Posts from June 2020

II Corinthians 1:4 (NIV)  the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles,  so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  There is a need for tenderheartedness in every follower of Jesus Christ.  We must not think we are above sin.  When we know our own weaknesses,  we will have a lot more grace toward others.  We have our own brand of temptations.  We are only able…

I Corinthians 13:8 (NLT)  Love never fails.  No failure in a relationship has to permanently destroy that relationship if forgiveness is part of your life.  No failure is greater than grace.  No hurt exists that love cannot heal.  How?  We must enter into a dialogue.  We must be willing to talk.  Are we willing to offer repentance and invite forgiveness,  or must we stand for our own rights in spite of the consequences?  Healing brokenness requires an attitude of compassion…

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NLT)  Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. Face the reality—even the person you love the most is imperfect.  He or she will eventually fail you or hurt you in some way.  It might be a not-so-serious way  (like forgetting your birthday)  or a more serious way  (like engaging an addiction).  Even the best people can make mistakes.  What then?  Usually the relationship is harmed.  Sin always alienates us from one another.  We…

Job 42:8 (NIV)  …My servant Job will pray for you,  and I will accept his prayer…   Those who have no scars are often quick to judge,  quick to speak,  less compassionate,  lacking in humility,  legalistic with God’s Word and accusatory toward people.  Those who graduate from the crucible of suffering have learned the lessons of humility (Job 42:3-4) and gained new levels of spiritual authority.  How has suffering changed your spirituality?   

Psalm 138:8 (KJV)  The LORD will perfect that which concerns me.  (MSG:  Finish what you started in me,  God.  Your love is eternal…)  Have you had a life-altering experience that caused you to rethink a core belief and,  as a result,  you came to a more balanced,  Biblical view of life?  We will experience paradigm shifts that break the illusion that we are in control.  They will change our questions from  “How do I get rid of this inconvenience  (illness, …

Colossians 3:5 (NIV)  Put to death,  therefore,  whatever belongs to your earthly nature:  sexual immorality,  impurity,  lust,  evil desires and greed,  which is idolatry.   “You can’t flip a switch and want God more than anything else.  We can’t master all the impulses.  We have to go to the parts of the self and identify what defeats us.  For example:  we may have an inordinant need for people to like us—ask the Holy Spirit to look at that.  A major…

Colossians 3:13 (NIV)  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.   “Confession is an important way to discover your soul.  When you confess,  you give up splitting the self.  Sin always splits the self (soul) in some degree.  We become fractured people.  James 5:16 tells us to confess to one another.  Revival only comes with confession.  There is a charade of righteousness in ordinary living and that…

Colossians 3:14 (NLT)  And over all these virtues put on love,  which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Those virtues are listed in verse 12:  compassion,  kindness,  humility,  gentleness,  and patience.  “We need to understand the nature of goodness.  It is not DOING the right thing,  but rather BECOMING the kind of person who naturally does the right thing because they want to do it.  These are two completely different things.  Rather than obsessing over behaviors,  we must arrange…

Colossians 3:12 (NIV)  Therefore,  as God’s chosen people,  holy and dearly loved,  clothe yourselves with compassion,  kindness,  humility,  gentleness,  and patience.  How well are you doing this?  Colossians 3:1-17 is fundamental to the Christian life—being transformed by Jesus.  “It is a Spirit formation—a process of transforming the mind.  It’s not about behavior modification but rather about the sources of behavior:  the mind,  the heart,  the soul and body.  Look at the roots of behavior,  where it comes from  (the spirit, …

Nehemiah 1:6 (NIV)  …I confess the sins we Israelites,  including myself and my father’s house,  have committed against you…  The nation of Israel was in exile because they had not obeyed the covenant commands.  Now Jerusalem,  “the city where I have chosen to put my Name” (I Kings 11:36),  was in shambles.  Nehemiah’s prayers included repentance—personal and national.  How are we praying for our nation?  “Forgive us,  Lord.”  “Forgive me,  Lord.”  

Nehemiah 1:3-4 (NIV)  …The wall of Jerusalem is broken down,  and its gates have been burned with fire.  When I heard these things,  I sat down and wept.  For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven.  Nehemiah models for us the correct response to devastating national news.  He sat for days in mourning and fasting and praying to God.  What compassion!  Compassion is often the springboard of obedience to God’s will.  Sitting in God’s…

John 16:12 (NIV)  “When He,  the Spirit of Truth,  comes,  He will guide you into all truth.”  Jesus is leading us on a path to complete wholeness.  He intends to heal every heartache from your past—all in due time.  There is so much to learn about ourselves,  about Him,  and about others.  The world is filled with hurting people,  those who have been caught in the wake of someone else’s bad choices,  and those who are manipulated by evil to…

Psalm 27:1 (NIV)  The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  You don’t have to fully understand each thing that happens in order to trust God.  You don’t have to try and figure it out,  control it,  or even like it,  for that matter.  In the midst of uncertainties,  you just have to stand and say,  “I trust you Lord.”  Though your path is…

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NLT)  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?”  Lysa TerKeurst says,  “The peace of our souls does not rise and fall with unpredictable people or situations.  Our feelings will shift,  of course.  People do affect us.  But the peace of our souls is tethered to all that…

Psalm 9:9 (NIV)  The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,  a stronghold in times of trouble.  There is an oppressive,  condemning voice,  an accusing voice that finds its way into the minds and hearts of every human being (…for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night”  Rev. 12:10).  You’ve heard it.  I’ve heard it.  It embeds a sense of rejection and insecurity into…

Acts 27:23 (NIV)  Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me…  God deploys holy angels on our behalf.  There are 108 references to spiritual hosts in the Old Testament and 165 references to them in the New Testament.  They have a definite effect on the activities and affairs of people.  In this case,  an angel appeared to the Apostle Paul during his ship’s perilous journey to Rome and gave him a…

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,  but against the rulers,  against the authorities,  against the powers of this dark world,  and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  The battle believers wage is spiritual.  So beware of the subtle thoughts that come your way and  “every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (Ephesians 10:3-5).  Live aware of the many ways your thoughts are being influenced.  We need…

II Kings 6:16 (NIV)  “Don’t be afraid,”  the prophet answered.  “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  The enemy had surrounded the city and the prophet Elisha’s servant was terrified.  But Elisha calmly reassured him.  He prayed the simple prayer,  “O Lord,  open his eyes so he may see” (vs. 17).  Suddenly,  Elisha’s servant saw a multitude of heavenly hosts.  The enemy was neutralized,  and Israel gained a great victory without even fighting a…

Revelation 5:11-12 (NLT) … I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne…and they sang in a mighty chorus:  “Worthy is the Lamb…”  Heaven’s angels number in the millions.  John saw a glimpse of what you and I who follow Jesus will see one glorious day.  We will join the song:  “every creature in heaven and on earth…they sang:  “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the One sitting on the throne and to…

I Peter 1:12b (NIV)  Even angels long to look into these things.  Angels are well-informed about many aspects of God’s universal kingdom.  They are very intelligent but they labor under certain limitations.  Peter tells us that they long to explore the wonders of God’s grace that are revealed in God’s redemptive plan.  They look at us and wonder and marvel at God’s amazing grace and the lengths to which He went to engage His redemption plan.  I think they also…

Psalm 103:20 (NIV)  Praise the Lord,  you his angels,  you mighty ones who do His bidding,  who obey His word.  The word translated angel means messenger.  Angels were created to carry out specific spiritual functions on behalf of God and His people.  Throughout the Bible you will read about them worshipping God,  carrying out assignments for Him,  serving as agents of His judgment,  providing strength and protection for God’s people,  delivering God’s people in times of peril,  and sometimes even…

Joshua 1:6  (NIV)  ”Be strong and courageous,  because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”  Each one of us has an arena of influence,  a people group,  which we can lead to inherit their  “Promised Lands.”  We do that as we point people to salvation through Jesus Christ,  and then lead them in discipleship.  We lead them to  “inherit”  their  “land”  as we teach them from God’s Word,  and as…

Joshua 5:13-15  (NIV)  …Joshua… looked up and saw right in front of him a man standing,  holding his drawn sword.  Joshua stepped up to him and said,  “Whose side are you on—ours or our enemies?”  He said,  “Neither,  I’m commander of God’s army.  I’ve just arrived.”  Joshua fell,  face to the ground,  and worshiped.  “What orders does my Master have for his servant.”  Scholars consider this  “commander of God’s army”  to be a  “theophany”— a physical manifestation of Yahweh.  Notice…

Joshua 1:5  (NIV)  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.  As I was with Moses,  so I will be with you.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.   God’s primary promise to Joshua was His unfailing faithfulness.  Joshua had been Moses’  assistant.  Whenever Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to talk to God,  Joshua lingered just outside the doorway.  He hungered for God and had been a good…

Acts 27:23  (MSG)  “Last night God’s angel stood at my side, an angel of this God I serve,  saying to me,  ‘Don’t give up,  Paul.  You’re going to stand before Caesar yet—and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.’”  Paul did not stand in the storm and rebuke the winds and the waves like Jesus did on the Galilee with his despairing disciples.  The Holy Spirit led Paul to a different action—to stand before the sailors in…

Acts 27:33-34 (MSG)  With dawn about to break,  Paul called everyone together and proposed breakfast…”I urge you to eat something now.  You’ll need strength for the rescue ahead.  You’re going to come out of this without even a scratch!”  Full of faith and confidence,  Paul declared that rescue was ahead and that they’d survive—but they needed to eat and get strength for the next hit from the storm.  He broke the bread, gave thanks to God, and passed it around…