You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith – more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:5-7 There... Read more
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3: 19 This passage from the book of Acts helps us better understand how God uses everything that happens in our lives for our good and His glory. Certainly, as we study Scripture the theme of God’s absolute sovereignty runs throughout the Old and New Testaments. As we take time to contemplate this wonderfully amazing... Read more
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me! Psalm 66: 16-20 One... Read more
The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. Numbers 14: 7-9 ... Read more
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2: 42 Have you ever wondered how the fellowship of believers in the New Testament might differ from our churches today? Even a cursory study of the book of Acts can fill us in. Blueprints for the modern church The disciples and all the followers of Jesus (new and old) habitually practiced four specifics steps. They devoted themselves to the... Read more
You shall not go out in haste…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:12 As the new year takes hold, we are often riddled with thoughts of regret and missed opportunities. We want to do better in the coming days, weeks, and months. Don’t we? God is always present with us Of course we do! And the promise of new beginnings is always something hopeful as we enter... Read more
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5: 10 God’s grace is abundant As we begin this new year, many folks make resolutions, make commitments to do better, determine to never make the same mistakes. So what’s the problem with these lofty ideals? We can never, ever attain to our own... Read more
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint... Read more
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm... Read more
For God gave us a spirit of not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 I hurt. You hurt. We all hurt. It’s a given. At one time or another, we all feel the anguish of some measure of emotional pain. As humans, we are too often emotionally driven, at the mercy of our ever-changing feelings, and far too dependent upon circumstances around us. Take personal responsibility Clearly, some individuals “emote” more than others.... Read more
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