“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 I realize I may have already lost you with our opening scripture. Perfect is a far too potent word. We’re comfortable using it to describe our Savior and what awaits us in heaven, but we certainly don’t want to apply it to […]
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 At some point, disappointment reaches into every life. And no matter how closely we walk with Jesus, its sting can paralyze us. In fact, sometimes the more we have chosen to believe big things of God, the harder we […]
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 […]
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV Scripture calls us to examine ourselves. For what purpose? To make sure our faith is genuine. I don’t know […]
Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 2 Chronicles 13:5 NIV I recently enjoyed a sweet time with Jesus in this very spot. Beautiful, isn’t it? I always somehow feel especially close to Him by […]
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 It’s time we awaken, dear ones. Prosperity has lulled the western church into a false sense of security. We visit our beautiful buildings on Sundays to hear a message from the pulpit and to thank God […]
. . . my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13 The people of God are parched. Dry. Thirsty. But there’s an even bigger problem. I fear we don’t recognize the severity of our […]
Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech . . . you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come. Isaiah 32:9-10 ESV I find it interesting that this passage speaks specifically to women. The warning? […]
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6 I find it unsettling how quickly some things can change. On Saturday several family members visited Baltimore to watch the Orioles play the Red Sox. The mood of the city changed drastically during their visit. Protests devolved into […]
“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.” Exodus 13:21 Did you ever notice how God becomes just what we need from Him […]
