Bible Verse Archives
6/10/2021
We won’t be saying much today, and what we are saying is simple: we have not been forgotten. Paul reminds us in Romans 2:4 of God’s patience and character of mercy and grace, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (NLT)
We know it can seem like we’ve been forgotten when we look at the depravity in human hearts being shown day in and day out. When we see the earth crying out to its creator. When we are constantly reminded by events that this world is not our home. We need to let those things be a reminder for us to not look around us, but to look to God. He promised us He is coming back, and God keeps His promises. In the meantime, let’s continue to grow in the word (Jude 20-21) so that we can finish the race (Philippians 3:14, 2 Timothy 4:7).
This is a link to the entire chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203&version=NLT
6/8/2021
We recently observed a day of remembrance in America for the men and women who have died in uniform. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 13:5b that love is not self-seeking. Self-seeking is defined as, “the act or practice of selfishly advancing one's own ends; seeking only to further one's own interests.” (Mariam Webster) Jesus, in John 10:10-16 said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (NIV)
If we are to model our lives after Jesus, then we are called to not be selfish. Ultimately, we are called to be more like Him and less like our flesh. Jesus did not lead a selfish life, if He did, we would not be saved (Romans 3:21-31, 5:18; Ephesians 2:8-10, 14-16; Philippians 2:4-11 *just to name a few*). Romans 5:6-11 reads, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. or scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (NKJV)
God, in His endless mercy, still selflessly provides for us with Jesus serving as our Advocate (Romans 8:34) and the Holy Spirit praying for us (Romans 8:26-27) all while meticulously orchestrating our lives for His glory (Romans 8:28). We have not been abandoned, even after everything we’ve done. After repentance of sins, nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38, Hebrews 13:5).
Think about this, Jesus came to earth willingly being born as a baby, knowing He would have to be sacrificed in a horrific and painful manner for our benefit, while we were still sinners! While we were enemies of God, spitting in the face of our Creator, deciding to follow our instincts and not His plan for our lives. He did this knowing full well the times we would fall and grieve the Spirit through our sins, but He did it anyway. God fulfilled His promise and saved us from ourselves. Ephesians 2:13 reads, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (NIV)
As we pay homage to the men and women who have paid the ultimate price defending our earthly freedom, let us remember Jesus—the Good Shepherd who laid down His life, securing spiritual salvation (freedom) for us, His sheep, while were still enemies of God
4/20/2021
Hebrews 12:5-6 reads, "And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, 'My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.'"
God's punishment is for our benefit, it's Him correcting us by showing us our sins. God can not tolerate sin, which is why He sent Jesus to die for us, to cover us with His grace and mercy. God uses what we see as bad situations for His good. We may not see it in the moment, or even in our lifetime, but God sees the bigger picture.
4/13/2021
1 John 1:4-2:6 reads, "4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. 5 This is the message we heard from Jesus[c] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." Let these verses be a reminder to not be misled by false teachers, take what is said and measure it against God's Word- against truth.
We have to remember that, although it may seem like it, darkness can not overcome the light. John 1:5 reads, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
Even in our personal lives, things can look grim and like we'll never see light again, but we have to remind ourselves that God is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, Jude 24), every single moment of our lives have been intricately mapped out by God (Psalm 139:16), and we have been chosen for a purpose (Galatians 1:15, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2:10, Philippians 1:6, Jude 1). Sometimes, we need a reminder to keep our eyes away from the distractions of this world and instead fix them on our Savior.
4/1/2021
46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’
Luke 24:46-47
As we come up on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we feel it is imperative to take time and really let the gravity, the magnitude, of Jesus's sacrifice sink into our hearts. Read the gospel accounts of His death, burial, and resurrection. Believe that when you repent and accept Him into your heart, your sins are forgiven and washed clean by His blood.
He was the ultimate sacrifice for a debt we could never pay (Romans 6:23). Our God is a God who saves. He has been doing it from day one and we are told He will never change. Colossians 1:19-22 reads, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault."
3/25/2021
No one has, will, or ever will care for us the way God has. We can't even care for ourselves the way God cares for us. We can't save ourselves, only God can do that.
Matthew 6:25-30 reads, " 'That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 'And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"
As you go throughout your day, week, month, year, and lifetime, remember that God cares for you and has provided the greatest provision of all, salvation through Jesus, our Messiah.
3/18/2021
God is consistent. He is never changing. He has been saving us from Genesis to now. We've been told that, "...the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Truly nothing we could say would better put into words the magnitude and depth of God's love for us, that He would save us from ourselves.
We know you must be tired of us quoting the following passage, but it never gets old and is a wonderful reminder that we have been chosen by God. A reminder that our worth does not come from anything of this world. Romans 5:6-11, " When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."
3/9/2021
John 9:3, " 'It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins,' Jesus answered. 'This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.' " Although we aren't going to copy and paste the entire passage here, we encourage you to read John 9 in its entirety. This chapter tells the recount of Jesus's healing of a blind man whose blindness was thought to be caused by a sin he or his parents committed. In chapter 11:1-44, a recount is given of Lazarus's death and Jesus raising him from the dead. John 11:4 reads, "But when Jesus heard about it he said, 'Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.' "
Both of these scenarios seemed hopeless, albeit, for two different reasons. The man who was born blind never dreamed he would be able to see. Lazarus was literally dead, his corpse decomposing. The situations were, by definition, hopeless.
In John 9:35-41, Jesus discusses spiritual blindness. When we look around us at the events happening in the world, it's evident that we are living in a time where there is great spiritual blindness. This can become discouraging as we read the headlines day after day, each one coming with more evidence of our depravity and need for Jesus as our Savior. That's why we need to remember to place our eyes on God (our one and only hope), and to not get caught up in the craziness of this world. 2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 reads, "We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead." What if this time has been designed so that we, the body of Christ, can grow deeper in relationship with God? So that we can rely on Him and not on ourselves? So that we can rely on Him and not on our traditions? So that we can rely on Him and not on our own understanding? So that we can rely on Him and not our own plans? So that we can rely on Him and not on politics, government, self help books, entertainment, money, or anything else that can become idols in our lives?
We need to remember His words in Habakkuk 1:5b, "For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." Jesus's death on the cross was, and still is, the darkest moment in history, but it didn't end there. That darkness only lasted for a set period of time. There was a purpose to that time, a plan (just as there is a purpose and a plan for each of us: Ephesians 1:4-5, 2:10) for that time. A promise was coming true, a prophecy that was given centuries before being fulfilled.
Take comfort in the facts that although we are in a dark period of time, this is going to be used for God's glory, and the truth that through Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, we can have eternal life with The Father (John 11:25-26, 14:6).
3/2/2021
Let this verse be a reminder that God's word can not be chained, it can not be silenced. People will try, but, at the end of the day, God can not be controlled by man. God can not be controlled by His creation (Psalm 24:1-2). God has the final say, the final judgement (Romans 2:16). Let this be a reminder to us to stand strong during the storm, relying on God (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) because He is ultimately in control.
2 Timothy 2:8-10, "Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen."
2/23/2021
In a culture that seems hell-bent on causing division, we who profess to be true believers and followers of Christ must conduct ourselves as the church, as one body, as one flock with one Shepherd. If you've read our statement of beliefs, some of the following verses will be familiar to you.
Being one body doesn't mean we are all the same in every single way (i.e. personalities), we have each been uniquely formed by God (Psalm 139:13-15). We are told there are several parts that make up the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). These are unique parts with each having their own purpose that they have been put here on this earth to do (Ephesians 1:4-5, 2:10). At the end of the day, we have to come together on the core foundational truths of our faith. True unity can only happen in Christ, everything else is false hope and wishful thinking that will eventually crash and burn.
In Paul's letter to the church of Ephesus, he addresses unity/oneness and peace in Jesus between the Jews and Gentiles. If you would like to know more contextually about that book, follow this link: https://insight.org/.../bible/the-pauline-epistles/ephesians. Ephesians 2:14-16, "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death," and Ephesians 4:1-6, "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.," both paint very clear pictures and instructions on how the body is to conduct ourselves.
These verses are an important reminder of what we need to be striving for, to be more Christlike in our everyday walk and to be one body as He's called us to be. We have to look more like Jesus, less like the world, and this can only happen if we know His voice by reading His Word.
2/16/2021
Joshua 2 tells the recount of two spies who were sent by Joshua into Jericho and were hidden by Rahab. There is a lot more contextually happening here and if you would like to know more about the book of Joshua overall and, specifically, this chapter concerning Rahab hiding the spies, we encourage you to check out these links: (https://www.insight.org/.../the-historical-books/joshua https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-2/ http://jameslau88.com/take_goliath_down.html - the second point in this study has to do with keeping our eyes on God and what he has done).
Today's encouragement is to remember the God we serve. Psalm 114:3-7, "The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. Why is it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back, you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs?" The following verses also show the wonders and character of God John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life," Philippians 2:7-8, "Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took up the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on the cross," and John 10:18, "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded."
The above passages, and the understanding of God's power, give a whole new weight to the following verses: Jude 24, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy..." and Philippians 1:6, "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." The same God who parted seas, had water come out of rocks, who raised the dead, who created the world and so so much more, is the same God who is sustaining us. The Author of creation (Gen 1:1, Psalm 24:1) is also the Author of our lives (Psalm 139:16).
This is in whom we place our trust. This is on whom we cast our concerns, our burdens, because He can handle them far better than we ever could, can, or will (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7). Knowing who God is gives us confidence. Rahab was able to have faith to do what she did because she knew the power of God. We must keep our eyes on God, remembering what he has done and who He is (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 1 Chronicles 16:12). When we forget, we get distracted by the world and can become overwhelmed. Let's keep our focus on our Savior.
2/4/2021
Evil won't win. God has the final say. It may look as though evil is winning, like the darkness is closing in and growing stronger, but God is still in control. He has planned out every single second of our lives (Psalm 139:16) and He has a plan in place that we can't see (Habakkuk 1:5b). The writer of Lamentations penned these words: "I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness: his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!' " (Lamentations 3:20-24). If you would like to know more about the book of Lamentations, follow this link: https://www.insight.org/.../the-major-prophets/lamentations
David asked the question, "What can mere people do to me?" in Psalm 118:6b (this verse is referenced also in Hebrews 13:6). It is a wonderful question that reminds us humans can only harm our physical body, but not our souls. (Matthew 10:28a).
Jesus is the light of this world (John 8:12, and today's verse). He was the light in the beginning of time, is currently the light, and will be the light for eternity. Hope doesn't come from this world. Joy doesn't come from this world. Peace doesn't come from this world. Kindness, love, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and unity don't come from this world. The only true form of the above listed attributes, the only version that won't fade away, can only be found in God.
Our light, our hope, can never be taken from us, no matter the circumstances surrounding us because our hope is found in God and in God alone.
1/28/2021
If you're ever feeling unwanted, unloved, unnoticed, forgotten, or even feeling like there's no reason to have to keep dealing with this crazy world anymore, we want you to remember this verse. God created us and knows EVERYTHING about us, yet, He still loves us. Psalm 139:1-2 says, "O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I am far away." And we are reminded in Romans 3:23 that, “…everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Jesus's death on the cross paid a debt we could never pay (Rom. 6:23). Some translations of Romans 3:24 use the word "justified" in place of "righteous". While they are different words, they share a common denominator in the truth that without Jesus's death on the cross, we would be left in our sin. Thankfully, God loved us so much that He didn't leave us there and did what only He could do, pardon our sins under the blood of Jesus. A pardon means that, when we believe, our friendship/fellowship with God has been restored (Rom. 5:10-11). So, the next time those feelings of doubt resurface, remember that we have been saved and chosen for a purpose (Eph. 1:4-6). We didn't happen by chance, we were carefully formed (Ps. 139:13). We haven't been forgotten. God sees us, wants us, and loves us. Despite our numerous flaws and shortcomings, He loves us in a way we can never fully understand: a perfect love that is unfailing and faithful (Ps. 136:1). A perfect love only He can provide.
1/22/2021
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Psalm 32:5
Confession brings peace. Sin is rebellion against God. Sin eats away at you, it burdens you. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. That should've been us, the price for sin is death, but He took the penalty, He paid the price we could never pay. If you're ever feeling discouraged, think about the fact that God forgives us. Even if we've been going down a path of rebellion, He still wants us. He's there with open arms waiting for us to stop going down that path. He's waiting for us to ask for forgiveness so we can be in fellowship with Him again. Don't wait, don't keep holding onto that burden, lay it down, ask for forgiveness. 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1/18/2021
Confession. That's what it takes for a relationship with God. Confession of our sins and a confession of our belief that Jesus's blood is the payment for our sins. The reality is that we've all fallen short of God's standard. In Romans 3:9-12, Paul reminds us that no one is good. We can't do this on our own, we need forgiveness that only God can offer us. You may be asking yourself, how is this verse encouraging? It seems like kind of a downer, doesn't it? Read it again. It says, "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long." Refused. That's what happens when we decide to try and hide our sins from God, which, by the way, is impossible, and, in doing so, we put that burden on ourselves that we were never meant to carry. Confession leads to forgiveness.
1/13/2021
So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannnot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:18
Continuing with our question of "where's your focus" for this week, we wanted to share this verse. There's really nothing more we can say, this verse says it perfectly. We need to be continuously fixing our gaze on God, taking it off of the craziness of this world. Not only taking our eyes off of the troubles of this world, but also the solutions this world offers as distractions from the troubles. Though they may help in the moment, they can only offer temporary relief. We need to go to the Creator, not the creation.
1/8/2021
As we round out this week thinking on God's plans, we were reminded of an aspect of God's plans: His timing. His plans can not be changed or derailed. Nothing catches Him off guard. Galatians 4:4 says that when the time was right, God sent His Son. We can only imagine that many began questioning the goodness of God because they hadn't heard from Him in generations. Some may have gone so far as to believe that God had forgotten them. But, we know how this ends, God sent Jesus to earth and broke the silence. We have the advantage of knowing the ending through what's been recorded in the Bible. God knows the ending to our situations. He's written the ending and He's bringing it about in His time. In all of that, God still had a plan, and He still has one today.
1/4/2021
As you start off this first full week of 2021, we would like to remind you of God's sovereignty. No matter how hard we try, we can't change God's plans. Sure, sometimes we may want to, depending on where we are at a given moment, but thankfully we can't. God sees the bigger picture. He's already orchestrated everything according to His plan. We're not saying it's going to be easy, especially in those dark moments when it seems there will never be another day break, but, in the questioning and the waiting, we urge you to trust and remind yourself that God is ultimately in control of the situation and He knows the outcome because He designed the outcome.
12/30/2020
Although there is more to this verse that expands on how God is our hiding place/protection, we wanted to focus on these six words and why we can believe them. We can go to God as our protector and shelter because He is our Creator and He cares for us. He cares so much that He sent His Son to die in our place due to our sin. Jesus was sinless, yet, He willingly sacrificed His life for us so that we may be forgiven. If that's not the person we want to run to in the midst of trouble in this crazy world, who is?
12/25/2020
Some may refer to this verse as the "Christmas Verse" or those lyrics from that one song that comes on the radio every December, but to those who profess to be Believers, it's so much more. It seems like when things become routine, they can lose their impact. But these words should stick to our brains as a reminder of God's grace. The former part of the verse mentions God giving Jesus to us as a gift (like in John 3:16). Honestly, He's the greatest gift we could ever receive because through His death on the cross comes salvation from a certain death we would never be able to escape, no matter how "good" we are in life. Without the grace, forgiveness, and mercy of God, we would be left trying to secure our salvation, a goal we could never achieve. Never forget the gift we've been given.
12/21/2020
We know you've probably heard this verse a thousand times before, but we wanted to share it with you so that you don't forget. God's love for us is so immeasurable that He sent His Son to die in our place for our sins so that we wouldn't have to take the punishment. If you need encouragement today, remember that act of love.
4/27/2021
The entire Bible, and our lives, are proof of God's care and protection. By His grace, we are saved (Eph. 2:8-9). He will give us what we need, not always want, but need- He will provide. Although there are several more, these are a few verses to remind us of God's provision.
Psalm 47:8 reads, "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne." God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so don't let anyone tell you that God has forgotten you or that He's left His throne. If He was there then, He's there now. The writer of Hebrews quotes Deuteronomy 31:6 in 13:5 saying, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" The things of this world will all fade away, they are only temporary. Lastly, David writes in Psalm 139:7-18, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you."
Do we really live like God is always with us? Do we trust Him, the Creator, the Author and Finisher of our faith, as our provider?
4/15/2021
Today's writing will be short, and may be a bit convicting, we know it was for us. In light of this verse, and the account from Genesis 4 of Abel's offering, we should ask ourselves are we really giving God our best? Everything we do should be done for His glory as an act of worship (1 Corinthians 10:31).
4/6/2021
Without God, we have no hope. We know we've said this before, but this is something we need to be reminded of so that we don't forget. When God makes a promise, we can be sure that He will keep it, this should be a comfort to us (Matthew 28:20b, John 14:18, Romans 8:38-39, Hebrews 13:5-6, and so many more).
These commentaries by Charles Spurgeon and Matthew Henry say it better than we ever could. We will share a few excerpts below.
Mathhew Henry on verse 49, "That God, who had given him the promise in the word, had by his grace wrought in him a hope in that promise and enabled him to depend upon it, and had raised his expectations of great things from it. Has God kindled in us desires towards spiritual blessings more than towards any temporal good things, and will he not be so kind as to satisfy those desires? Has he filled us with hopes of those blessings, and will he not be so just as to accomplish these hopes? He that did by his Spirit work faith in us will, according to our faith, work for us, and will not disappoint us." On verse 50 he says, "The word of God has much in it that speaks comfort in affliction; but those only may apply it to themselves who have experienced in some measure the quickening power of the word. If through grace it make[s] us holy, there is enough in it to make us easy, in all conditions, under all events." (Henry, Christianity.com) https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mh&b=19&c=119
On verse 49 Spurgeon says, "The Psalmist cried, "Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions": Job also prayed that the Lord would appoint him a set time, and remember him. In the present instance the prayer is as personal as the "Remember me" of the thief, for its essence lies in the words-- "unto thy servant." It would be all in vain for us if the promise were remembered to all others if it did not come true to ourselves; but there is no fear, for the Lord has never forgotten a single promise to a single believer...Let but the Lord remember his promise, and the promised act is as good as done." On verse 50 he says, "The worldling clutches his money bag and says, "this is my comfort"; the spendthrift points to his gaiety, shouts, "this is my comfort"; the drunkard lifts his glass, and sings, "this is my comfort"; but the man whose hope comes from God feels the giving power of the word of the Lord, and he testifies, "this is my fort." Paul said, "I know whom I have believed." Comfort is desirable all times; but comfort in affliction is like a lamp in a dark place. Some unable to find comfort at such times; but it is not so with believers, their Savour [Savior] has said to them, "I will not leave you comfortless." have comfort and no affliction, others have affliction and no comfort; the saints have comfort in their affliction." (Spurgeon, Chrsitianity.com) https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=spur&b=19&c=119&v=45
3/30/2021
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
Where is our treasure? Is it in the things of this world? Isaiah 40:8 says, " 'The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.' " What are we ultimately in pursuit of in our lives? Is it God, growing closer to Him, growing to be less like the world and more like Him? It should be.
Does this mean you have to give away everything you own? No, but it does mean that nothing can come before God. Nothing else should take God's place in our hearts, in our lives. It is a question of whether our focus is on the things of this life or on God. Psalm 119:36-37 reads, "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word." God is our primary pursuit.
3/23/2021
The Great Commission can be found in Matthew 28:16-20. In summation, Jesus is giving the order to go out and spread the Good News, making new disciples. Why would it be important to remember that God is with us as we take the gospel into the world? Well, if our hope is found in God and in God alone, shouldn't knowing that He is always with us be an essential aspect of our lives? He is our hope, our comfort, our fortress. He is never changing (Hebrews 13:8).
John 16:33 says, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.'" Knowing that God is with us should be an encouragement. His presence is a reminder of what He has done and how He has kept, is keeping, and will keep His promises (John 14:18, Luke 12:11-12).
Hebrews 13:5b-6 says, "For God has said, 'I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.' So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'"
3/16/2021
Habakkuk is one of the minor prophets found in the Old Testament. In these three chapters, we get a dialog between Habakkuk and God where Habakkuk is truly baring his heart to God in a time of trouble. Chuck Swindoll writes, "The book of Habakkuk offers us a picture of a prideful people being humbled, while the righteous live by faith in God (2:4). It reminds us that while God may seem silent and uninvolved in our world, He always has a plan to deal with evil and always works out justice . . . eventually. The example of the prophet Habakkuk encourages believers to wait on the Lord, expecting that He will indeed work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28)." If you would like to read more about his commentary on Habakkuk, follow this link: https://www.insight.org/.../the-minor-prophets/habakkuk .
We know that Jesus is coming back (Matthew 24), but we don't know when. And if anyone claims to have the exact date, we've been warned that they aren't speaking truth because only God knows the day and time. Because we don't know the day or time, we have to remain watchful (Matthew 25:13). Thankfully, we don't have to rely on ourselves to keep ourselves (Jude 24).
This call to remain patient is echoed in James 5:8, "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." And when we feel like there's too long of a delay, we have to remember these words from 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." Like Habakkuk, we can look outside and be pummeled by the sin playing out all around us, but we can't keep looking around us. Instead, we need to be like Habakkuk and take these concerns and cares, these worries, to God (Philippians 4:6). He is the only One who can deal with them. He knows the answer, and better yet, He knows the plan because He is the Author of time. The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote, "There is a time for everything..." We're living in a time that has been planned out in advance. A time that will pass. A time that God is using for His glory. A time that He has planned and mapped out. So, while we wait, let's stand steadfast and keep our eyes on the only unchanging, unfailing God.
3/4/2021
Patience and Endurance
7 Dear brothers and sisters,[c] be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!
10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
2/25/2021
This psalm alone is a beautiful reminder for believers that we are never truly alone and of our privilege that God listens to our prayers. If nothing else, sit and think about the fact that our God, the Creator of heaven and earth who holds everything together, listens to our prayers. We hope that reminder is as encouraging to you as it is to us.
We're doing things a little bit differently today. We urge you to read Psalm 116 in its entirety and then read this commentary by Matthew Henry.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20116&version=NIV
https://www.biblestudytools.com/.../matth.../psalms/116.html
2/18/2021
No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
John 10:18
You may be feeling unworthy of your salvation today, and you would be correct in that feeling. None of us are deserving of God's grace and kindness that was displayed on the cross. We've been redeemed solely because God chose to. There's nothing we did or could do to warrant saving (Romans 5:6-11, Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our worth doesn't come from material possessions, self love, love from other people, degrees, education, what you look like, or anything else here on earth. Our worth is found in God. He created us, formed us in our mother's wombs (Psalm 139:16). He made a plan for us before time began (Psalm 139:16, Ephesians 2:10). He saved us from eternal damnation and brought us into relationship with Him, sending Jesus as the sacrifice. Jesus was willing to lay down His life for us, for you. We are loved by God (John 3:16, 10:11, Hebrews 12:5-8). This is good news.
Don't look for your worth, or for love, from anyone, or anywhere, else, this quest will only lead to inevitable heartache as the things of this world are contaminated by sin (Genesis 3:14-19). No matter how much someone may want to treat you perfectly, they will fail, it's an unavoidable fact. Instead, we should look to the only God who is faithful, unfailing, full of grace, mercy, and peace.
2/11/2021
It's easy to get distracted by everything going on in the world. It seems as though darkness is winning, but we have hope (Psalm 33, Lamentations 3:21-24, John 1:5). Jesus has overcome the world. He has defeated death on the cross. He bore our sins and washed us clean with the shedding of His blood. God is our shelter in the storm (Psalm 46:1).
In John 14:27, Jesus tells the disciples that He is leaving them the gift of peace of mind and heart. He goes on to explain that this peace is a gift that the world can not give. Jesus is once again preparing the disciples in John 16 where, in verse 22, He speaks of a joy that can not be taken from them because they would one day be reunited with Jesus. Our joy lies in what God has done for us through salvation and the knowledge that we will spend eternity with Him.
The world can only provide temporary solutions that will eventually fade away. With "peace" or "joy" that the world gives, we will never truly be satisfied. True peace and joy come from God. And as we're reminded in today's verse, this doesn't mean that troubles won't come, it means that when they do come, when the sadness or restlessness start to well up inside, we can turn our eyes to God and remember that our peace and joy don't waiver. They aren't happiness and calm, emotions that can come and go, rather, peace and joy are two of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which we inherit when we accept Jesus into our hearts. Romans 5:1-11, in the NIV translation, is titled "peace and joy" and we couldn't think of a more fitting description for the verses that go in depth as to why we have peace and joy.
If we find ourselves looking at the headlines and losing our "faith" in humanity, that's a good thing. It means we realize that we are all sinners in need of God's grace (Romans 3:23) and that we need to solely place our trust, hope, and faith in our un-failing, faithful, non-changing God, the one and only, who has created time and knows how the story ends before it even starts.
2/2/2021
Matthew 5:44 in the NIV translation reads, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." This is a direct command from Jesus. Rom 12:14 says, "Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them."
Do we really pray for our enemies? These verses are tough pills to swallow. Upon hearing them, our minds tend to connect to the parable of the unforgiving debtor found in Matthew 18:21-35. Because we've been forgiven, we must forgive. We are called to be new creations, set apart form this world, not acting like everyone around us, but striving to look more and more like Christ each day (Romans 12:1-2). Matthew 5:46-47 says, "If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that." Jesus prayed for forgiveness for the very people crucifying Him (Luke 23:34) and Stephen, in the midst of being stoned to death, prayed for his persecutors (Acts 7:60). In no way are we saying this will be easy, or that it isn't difficult. It isn't and it's hard to do. Our fallen nature makes it difficult, but we have a secret weapon: God. He is working on us (Philippians 2:13). He has forgiven us so that we can forgive others and show them His love and how He has changed us.
We ourselves were enemies of God (Colossians 1:21) but by His grace, He didn't leave us there. Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sins so that we could be reconciled with God (Colossians 1:22, Romans 5:6-11). Ephesians 4:32 says, "Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
1/26/2021
In the NIV translation, Psalm 100 is labeled as "A psalm. For giving grateful praise" and in the NLT translation as "a psalm of thanksgiving". This psalm provides us with several examples of why we praise God. Today, we want to focus on the reasons given in verse 5. Do you know how much God loves you? It’s a simple enough question that could be answered with a simple quoting of John 3:16. Great, you know that verse, but has it become too familiar? In no way are we saying this verse is "bad". What we are saying is that we humans have the tendency of becoming too familiar with certain scriptures so much so that we begin to lose the weight of the words. But the Word of God doesn't lose its potency. If you ever find yourself getting too familiar with how much God loves you, we suggest reading Ephesians 4:7, "He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins." We should be vigilant that our perception of the Word never becomes mundane, reminding ourselves of God's many attributes including His unfailing love and faithfulness.
1/20/2021
Discipline is a good thing. You probably just laughed at that statement. The word discipline more than likely sparks a series of memories that aren't exactly wanted. In Hebrews 12:1-13, we're told that God disciplines those He loves. Think about it, if you know someone has done something that will result in their harm, do you let them keep doing that thing or do you try and stop them, correct them, so that they can live a better life? It's not fun, but, can any of us truly look back and say that we would be better off having not had God's correction in our lives? Think about something, the God of the universe loves and cares for you so much that He intervenes and corrects us so that we can become more like Him.
1/15/2021
Psalms 120-134 (which continues through 137) are Songs of Ascent and are believed to have been sung during the journey to Jerusalem for the three mandatory festivals (If you want to know more about that, check out this link: https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/what-are-the-songs-of-ascent-in-psalms-and-how-they-can-help-you-experience-joy.html?fbclid=IwAR3EmYl2VKtS-IfCVjF353kkestyzKs7sgDfksKuoIm7YmXkM6UH3QV3Eak). The usage of mountains makes logical sense considering both the geographical location of the pilgrimage and the fact that you can't get much bigger than a mountain. But there may be something deeper. Psalms 103-106 contain David's list of reasons why we praise God. In Psalm 104 he marvels at how God created the earth, mentioning the formation of mountains in verse 8: Mountains and valleys sank to the level you decreed (NLT). If you've ever seen a mountain, you know just how breathtakingly massive they are. We have to remember God created those mountains, He is greater. Not only is He the Creator of life, He is also the sustainer and provider. In Psalm 90:2, Moses writes: Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God (NLT). We can look to God as our Helper because He never fails. He is consistent and eternal. He has not abandoned us as orphans. He is in control of the situation at hand, in fact, He already knows the outcome and is walking with us.
1/11/2021
We want to ask a question this week: where's your focus? Yes, we slightly touched on this topic week before last with the passages from Matthew and Mark where Peter walks on water while his eyes are on Jesus and sinks when they're on the surrounding storm. So, we're asking the question, is our focus on the things around us or is it on God? When troubles do come, do we take them to God? Or do we try and fix things ourselves, going to God after our way doesn't work? Do we look to God to fix things, or to man. Today, we encourage you to look to our one and only hope in this world. He doesn't get tired. He's not here today and gone tomorrow. He is faithful, unmovable, unchanging, and forever.
1/6/2021
Habakkuk is one of the books of minor prophets found in the OT. Its length comes in at 3 chapters and contains Habakkuk's conversation with God. If you would like to know more of what's happening contextually, we encourage you to read this article: https://insight.org/res.../bible/the-minor-prophets/habakkuk , or, you could read Habakkuk for yourself. Although this was written thousands of years ago, these are still the words of God, so they never expire. These words apply to us because God has a plan beyond what we can see. We've been assured that every day of our lives have been planned out in advanced. He's orchestrating something bigger than all of us, it's just happening in His timing, not ours. The greater outcome may not even happen in our lifetime, but He's promised us that He has a plan.
1/1/2021
Mark also recorded this event in chapter 6 of his gospel account. Earlier this week, we shared verse 30 of this chapter in which Peter is distracted by the surrounding storm, takes his eyes off Jesus, and immediately begins to sink. As we venture into this new year, we encourage you to remember that we are never alone. In the midst of the madness, we can have peace and take courage in the reminder that God is with us and that He is faithful and will never leave us. If you haven't asked God for forgiveness and into your heart, don't hesitate. Ask Him today so you can never be alone.
12/28/2020
As you start out this week, we want to remind you to keep your eyes on God. When we take our eyes off of God and place them on the things of this world, the things that will disappoint you, discourage you, and will ultimately one day fade away, that's when we begin to sink. This is what's happening to Peter in this text. He got distracted by the situation surrounding him. Instead of placing our eyes on things that are here today and gone tomorrow, let's try and keep our focus on our faithful, unchanging God who is our ever-present help.
12/23/2020
If you haven't read the account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, this verse may not have great significance to you. It's a valuable read if you're able to carve out the time. In short, Abraham was acting on faith, believing that God would keep His promise to provide. This is something we all could do more in our lives: trusting in God's provision. Don't get us wrong, we're not pushing prosperity 'gospel' here. Yes, His provision may come in a physical form, but it also comes in the form of spiritual strength to keep on going. We've been given the best provisions of all through our salvation and the consequential gift of the Holy Spirit, our helper.
12/18/2020
When this world gets crazy, it can be a reminder to not look at those around us, but to focus on God who never changes.