Nice idea…

Psalm 4:8(NLT) 8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Nice idea, but not for today you might think. There’s too much stuff going on to trust anything but my Glock. But, that’s the way the world thinks, not how God is. We can go […]

Whoa Nellie! Proverbs 19:11

Proverbs 19:11 (ESV) 11. Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Whoa Nellie!!!! Slow to anger! His glory to overlook an offense. If we needed any clarity to how far we’re getting away from God, we need look no farther than these words. So many folks […]

Peace be with you Proverbs 18:10

Proverbs 18:10 (ESV) 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Who isn’t looking for shelter in the storm? I know I am. Family members dying and the grieving process, not working for extended periods of time, looking to move out of Illinois, and […]

If this is freedom…. Hebrews 4:15

Hebrews 4:15(NLT) 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT) 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Freedom. He knows our challenges, our weaknesses, […]

Be led Proverbs 16:7-9

Proverbs 16:7-9 (NLT) 7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. 8 Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. 9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Sometimes I just don’t get it and I wonder how it’s supposed […]

This I’ve learned the hard way Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16-17 (NIV) 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,as it is written, “The righteous shall live […]

Alt Delete Colossians 1:17-18

Colossians 1:17-18 (NLT) 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. Why? We think we humans are the top of […]

Listen Proverbs 23:22

Proverbs 23:22 (ESV) 22. Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Listen to your father who gave you life. Maybe your earthly father is worth loving and listening to. Maybe he’s the POC that never should have allowed to procreate or raise a family. […]

Passions Matthew 6:24

Matthew 6:24 (NLT) 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 8:26 (NLT) 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he […]

Believe. Love. Go forward.

1 John 4:10-11(ESV) 10. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Propitiation. An action. An appeasement. A satisfying. An atonement. The ultimate […]

This is the way of Christ followers Ephesians 4:31

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. This is the way of Christ followers. There is no room for anything else – […]

Faith comes Romans 10:17

Romans 10:17 17. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Or does it? Everyone has faith in something even if they don’t believe in Christ. Why? You have faith that you exist and that it all started somewhere, sometime, right? But we don’t know how it all started. We have […]

To be honored Hebrews 13:5, 1 John 3:24

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) 5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 1 John 3:24 (NLT) 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the […]

Yes and yet Numbers 23:19

Numbers 23:19 God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Isn’t that the truth. God isn’t human. The first indication is that he doesn’t lie. That tells us quite a bit about […]

One mind, one purpose John 10:10

John 10:10 NIV The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. How we wish it wasn’t true. Those that claim Satan doesn’t exist, that he’s a figment of an ancient history of a primitive (and I assume they feel less intelligent) people, […]

A gentle tongue can break a bone John 11:25-27 Luke 11:21-23

John 11:25-27 (NLT) 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are […]

Smoke and Mirrors John 15:16

John 15:16 (NLT) 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. Matthew 6:24 (ESV) 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, […]

What about it? Jeremiah 31:3

Jeremiah 31:3 3. The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. John 18:36 (MSG) 36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be […]

Run for cover 2 Samuel 22:31

2 Samuel 22:31 (NLT) 31 “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 2 Samuel 22:31 (NIV) 31 “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 2 Samuel 22:31 […]

Picking up with selfless abandon Isaiah 40:30-31

Isaiah 40:30-31 30. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31. but those who hope [wait, trust] in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. This world has its ways […]

Sorry secular humanists…. Matthew 12:43-50

Matthew 12:43-45 (MSG) 43-45 “When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then […]

The world needs a radical today Psalms 135:5-7

Psalms 135:5-7 5. I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. 6. The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 7. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the […]

Vanguard 1 John 4:15-20

1 John 4:15-20 (NLT) 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and […]

We need more gold. Joshua 1:7-9 Colossians 4:1 Matthew 7:12

Joshua 1:7-9 (ESV) 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may act wisely wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart […]

I want freedom! Romans 6:20-23 John 6:35-40

Romans 6:20-23 (ESV) 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from […]

Listen to your father Proverbs 13:1 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Proverbs 13:1 1. A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV) 2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a […]

Yoke up Isaiah 55:10-11

Isaiah 55:10-11 10. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11. so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will […]

Looking for peace. 1 John 4:12-13 Mark 6:30-34 John 7:14-19

1 John 4:12-13 (NIV) 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. Mark 6:30-34 (ESV) 30 […]

Tolerance or Reconciliation? Ephesians 2:14-17

Ephesians 2:14-17 (NIV) 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, […]

Find the Peace Isaiah 9:6 Matthew 1:18-19 Matthew 24:23-28

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Matthew 1:18-21 (ESV) 18 Now the birth of the Christ took place in this way. […]

Meditating on truth Philippians 4:9-14 John 11:25-27

Philippians 4:9-14 (MSG) 8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard […]

Intransigence Deuteronomy 9:13 James 1:22

Deuteronomy 9:13(ESV) 13 “Furthermore, the Lord said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people. James 1:22 (NIV) 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Intransigence. Intransigence is a stubborn refusal to change your views. The word describes us pretty […]

Home 2 Chronicles 20:1-13 1 Peter 2:24-25

2 Chronicles 20:1-13 (MSG) 20 1-2 Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: “A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. There’s no time to waste—they’re already at Hazazon Tamar, the oasis of […]

Fear? Psalm 27:1 Mark 8:35-38

Psalm 27:1 (ESV) 27 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? Mark 8:35-38 (ESV) 35 For whoever would save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for my sake and the gospel’s will […]

Getting to yes John 1:1-5 Matthew 18:19-20 Psalm 145:10-14

John 1:1-5 (NIV) The Word Became Flesh 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and […]

Hitch your wagon John 14:15-17 Colossians 3:1-4

John 14:15-17 15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells […]

Birch, pine and oak Micah 1:3-4 James 5:7-8

Micah 1:3-4 3 Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth. 4 The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope. James 5:7-8 7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming […]

That should be enough Psalm 91:11 John 10:12-14 1 Peter 3:13-16

Psalm 91:11 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Matthew 10:12-14 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone […]

Old wine, old clothes Luke 5:36-39 Deuteronomy 30:6

Luke 5:36-39 (NLT) 36 Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. 37 “And no one puts new wine into […]

Moving mountains with faith Joshua 1:9 Mark 11:24

Joshua 1:9 (NIV) 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Mark 11:24 (NIV) 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it […]

Freedom… John 8:31-44

John 8:31-44 (ESV) “31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Today, we want freedom of/from everything. It’s our right. We want freedom from fear (safety), freedom […]

And the like Galatians 5:14-23

Galatians 5:14-23 (NIV) 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the […]

A radical and much more than a great man. Luke 13:10-17 (NIV)

Luke 13:10-17 (NIV) Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath 10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, […]

Peace John 3:16-17 Isaiah 53:1-5

John 3:16-17 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Isaiah 53:1-5 […]

It’s a big, big, home Matthew 7:12 Romans 13:9-10

Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Romans 13:9-10 “ 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are […]

Matthew 13:1-9 John 21:25 Mark 11:25 Help I’ve fallen and I can get up!

Matthew 13:1-9 (ESV) The Parable of the Sower 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things […]

Matthew 12:7 John 14:6-7 Acts 20:28 Nice

Matthew 12:7 (NIV) “7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’, you would not have condemned the innocent.” John 14:6-7 (NIV) “6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, […]

John 12:25-26 Colossians 3:13 Hating life to really live???

John 12:25-26 (NIV) “25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Colossians 3:13 (NLT) […]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 John 11:25 Kick the tires, check it out, test everything

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NIV) “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of […]

Matthew 7:10, 15-17 Golden rule in reality

Matthew 7:10 (NIV) The Golden Rule “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:15-17 (NIV) “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. […]

Deuteronomy 8:3 Matthew 6:33 You can’t always get what you want, but…

Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV) “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Matthew […]

Declaration of Independence

As you read this, put it in modern day terms. Have we not elected despots who have put us under “the most [laws] destructive of the public good, and ruinous to individuals.”? Are we not, under the guise of tolerance at the point where “now they have forbidden us to listen to, or to accept any terms […]

Proverbs 4:20 I LOVE being a father.

Proverbs 4:20-27 “20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for […]

Matthew 6:24-34 Luke 12:24 Who is this guy?

Matthew 6:24-34 “24 ‘No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or […]

Romans 8:28-30 Imagine choosing your destiny.

Romans 8:28-30 “28 That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. 29 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as […]

Matthew 6:7-8 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 Sometimes the answer is just NO

Matthew 6:7-8 7 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ”1 Corinthians 12:7-10 “7…Therefore, in order to keep me from […]

Matthew 5:38-42 Roman’s 8:18 Vacuum messes

Matthew 5:38-42 “38 “You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if anyone would sue […]

Isaiah 54:10 Ecclesiastes 1:4 Some things never change

Isaiah 54:10 “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Ecclesiastes 1:4 “Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” Some things never change. Like change. […]

1 John 1:9-10 Galatians 5:22-23 Come home to the good life

1 John 1:9-10 “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is […]

Proverbs 18:10 In the dead of life

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” “But I’ve heard the tender whisper Of love in the dead of night.” Lyrics from Good Good Father composed by Pat Barret and Tony Brown I’ve heard that tender whisper of love. Have you? I have […]

Hebrews 11:1 Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is the… conviction of things not seen. None of us are faithless. We can’t see how we got here – how the universe came into being – but we have faith that is was created. Whether believer […]

Luke 9:11-17 Psalms 22:26-28 Musta been a food coma that made me do it. Or maybe not.

Luke 9:11-17 “11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. 12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and […]

Mark 10:48-51, Psalms 43:5 Teacher, I want to see!

Mark 10:48-51 “48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to […]

Habakkuk 3-17-18 When bread goes bad

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “ 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be […]

James 1-19-21 What does your garden grow?

James 1:19-21 “19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly […]

Ephesians 4-31 – 5-2 Showing real tolerance

Ephesians 4:31 – 5:2 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way […]

Proverbs 10-12 Psalms 42:11 Love covers all sin.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strifes: but love covers all sins. Psalms 42:11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Love covers all sin. Hatred stirs up strife. Ummm, what kind of a world do […]

Turn on the lights the party’s just beginning. Matthew 5:16 John 1:5 John 8:12

Matthew 5:16 – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. John 1:5 – And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 8:12 – Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of […]

Joshua 22-5 John 8:32 Wait, don’t hang up!

Joshua 22:5 “5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all […]

1 John 5:1 There are no Fatherless children.

1 John 5:1 “Everyone who loves the Father loves his child as well.” If you love the Father, you will love his child. Love the child of the Father. Love. There are no fatherless children. Literally and figuratively. There are no fatherless children. They might not have a father, but they aren’t fatherless. He is […]

Luke 1:28 Visitors

Luke 1:28 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Sometimes we have a portending that things are going to get interesting in our lives. I imagined it’s nothing like what Mary was facing though. Imagine, an angel shows up at your front door […]

Isaiah 40:3 God don’t need no stinkin’ runway.

Isaiah 40:3 “3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” I used to think this was pointing to God being an alien and that when his ship landed, well it’d need a runway. Hmm, a spaceship traveling […]

Psalms 29-1 – 2 I need an ascribtion to cure what ails me.

Psalms 29:1 – 2 1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Ascribe isn’t a commonly used word any more. It means to to credit to, or to attribute […]

Psalms 94:19 Letting in a little Sonlight into our lives

Psalms 94:19 “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” At the jail last night one of the guys in the room said he just loved sticking a needle in his arm. Another guy talked about what brought him “joy” and it wasn’t about living in God’s word. Came home to an […]

Proverbs 15-16 Isaiah 33:22 Who is this guy?

Proverbs 15:16 “Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” Isaiah 33:22 “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.” The Lord sets the rules and is our judge. It’s better to live in […]

Psalms 34-8 Luke 7:23 Tripping on Jesus

Psalms 34:8 “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Luke 7:23 “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Stumble on account of Jesus? What a tumultuous time it must have been. John is telling people ‘wait for the Christ to come’, […]

Lamentations 3-25-26 Psalm 62-7 Waiting patiently for a rock to move.

Lamentations 3:25-26 “25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Psalms 62:7 “My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.” “Wait! Stop! Dad – […]

Daniel 4-37 Hebrews 12:14 Live humbly, in peace

Daniel 4:37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Hebrews 12:14 “14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness […]

Jonah 2:8 Galatians 5:6 Idols, law, and a big fish.

Jonah 2:8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.” Galatians 5:6 “6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Love as an action, as a thing expressed, worthy of God, worthy of being. Love […]

Psalms 40:5, James 2:8 Love your neighbor even when they don’t know how to blow their nose.

Psalms 40:5 5 Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor […]

1 Peter 5:8-10 Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh

1 Peter 5:8 – 10 “8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And […]

Hebrews 12:14 I just can’t handle God and His expectations

Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” I just can’t handle God and His demands. His expectations are far too high and totally unreasonable. Live in peace and don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t cheat or steal, don’t sleep […]

Jeremiah 29:11 Endearing pain ensuring joy

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” There are times when I just don’t get God and what he’s doing. I don’t understand the physical pain in my life (arthritic ankles), […]

Philippians 3:13-14 Run for your life!

Philippians 3:13-14 “13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Straining […]

Hebrews 13:5-6 Why we are all like Linus Van Pelt

Hebrews 13:5-6 “5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”” What’s […]

Matthew 28:5-7 A rolling stone as a hinge

Matthew 28:5-7 “5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the […]

Romans 8:6-8 Mind control

Romans 8:6-8 “6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” We’d like to think that we control […]

1 Peter 4:7 Turn out the lights, the party’s over

1 Peter 4:7 (link to v1-11) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” Turn out the lights There are only two things that are certain in this life, death and taxes. Blah, blithering blah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Most folks prepare for tax season once […]

1 Thessalonians 5:15 And then Christ just turned everything rightside up

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” Soooo, no more “an eye for an eye”? What about my honor? Wait, is honor being humble before the Lord? This gets complicated in a hurry because it turned everything […]

Malachi 3:10 When God says “Bring it on”

Malachi 3:10 Malachi 3 from The Message “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough […]

Isaiah 26:8 – An unnatural condition

Isaiah 26:8 “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” These things are true: Isaiah 26:1 “…God make salvation its walls and ramparts” v3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose mind are steadfast, because they trust in you.” […]

Mark 12:30

To live you have to love. To love you have to be vulnerable. Mark 12:30 ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Love the Lord with your heart, that makes sense. Love the Lord with your mind, that’s […]

John 19:30

Overcoming obstacles John 19:30 “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 20:19 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came […]

Psalm 91:14

What ever happened to Barabbas? Psalms 91:14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.” Christ was protected by God, Barabbas wasn’t. Yet look what happened? Barabbas was set free, Christ was violently flogged, mocked, then he died slowly, painfully, as his lungs […]

1 John 4:13

Transforming brokenness to joy 1 John 4:13 “This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” He has given us his spirit. How intense is that? A God of pure love, who came and sacrificed himself for us so that we might live, […]

1 John 2:28

What do you do when a celebrity knocks at your door? 1 John 2:28 “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” If Jesus came knocking at your door, what would you say or do? “Um, wait right here Jesus […]

1 Timothy 1:15

It doesn’t matter 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” Paul had quite a track record before Christ introduced himself while, as Saul, he was on the way to Damascus to eradicate as many […]

Proverbs 25:28

Anger, fury, rage: open wide and say “attack me, I have no peace”. Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. The self leads us to all sorts of bad things – self will, self centered being the main ones, but self important, self righteous, follow closely […]

Psalm 27:8

Run to, do not hide. Psalms 27:8 “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.” When the time comes that trouble strikes, there is really one good alternative to turn to. When you wish there was a redo button handy that you could hit a bunch of times because […]

Psalms 133:1

Imagine there is a heaven, it’s easy if you try. (sorry John lennon) Psalms 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” So, imagine there’s this perfect God who created the dirt, plants, animals, humans, water, air, earth, solar system, galaxy, universe and heavens, and He’s a good who […]