“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:23 (ESV) Hurting people hurt people. Those who have been wounded often wound others. There’s something about our fallen nature that seeks revenge. When someone has inflicted […]
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) Anxiety has the potential to cause us to lose perspective. When we are anxious, butterflies become helicopters. When we are anxious, grasshoppers become giants. Anxiety demands emotional fuel that depletes our passion and distorts our vision. The confetti of anxiety […]
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 God never intended for you to walk through adversity alone. Maybe you have heard someone say that God will never put more on you than you can handle. That’s not true. God will not put more on you than you can handle with His help. The Christian […]
“And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, ‘Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.’ And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.” 1 Kings 19:7-8 […]
“And Elisha said to her, ‘What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?’ And she said, ‘Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.’” 2 Kings 4:2 (ESV) I want you to think about how far you have come during your life on the earth. […]
“‘You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17 (ESV) Jehoshaphat proclaimed […]
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7 (ESV) Trust is a fragile item in the life of a believer. Trust is like the petal of a rose. Trust can beautify a difficult path and create an aroma pleasing to Christ. Trust can also […]
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are […]
“I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.” Psalm 6:6-7 (ESV) David was well acquainted with victory, despair, and grief. He had known the favor of God and […]
“And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the […]
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not […]
“But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is […]
“And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with […]
“Joseph answered Pharaoh, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.’” Genesis 41:16 (ESV) God uses human instrumentality in His redemptive process. God chooses to involve us in His master plan. Life is not about our story that we invite God into. Life is about God’s story that He invites us […]
“So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, ‘I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your […]
“And Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together.” […]
“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless […]
“‘You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.’” Job 10:12 (ESV) Job was in a season of desperation. He knew calamity on a first name basis. Surrounded by an inner circle of friends, Job made a profound statement about God’s provision. In the midst of severe adversity and […]
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) Why do we worry about stuff instead of praying to God about the […]
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” Matthew 6:31-32 (ESV) How do you overcome anxiety? How do you win the war against worry? These questions remind […]
“’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 […]
“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 […]
“‘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 […]
“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 […]
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” James 5:13 (ESV) Independence is valued in our society. Being strong and self-sufficient tend to be the marks of success by the world’s standards. However, God’s economy has a much different value system. It’s not about personal strength, but reliance upon […]
“Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!’” Daniel 6:16 (ESV) Daniel had a track record of faithfulness to God. His loyalty to God was unwavering. After the king signed a decree forbidding Daniel […]
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, […]
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11 (ESV) Who am I? Why am I here? These two basic questions are innate in every human being. We long to know who we are and we strive to discover why we are […]
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 (ESV) God does not expect you to live the Christian life outside of His enablement. In fact, it is impossible to be […]