Isaiah 64:4 For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides Thee, who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Of all the world religions of all the ages, there is no God who forgives sins, who came to earth to tell us of the One True God, who offered His own self on a cross as payment for our sins, and then died. But there…
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Have you ever been brought to a place or circumstance that you were at a loss to know what to do or say? As if you were up against a brick wall and you were stuck in forward gear? Everything in you screams, “There is no way out! We’re going down!” Stop. Remember you are not alone. The One who promised to…
II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Another word for “timidity” is “cowardice” or “fearfulness.” God gives us holy boldness. This word “power” is “dynamis” from which we derive our word “dynamite.” It refers to strength and ability, a power which resides within itself. God gives us His power to perform miracles and to have moral power and excellence of soul. It’s that kind of power which…
Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? Of the many things I’m grateful for, there is one benefit I often overlook. My attention was drawn to this fact recently when Robert Lee Brewer’s Poem a Day Challenge prompt was “Watchers.” (http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides) The Watchers They see me when my feet fly out from under me as I bump down the stairs— when I screech on the…
John 3:18 (Jesus said) “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” One day, there will be a day of reckoning. A day when all men will stand before God. Those who have refused to put their faith and trust in Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, will be judged. They will hear Him say, “I never…
Colossians 2:15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Most of us know the Easter story, but fewer know the scope of what Jesus accomplished for us in those terrible hours. Jesus removed our sin (John 1:29 and Hebrews 9:26). He removed God’s wrath from us (Hebrews 2:17). He reconciled us to God (Romans chapters 10 and 11). When Jesus was whipped He purchased our healing…
Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established. That word “commit” has an interesting meaning. It means “to roll.” I see us with a heavy load on our backs. Until we pray and commit that burden to the Lord, we struggle under the weight of it. We are not built to carry it. Then we invite Jesus to enter the situation. He comes alongside us. As we pray, we roll the burden off onto…
Psalm 118:6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me? The enemy, the liar and father of lies (John 8:44), the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), uses fear as a tool against us. He whispers a lie or a half-truth in our ear and then waits as a patient fisherman for us to seize on that bait. He cranks us closer by adding a few “what if’s” or a couple of “if…
Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. A little farther on in this chapter, God gives the key to how to obtain this strength and power from God in verse 31. That verse says we are to wait for the Lord. That waiting is not a finger-drumming, toe-tapping, hurry-up-God, kind of wait. This is a looking for, a hoping in, and expecting God to act on our behalf. There are…
Proverbs 3:26 The Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. I love the Hebrew language. It’s words draw pictures. This scripture is an example. The Lord, the existing One will be “at your side.” The English version says “confidence.” With Jesus at my side I am confident. But “at your side” speaks to me ten times more than “confidence.” The next phrase says “keep your foot.” The word “keep” is “guard, observe, give heed,…