United In Love and Faith (Page 25)

Eternal life brings preservation. John 17:11-12 – I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name…While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name…and I guarded them. We live in a world where evil manifests itself daily. Jesus knew the forces that would attack His followers in the vacuum of His death,…

Eternal life brings enlightenment.  John 17:8  – I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.  Eternal life through Jesus Christ brings true enlightenment. There are lots of things to know and discover in our lifetimes, but without the Holy Spirit’s spiritual enlightenment we won’t have the perspective, wisdom, or understanding to process it all (especially the harsh realities of life)…

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John’s central idea in chapter 17 (the last prayers of Jesus) is keyed around the idea of eternal life. For three years the disciples had traveled with Jesus, and at every stop He demonstrated the Kingdom of Heaven. He illustrated how Abba God had power over every earthly dilemma (turning water into wine, calming the storm, multiplying…

Joshua 1:14b-15a (NLT)  …help them conquer their territory.  Stay with them until the Lord gives them rest,  as He has given you rest…  God has called us to interdependency.  We must stay connected and help one another lay hold of God’s best—the good inheritance that God intends for us to enjoy together.  How are you helping people around you to find their way in this faith journey?

Joshua 1:6 (NIV)  “…you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”   More than a million people depended on Joshua’s leadership as they sat on the threshold of the Promised Land.  God’s promise to Abraham generations before was about to be fulfilled through Joshua’s leadership.  You and I are leaders and influencers as well.  Our scope may not be as wide or historic,  but God has given us a mission to…

Joshua 1:2-3 (NIV)  “Moses my servant is dead.  Now then,  you…get ready…”   God told Joshua that the past was over and it was time to move forward without looking back.  In each of our lives there comes a time of transition when we have to stop looking in the rear-view mirror of life and must begin concentrating on the road ahead.  While we appreciate the past,  we lean into the future knowing that God is already there and we…

Acts 1:8a (NLT)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses…  “The Holy Spirit is not:  some benevolent force field,  a renewable energy force,  a handy talisman,  or a finishing touch on our presentation.  The Holy Spirit IS:  the One who forms the mind of Christ in us,  the One who fills our lives and relationships with power,  the One who guides us into effective ministry,  the One who fills…

II Timothy 1:7  (NIV)  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,  but a spirit of power,  of love and of self-discipline.   Fear is a normal human emotion that we’ve all experienced.  In every new,  intimidating circumstance we learn to set aside draining emotions,  focus on solutions,  and step boldly forward with self-discipline.  Many fears dissolve once truth is explained.  Still,  the feelings of fear are very real.  As we learn to identify what we fear,  then…

I Samuel 9:6-13 (NIV)  “Don’t be afraid,”  David said to (Mephibosheth),  “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.  I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul,  and you will always eat at my table.”  This story is a remarkable testament to the honors of sonship.  Due to no fault of his own,  young Mephibosheth fell as a child and became crippled (II Sam. 4:4).  After years of…

Philippians 3:12 (NKJV) …I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  “A battle is raging over your destiny.”  Do you discern it?  Don’t get distracted.  Live with intentionality,  determined to fulfill your God-given destiny.  Press on to take hold of,  possess,  apprehend,  take ownership of that which Jesus has seized for you. This is strong terminology.  There is a purpose for which Christ has seized you;  and it is more than merely…

John 10:10b (NIV) …I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  What does it mean to live life to the brim,  where the water bubbles up over the top of the glass and cannot take one more drop lest it spill?  That is the fullness of life to which Jesus calls us!  It is exciting,  fun,  challenging,  and with worldwide impact. “The reason we have folks with failed marriages,  failed lives,  is that somebody…

John 10:10a (NIV)  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…   “The devil hates your story and wants to kill it.”  Consider the conversation between Satan and Jesus in the wilderness.  See how Satan appealed to the human desire for power,  fame,  and possessions.  These were human temptations that people have dealt with since the beginning of time.  Daily Satan tries to pull us off road and cage us into a spiritual cul-de-sac so that we live…

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)  For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,  so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  Like an artist intricately crafts his or her work,  God has created you with purpose that is big and eternally significant.  Nobody can replace you and the kind of impact you can make in this world.  Your sphere of influence,  your unique personality and gift mix,  your heritage and experience mix, …

Psalm 139:13-17  (NIV) …I am fearfully and wonderfully made… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be…   God sees you as  “marvelous” (v. 14b).  There is only one you in this world,  and He calls you  “wonderfully made.”  No matter if you have some kind of malfunction in your physical body—physical inabilities don’t make us without value in this life. God ordained for you to be alive and to…

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.  Scripture is not merely a document to be read,  studied,  or even cherished,  but it is the words of God spoken into humanity—God’s breath on a page.  What happens when God speaks?  We experience direction,  comfort,  judgment,  conviction,  realignment,  encouragement,  exhortation,  and more.  Read your Bible with your heart open! 

I Corinthians 12:3b (NLT) …no one can say Jesus is Lord,  except by the Holy Spirit. “Many people in Western cultures today,  if they do believe God exists,  see Him as all loving and kind,  so there is no need to ask forgiveness.  As a result,  many see themselves,  and all of humanity,  as being close to God whether or not they profess Christianity.”  The Bible clearly teaches that we are estranged from God due to the curse of sin; …

Matthew 11:28 (MSG)  (Jesus said):  Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me… Feeling helpless and lost is not necessarily a bad thing if it leads us to Jesus.  But often our default response is to turn to self-help systems.  The best motivational techniques will go only so far in helping us.  But God’s Word will  “expose our innermost thoughts and desires”  (Heb 4:12),  the root of our issues,  and the Holy Spirit will direct us…

Mark 12:30 (NLT)   “My Lord and My God!”  Thomas exclaimed.  The term  “Lord”  carried a weightier meaning in first-century Christianity than today.  Caesar demanded that people refer to him as their Lord—one with final power and authority and influence,  ruler over everything.  So when Thomas made this declaration to Jesus,  his statement of belief indicated total surrender to Jesus as the one with final power and authority and influence,  ruler over everything in his life.  Do we claim Jesus…

I Corinthians 1:21  (MSG)  Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God,  God in His wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching,  of all things!—to bring those who trust Him into the way of salvation. The curse of sin in Eden’s garden left human beings estranged from God,  yet with an increased desire to know God on their own.  “Such estrangement ultimately reveals itself as human pride, …

John 3:7 (NLT)  (Jesus to Nicodemus)  So don’t be surprised when I say,  “You must be born again.” Jesus pointed Nicodemus toward a necessary spiritual experience.  Rev. Billy Graham labeled it the  “born again”  experience.  It is the transformation of a person’s entire being into a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The starting point is repentance. Rather than living with a false sense of being acceptable to God through our own good behavior and thinking that it counts as righteousness before…

Psalm 9:1 (NLT)  I will praise you,  Lord,  with all my heart.  I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.   David integrated praise into every season of his life.  As a young shepherd boy he sat on the hillside composing worship songs.  As a young man,  he stood before King Saul and played music to sooth Saul’s tormented soul.  As king,  David found peace through worship that helped him rise above his political and family troubles. …

II Kings 5:1-3 (NLT)  One day the girl said to her mistress,  “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria.  He would heal him of his leprosy.”   How old was this young captive servant girl when she was taken from her home? We don’t know the circumstances;  but we do know that somehow she knew about the prophet Elisha.  And we know that compassion,  far stronger than any bitterness or anger,  lived in her heart…

Nehemiah 1:3b (The Message)  They told me (Nehemiah),  “The exile survivors who are left there (Jerusalem) are in bad shape.  Conditions are appalling.  The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble;  the city gates are still cinders.  When I heard this,  I sat down and wept.  I mourned for days,  fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.  Overwhelmed by the plight of Jerusalem,  Nehemiah prayed.  God does some of His greatest work through people with burdened hearts.  Nehemiah grieved deeply…

Job 28:28 (NIV) …The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,  and to shun evil  is understanding.  We don’t travel too far in our life journeys without coming face to face with some sort of injustice.  Our childish naivety gives way to the awful reality that this world is a very perilous place.  Someone makes a bad choice and innocent people get caught in the wake of the consequences.  Sin wreaks havoc in people’s hearts and the domino effect ruins families…

Esther 4:1-5 (The Message)  When Mordecai learned what had been done,  he ripped his clothes to shreds and put on sackcloth and ashes.  Then he went out in the streets of the city crying out in loud and bitter cries…The queen was stunned.  She sent fresh clothes to Mordecai…but he wouldn’t accept them.  The desperate truth of the plot to kill all the Jews drove Mordecai into deep expressions of grief.  Queen Esther,  isolated from the awful reality of the…

Genesis 41:50-52 (NLT)  Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said,  “It is  because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”   The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me  fruitful in the land of my suffering.”  Here we have a window into Joseph’s soul.  After enduring years of heartache,  he gave names of hope and reassurance to his newborn sons.  For those of us who live with…

John 16:4 (NLT) Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning.  Jesus forewarned His followers that the world would hate them—even to martyrdom. Jesus wanted them to have a realistic description of what many of Christ’s followers throughout history have faced. Even in our society, though rooted in the history, culture, and practices of Christianity, for the most part, people have either rejected or forgotten the religious beliefs of Christianity. Jesus…

II Kings 6:17 (NLT) Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!”   Elisha saw a physical enemy army surrounding the city. But Elisha had seen a second, more powerful army. He saw the hills filled with God’s horses and chariots of fire. Elisha prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened so that he could get a divine perspective. (Read the rest of the story to see the unexpected solution to a huge problem.) What…

II Chronicles 20:22 (NLT) – At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. (CEV) – As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp. (GNT) – When they began to sing, the Lord threw the invading armies into panic. Enemy armies had come against God’s people to take their land. In a similar way, we have a very…

John 15:9 (The Message) I have loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. Before His crucifixion, Jesus equipped His disciples with His love. If you know that someone loves you, then you are able to yield to and trust him or her completely. You can count on that love to be there for you and you can live in assurance. The cure for fear is trusting in God (John 14:1).  Nothing…

John 15:21 (NIV) Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. Jesus left his disciples with commandments that were to be obeyed and that would lead to the knowledge of God. The person who has stalled in his faith is usually sidetracked by addictions, or unhealthy relationships that draw him away from his…

 John 14:27 (NLT) “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”   These were some of Jesus’ last words to His disciples before His crucifixion. He encouraged them because they were fearful of being left alone and helpless. He offered to them His peace. When going through a difficult life experience of sickness or grief or relational heartache, have…

Exodus 33:11 (NIV) The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.  Moses learned how to listen to God’s voice, though that process came with many vacillations and detours. He learned to listen and obey; and their relationship became deeply intimate. But the Children of Israel were not ready for that kind of intimacy. Not far into their wilderness journey they realized how dangerous it was to be in God’s presence and they…

Revelation 3:20 (The Message) Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.  “In meditative prayer we are creating the emotional and spiritual space that allows God to construct an inner sanctuary in the heart. Jesus knocks at the door of our heart—daily, hourly, moment by moment. He is longing to eat with us, to commune with us…in the…

1 Kings 19:11 Go out and stand before me on the mountain…  In many ways Elijah’s experience at Mount Horeb’s cave is a representation of a place of despair, desolation, and dejection. After his profound experience on Mt. Carmel, Elijah ran for his life, collapsed in Horeb’s cave, and pled with God to take his life. But God “coaxed him out of his cave of depression and onto the mountain top. After ferocious winds shattering earthquakes and scorching fires (all…

Joshua 1:8 (The Message) And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going then you’ll succeed. “The central element of the biblical view of meditation is obedience. This is a marked contrast to the various forms of meditation in many religions around the world. The biblical stress is always on ethical changer,…

John 15:4 (The Message) Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. Healthy relationships are not built on a once-a-week conversation. They are built upon ongoing, transparent conversations that are woven through everyday experiences and lead to perspective and enlightenment. So it is with our faith. It must go beyond the Sunday morning worship hour and extend throughout every day of the week. God wants a long, personal, ongoing conversation with us. Does that…

John 16:13 (The Message) But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to Himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.  As we study the life of Jesus Christ by reading the gospels, the Holy Spirit can direct our thoughts and unpack applications for…