As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. At the age of 58, I am learning that this interaction with the thorns is an ongoing temptation and … Continue reading The Pressure of Life – Luke 8:14
The Miracle of Faith – Jonah 3:4-5
Jonah set out on the first day of his walk in the city and proclaimed, “In 40 days Nineveh will be demolished!” The men of Nineveh believed in God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth — from the greatest of them to the least. The turning of a rebellious heart back toward God … Continue reading The Miracle of Faith – Jonah 3:4-5
Wealthy Weeping – James 5:1-6
Come now, you rich people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days! … Continue reading Wealthy Weeping – James 5:1-6
Actions Are Fruit – Luke 6:47-48
I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well … Continue reading Actions Are Fruit – Luke 6:47-48
Every Good And Perfect Gift – 1 Chronicles 17:19
Lord, You have done all this greatness, making known all these great promises because of Your servant and according to Your will. This biblical principle helps to keep the follower of Christ on track when blessings flow. ‘If there’s anything good that happens in life it’s from Jesus’ (Songs From the Loft). David has this … Continue reading Every Good And Perfect Gift – 1 Chronicles 17:19
Speaking For God – 1 Chronicles 17:2-4
So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you.” But that night the word of God came to Nathan: “Go to David My servant and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build Me a house to dwell in. It can definitely … Continue reading Speaking For God – 1 Chronicles 17:2-4
Son of God, Joseph’s Boy – Luke 3:23
As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, son of Heli.... They thought He was the son of Joseph and had deep concerns whenever He began to disclose Who His actual Father was. Jesus clearly claimed that the God of the Universe was … Continue reading Son of God, Joseph’s Boy – Luke 3:23
Big Ears, Tight Lips, Long Fuses, Moral Purity – James 1:19-21
My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. Angrily speaking your mind based on what you … Continue reading Big Ears, Tight Lips, Long Fuses, Moral Purity – James 1:19-21
Lay Preachers – Amos 7:14-15
So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was not a prophet or the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’” This is a terrifying prospect for the ‘not formally … Continue reading Lay Preachers – Amos 7:14-15
Favor Of God – Luke 1:25
“The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.” What compares to the favor of God? What could even begin to compare with this favor? The God of the universe looks upon us with special kindness by His own inclination and … Continue reading Favor Of God – Luke 1:25
Longing for Judgment – Amos 5:18-24
Woe to you who long for the Day of the Lord! What will the Day of the Lord be for you? It will be darkness and not light. It will be like a man who flees from a lion only to have a bear confront him. He goes home and rests his hand against the … Continue reading Longing for Judgment – Amos 5:18-24
Hold On – Hebrews 10:39
But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life. At the risk of sounding whiny and puny, this entire passage of Holy Scripture at the end of Hebrews 10 reminds us of the difficulty of our walk of faith. It reminds us of the challenges … Continue reading Hold On – Hebrews 10:39
He Is Not Silent – Amos 4:13
He is here: the One who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who makes the dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of the earth. Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name. This is amazing to contemplate - the One who created all things … Continue reading He Is Not Silent – Amos 4:13
Know the Lord – Hebrews 8:10-12
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. And each person will not teach his fellow citizen, and … Continue reading Know the Lord – Hebrews 8:10-12
Passing Shadows – Psalms 144:3-4
Lord, what is man, that You care for him, the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. The truth of this thought grows increasingly more relevant as I️ age. Time is a constant except for the fact that it is never constant … Continue reading Passing Shadows – Psalms 144:3-4
Suffering – Hebrews 5:8
Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. Although it is difficult for me to imagine what obedience Lord Jesus had to learn seeing that He was Perfect Obedience, the message to me is clear: through suffering the follower of Christ learns to obey. Suffering for good serves a purpose in … Continue reading Suffering – Hebrews 5:8
God’s Rest – Hebrews 4:10
In Jesus, faith, obedience, work and rest all converge. To believe is to obey. To work is to rest.
Words – Hosea 14:1-2
Israel, return to Yahweh your God, for you have stumbled in your sin. Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him: “Forgive all our sin and accept what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips. Here we see the power of our words … Continue reading Words – Hosea 14:1-2
Tender Hearts – Hebrews 3:8
...do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion... Hebrews 3:12 Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. Hebrews 3:18-19 And who did He swear to that they would not enter His rest, if not those who disobeyed? So we … Continue reading Tender Hearts – Hebrews 3:8
Participation in the Faith – Philemon 1:6
I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ. Here is another amazing truth of following Christ: our faith is strongly impacted and made effective by our knowledge of all of the good that is in us that serves … Continue reading Participation in the Faith – Philemon 1:6
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