The Kingdom Is Like Christ
Acts 28:23-31 Jesus admonished His followers: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The convincing witness of the New Testament church was: “See how they love one...
View ArticleIt’s In Our Hands
John 17:20-26 The story is told of a little boy who caught a bird and thought he’d have some fun with a wise old man who was blind. The boy held the bird in his hands and asked the old man, “Mister,...
View ArticleDeclare Your Trust in God
Psalm 25:1-7 In Psalm 4, David affirmed, “In peace I will lie down and sleep (v. 7). Sometimes, we lie down but sleep eludes us. Anxieties—today’s cares, tomorrow’s worries—buzz about in our minds....
View ArticleAdmit Our Sin
Psalm 25:8-15 My father once placed a beehive beside our large vegetable garden. “Don’t disturb the bees!” he instructed. One summer morning, however, that beehive became an irresistible temptation, a...
View ArticlePlace Your Hope in God
Psalm 25:16-22 David’s heart would resonate with the psalmist of Psalm 119, who testified that “in the night,” the remembrance of God’s name (v. 55) and God’s word gave him hope (v. 49). “Arrogant”...
View ArticleSeek God’s Presence
Psalm 27:1-6 In Psalm 27, David highlights God’s presence and protection. He speaks of God’s “house,” “temple,” “dwelling,” and “sacred tent,” all symbolizing God’s “stronghold” in which he finds that...
View ArticleWait For God’s Lead
Psalm 27:7-14 I have always found waiting difficult. As a child, I wanted Christmas Day to hurry. As a teen, I longed for my 16th birthday, that I might learn to drive. When I approached the age for...
View ArticleTrust God: Don’t Worry
Matthew 6:25-34 When Jesus urged His followers not to worry about the things of tomorrow, He surely also was including the things of today. His admonition echoes an ancient proverb that says...
View ArticleBe True to Your Faith
Acts 14:21-28 Acts 14 concludes Paul’s first missionary journey with his and Barnabas’s return to their sending church at Syrian Antioch (see 13:1-3). While on this journey, these two missionaries...
View ArticleGive Him Praise
Psalm 65:1-7 Praise is essentially our acknowledgment of God for who He is in our lives and His sovereignty over all. Praise is an expression that emerges from a soul that is in communion with Him....
View ArticleRecognize Beauty
Psalm 65:8-13 Several years ago, I felt impressed by God to slow down and intentionally start recognizing His grace. For me, God’s grace is most easily seen in the beauty of His creation. I have...
View ArticleUnconditional Thanks
Psalm 100:1-5 How easy it is to shout joyfully and thank God when life is good and going our way. If I’m healthy and have money in the bank, then it is easy for me to thank God and give Him praise....
View ArticlePraise God at Any Cost
Daniel 6:10-16 Daniel was a man of God. However, the men he served with were not; they were jealous of his reputation. The men tried unsuccessfully to find corruption or neglect in Daniel’s life...
View ArticleKeep Praising Him
Philippians 4:4-9 Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” is a seminal verse and perfect...
View ArticlePaul’s Final Reminders
1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 When I opened my Bible to 1 Thessalonians 5, I found my Bible had titled this passage as “Final Instructions.” Perhaps your Bible is titled the same way. Paul started the...
View ArticleRun To Him with Praise!
1 Peter 2:6-10 Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that bonds believers to God and eternal life in Him. Peter emphasizes the importance of knowing God by warning that even the most spiritual sacrifice and...
View ArticleGod Remembers
Exodus 32:5-14 God was angry. His people had been freed from slavery, escaped into the desert, and been given the opportunity to start new lives. Yet, they chose to follow doubt and fear rather than...
View ArticleConviction and Forgiveness
Exodus 32:25-35 The Israelites choose to make a golden calf—an idol that replaced God at the center of their hearts and lives. One wonders at the fickleness of the Israelites: They had just been...
View ArticleLove Others
Luke 6:27-36 She was in charge of the university office she had worked at for several years. Every student had to come through the office in order to graduate, and she was the manager of it all. She...
View ArticleThe Ultimate Authority: Love
Romans 13:1-7 It is no secret that for many, life has become polarized. Some bemoan the fact that friends, family, and community members can no longer have a discussion about a topic and remain on...
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