about […]
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV) Would you consider yourself rich? That question is rather ambiguous unless you have a clear point […]
“Jesus said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they marveled at him.” Mark 12:17 (ESV) What belongs to God? Everything! God is the Creator and the owner of the entire universe and everything on the earth. As His children, we are simply […]
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (ESV) What are you passionate about? What are you giving your time, energy, and resources to? What gets the best of you? Your answer unveils your zeal. God placed zeal in you. Your passion is an expression of your spiritual […]
“Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, […]
“‘O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!.’” Psalm 39:4-5 (ESV) When you compare your life […]
“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42 (ESV) As you study the life of Jesus, you will quickly discover that Jesus oriented His life around being a blessing. His entire earthly ministry was centered around benefiting others. Jesus willingly left the glory […]
“And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:41 (ESV) The Roman law in Jesus’ day gave a soldier the right to force a civilian to carry his equipment for a mile. It did not matter if the civilian had other plans or was going in the opposite […]
“And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.” Mark 3:14 (ESV) Can you imagine the honor of being chosen by Jesus to serve as one of His twelve apostles? You would have a starting position on the varsity team […]
“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12 (ESV) Major decisions require major clarity. Jesus was about to make a major decision that would change the course of human history. Of all the disciples showing interest in following Jesus, it was now […]
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) What kind of impact will you make with the time, […]
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) What’s going on in your mind? How’s your thought-life? What have you been thinking about lately? God has given you the ability to think, reason, and make decisions. God has given you […]
“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” Matthew 17:1-2 (ESV) If only life was a perpetual mountaintop experience. Wouldn’t it be wonderful […]
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) What moves the heart of God? Have you ever thought about that? Consider the […]
“And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:15 (ESV) Did you know that even godly people who have a vibrant faith in God can go through seasons of adversity? Often these difficult seasons […]
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14 (ESV) The Christian life is not a solo flight. God never intended for us to live out our faith in isolation. As followers of […]