“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV) You cannot live the Christian life. Keep trying! Keep seeking to measure […]
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NIV) A true delight is knowing God’s will and doing God’s will. A true delight is having the peace of God in the midst of life’s storms. A true delight is having the assurance of heaven and eternal […]
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Instead of worrying about tomorrow, focus on today. To worry is to be drawn in multiple directions. Worry causes you to feel fragmented and overwhelmed. Someone has said, “Today is the tomorrow […]
“‘Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.‘” Exodus 20:12 (NIV) As we continue exploring the Ten Commandments, we notice that the first four commandments are vertical in nature whereas the remaining six commandments are horizontal in nature. The first four […]
“‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the […]
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” Malachi 4:2 (NIV) Revering God is a mandate from heaven. We esteem God and revere Him by living life His way. Let’s examine a […]
“‘You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.’” Exodus 20:7 (NIV) God’s Name represents His nature and His character. God is holy, immutable, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God was never born and He will never die. God is love, […]
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers […]
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 (NIV) How can the prayer of one person be powerful and effective and the prayer of another person be weak and ineffective? The power hinges […]
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a […]
“‘You shall have no other gods beforeme.’” Exodus 20:3 (NIV) Israel had a tendency to worship the idols of other nations, which eventually resulted in their being exiled to Assyria and Babylonia. Turning away from one’s primary object of devotion, namely God, is to worship other gods. God is a jealous God and demands undivided […]
“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’” Exodus 20:2 (NIV) Moses spent forty years in the palace, forty years in the desert, and then forty years as the deliverer of the children of Israel. God was strategically developing Moses for the special assignment of […]
“And God spoke all these words.” Exodus 20:1 (NIV) God speaks! God communicates His plan and articulates His passion for us to know His will so that we can do His will. God reveals Himself so that we can orient our lives around His revelation. As Henry Blackaby says, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit […]
“‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” Psalm 46:10 (NIV) Knowledge is liberating. We long to know truth and we long to know the reality behind the perplexities of life. Being able to see clearly gives us security. Clarity elevates […]
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV) You can live your life at a distance relationally and experience the absence of meaningful relationships with others. The relational deficit will soon erode your joy and remove your smile. God made us for relationships. The shepherd and sheep […]
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Matthew 17:1-2 (NIV) If only life was a perpetual mountaintop […]
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (NIV) You have the power to conceal or reveal God’s glory. God reveals His glory to you as you worship Him privately and corporately. Whether you […]
“Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:7-8 (NIV) God allows trials to come into your life to reveal your faith. Whatever is on the inside of you will come […]
“For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.” 1 Thessalonians 3:5 (NIV) Paul cared about the status of the faith of the church of the […]
“We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.” 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 (NIV) Paul had a deep abiding love […]
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV) God is a God of revelation. He […]
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out.” Luke 8:22 (NIV) God will get you to the other side. His plan for you is personal. God designed you with His purpose in mind. You are not an […]
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV) The landscape of living in a fallen world is […]
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NIV) Choose to replace your anxious thoughts with intentional prayer. Your focus will shift from the gravity of your circumstances to the enormity of God’s power. You will gain God’s perspective on the obstacles […]
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 (NIV) Anxiety is the great distraction. All of your emotional energy is diverted to fuel the vast demands anxiety produces. Incessant worry evaporates the tranquil waters of peace and contentment. Instead of living […]
“When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” Acts 16:15 (NIV) Have you ever been to someone’s house and you felt right at home? After being […]
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) Isaiah had a life changing experience. He looked up and saw the Lord in all of His holiness. Isaiah looked inward and recognized his own sinfulness in light of […]
“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalm 57:1 (NIV) Where do you turn when you need refuge? The world offers many choices. You can lose yourself in the stream […]
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to accentuate the experience of God’s peace. Happiness is based on happenstance. If the […]
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known […]