A couple of weeks ago the phrase “hold fast” kept coming to me. It came in the daytime and even in the middle of the night. Finally, I got up at 3:00 a.m. to see where it appeared in the Bible. The first instance was Hebrews 3:6 which reads, “but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” The…
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with out weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). That word weakness in the above scripture is one of those Biblical words that weighs 100 pounds, it’s so full of meaning. It not only covers sickness and disease. It also covers our failure to understand or to do great and glorious things. It also means to restrain from…
On the National Day of Prayer in the first part of May, as I drove I heard someone on the radio praying for the nation from II Chronicles 7:14 which says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” As I drove, I quoted the scripture with the speaker and was…
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion. To the one who is at odds with God, everyone is an enemy. They have no protector. No one to turn to. They must be on constant watch. In order to defend themselves from who knows what, they must have a weapon always at hand. Everyone they meet is suspect. Is this person going to harm them in some way? Cheat them?…
II Thessalonians 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the church at Thessalonica. They were under great persecution. Paul wanted to encourage them. Today’s scripture is some of his last words written to the Thessalonians. He wanted to remind them, that though they…
Psalm 37:1 Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. We can waste a lot of time getting our tails in a knot from the things we see and hear going on around us. In these days we have multiple opportunities every day to be incensed at what we see and hear both at home and abroad. Often we must remind ourselves Who is in charge and that He has a plan. Sometimes we jump into…
I Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. In God’s kindness and goodwill toward us who were stuck in sin and afflicted with mortality, He took pity on us. He made it possible for us to be conformed to His will and way. Now we can enjoy…
Isaiah 60:15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated with no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, a joy from generation to generation. Have you ever felt God has abandoned you? That He has forgotten your name? That you no longer matter to Him? If so, take heart. This scripture is for you. Even from the first word, “whereas” this is meant to encourage you. “Whereas” carries a meaning of “being burdened, oppressed, in subjection or…
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, yes and forever. The same Jesus who was the Word with God in the beginning (John 1:1), who kept Noah’s boat from sinking Genesis (chapters 7-9), who parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape the Egyptians on dry land (Exodus chapter 14), is the same Jesus who came to earth in a body like ours. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He cast out demons and cured…
I John 4:16 And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him. God’s love is not an on-again, off-again relationship with believers who put their trust in Jesus. He wants us to abide in His love—even when we don’t feel like it. The word “abide” means “to be held, kept continually, remain, continue to be…