1 John 4:20-21

Love is Christian, hate is not. 1 John 4:20-21 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, who may have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God […]

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Psalms 90:12

When justice looks bleak. Psalms 90:12 “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Oh, how we dislike discipline, justice. Yeah, we’ll accept it, but not with a grateful heart. It’s usually with a stiff neck and prideful protestations. So what do we do with a God who is […]

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Psalm 37:5-6

What’s good enough on the path of life? Psalms 37:5-6 “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” In order for us to define good, we need to have bad, the two can’t […]

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Isaiah 40:7-8

Grass houses and eternity Isaiah 40:7-8 “7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” A grass house won’t last forever, nor will a wood house, […]

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Deuteronomy 30:15-16

When does it matter? Deuteronomy 30:15-16 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your […]

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Philippians 3:10-11

What we do for real… Philippians 3:10-11 “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection of the dead.” Wow, what a bold statement. “I want to know Christ”. Right there, in your face, […]

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Luke 10:27

Who’s the best lover in the world? Luke 10:27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (but please read the link for the whole story) Who showed us […]

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Proverbs 16:28

The tale of the tongue.    Proverbs 16:28 “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” Why is it that the tongue thinks quicker than the brain? Why is it that the words the tongue unleashes seem to cut so deep? Why is it that words, once out, can’t be put […]

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Hebrews 11:1-3

When did time begin? Hebrews 11:1-3 “1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out […]

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Psalms 94:12

Life without boundaries Psalms 94:12 “Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD, the one you teach from your law;” Discipline. Teaching, commitment or both? How do we want to learn from God? We can be taught by God through his disciplining us, which is usually filled with some pain, drama, and rapid change. Or we […]

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Psalms 91:1-2

Shelter from the storm. Psalm 91:1-2 “1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Foundations are critical to the strength of a house. Bad foundation, […]

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Galatians 6:9

I am a Christian, expect me to act like one. Always. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” What is doing good? What is good? Can you think of anything that eminates from God that isn’t […]

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Psalms 16:11

The path leads somewhere. Psalms 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” The path. We know what the path is, but do we know what life is? Can we have life outside of the path? Pilgrim’s […]

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Romans 8:6

Laws matter Romans 8:6 “6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” We have laws for a reason – without them there are no constraints and things get ugly in a heartbeat. Ever wonder why things go south? Could it be that we […]

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Mark 8:29 John 7:38

“I am who I am” Popeye Mark 8:29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Who do you think I am? Whoever believes in Christ. Living […]

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Romans 2:5-6

The problem with being judgemental. Romans 2:5-6 “5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’” Out of context, this scripture looks […]

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Luke 12:48

Why we’re to walk the walk Luke 12:48 “48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Walk the […]

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1 John 2:1-2

Choosing to fight 1 John 2:1-2 “1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the […]

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1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yet? 1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” God humbles the proud or He shows favor on those who realize the enormity of the gift of grace and humble themselves […]

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John 17:13-14

Out of this world John 17:13-14 “13 I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not […]

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1 John 2:12

Forgiveness 1 John 2:12 “I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.” Very simply put, right there, not to be denied, fact: we are forgiven. Turn your life over to Christ, accept him as your savior, believe he died for your sins, your sins are […]

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Galatians 6:7-9

A life of service Galatians 6:7-9 “7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing […]

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Matthew 7:15

Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Why do we even have false prophets? We have an awesome God who is pure love, perfect love, who loves us perfectly. So why is there hate, why are there false prophets spreading lies and […]

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Proverbs 22:4

Proverbs 22:4 “Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life.” What does fear of the Lord mean? What does fear mean when used in this context? It’s like love, respect, honor all rolled into one (lospector?). It’s not the fear the world has of pain or death, it’s […]

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1 John 1:5-7

1 John 1:5-7 “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if […]

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1 Corinthians 13:2, 4-7

1 Corinthians 13:2, 4-7 “2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” Anyone ever hear these words at a wedding? They were in mine. Oh, how those words brought love […]

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1 Corinthians 1:10

1 Corinthians 1:10 “10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” A glimpse into a growing faith: a few years after […]

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John 6:35

John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Twenty eight words. Amazing what God can pack into twenty right words. Think about the word life there. What life? I think, when wrapped around […]

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