“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:25 (NIV) Excessive church activities can become a space invader. You have probably heard people say that they were in church every time the […]
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Prov 22:6 (NIV) Child-centered parenting is not in alignment with God’s economy. God values order. Where there is order, there is fruitfulness. God established the home for our benefit and for His glory. God’s blueprint for […]
“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Ex 20:11 (NIV) Work can become a space invader. Do you have room in your life for […]
“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.” 1 Sam 17:38 (NIV) Technology can become a space invader. As you can imagine, King Saul had the latest in warfare technology. His armor was the best of the best and fit […]
“‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’” Jer 1:5 (NIV) Allow God’s agenda to become your agenda. Before you were born, God existed. God is eternal. That means that God has always been and God […]
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She […]
“Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.’” Ex 18:17-18 (NIV) You are structured for the results you are getting. How’s life? Are you stressed out? Are you […]
“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18 (NIV) Do you dread going home or do you look forward to it each day? Is your home a war zone or an oasis? Does your home drain the life out of you or impart life to […]
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first […]
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29 (NIV) Our words have such power. With our words we can encourage and comfort or we can shatter hearts and dreams. God […]
“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God […]
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV) Families that resolve conflict together stay together. If the devil came to you for counsel on how to destroy families, what would your advice entail? Perhaps you would recommend the weapon of […]
“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” Gen 2:18 (NIV) God created us for relationship. The first “not good” in the Bible is connected to aloneness. God created us for companionship. We do better together. God designed us to be […]
“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But […]
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of […]
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41 (NIV) Wow! On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were adopted into God’s family. Three thousand were delivered from the clutches of hell and placed on the path that leads to heaven. Three thousand were […]
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All […]
“‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:49 (NIV) God’s will often includes waiting. Jesus instructed the believers to wait in Jerusalem until they had received what His Father had promised, namely, power from on […]
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matt 16:18 (NIV) God ordained marriage and God ordained the church. We are married to Christ and our union is expressed through His Body, the church. Peter confessed that […]
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalms 16:11 (NIV) God fills you with joy in His Presence. The thought of having access to the presence of God is still amazing. God has made known the […]
“The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” Psalms 19:8 (NIV) God honors our obedience to His Word. One of the benefits of obedience is joy. Joy is not connected to our circumstances. As followers of Jesus Christ, we […]
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Heb 13:16 (NIV) Be intentional. What moves the heart of God? What brings God pleasure? What makes God smile? Doing good and sharing with others! We have the freedom to choose to do good or to […]
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Heb 13:3 (NIV) Be sensitive to God’s activity. God wants us to express His love to His creation. People matter to God. Our value was clearly demonstrated by the ultimate love bridge ever […]
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Heb 13:2 (NIV) God uses ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary. Did you know that God receives glory as you make yourself available for His use? God is not restricted by your ability. God chooses to use […]
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:14 (NIV) What if you turned an interruption, such as Hurricane Ike, into an opportunity to express God’s love by serving others? Jesus faithfully served others during His earthly ministry. He put His compassion in action. The […]
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:13-14 (NIV) After hearing of John the Baptist’s death, Jesus […]
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:13-14 (NIV) Has your life ever been interrupted by a […]
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Luke 15:21 (NIV) There is power in the recognition of your true disposition. You can shroud your persona with a facade that exudes perfection while your inner life embodies disarray. Disguising […]
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” Luke 15:13 (NIV) How does a runner prepare for a marathon? He removes distractions that would impede his progress and focuses his energy and effort on intentional training. One […]
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” Heb 4:15 (NIV) Are you struggling? Are you hurting? Do you ever go through seasons of loneliness? Have you encountered frustration […]