Word of the lord this day

Romans 10: 3

For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

Matthew 6: 5

When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Matthew 6: 2

So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Matthew 6: 1

Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Proverb 23: 9

Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.

Romans 8: 28

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

2 Chronicles 7: 15

My eyes shall be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

Romans 8: 35

Who shall separate us from the love Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 2: 19

[A]nd are confident that you yourself are a guide to people who are blind, a light to those in darkness.

Jude 20 – 21

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Habakkuk 2: 2

Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that one who reads it may run.”

James 4: 2

You don’t have the things you want, because you don’t pray for them.

Acts 18: 6

And when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I shall go to the Gentiles.”

I received a New Year’s blessing from a friend who wished me the best year of all in 2023.  It is a wonderful sentiment, even if  not completely unique; and not unique because it is the premier wish we have for our friends.  This time, the cherished good sentiment hit me differently.  Normally I would simply set my heart in agreement.  This time, though, I asked myself what that would mean.  Would I make more money, more friends, accomplish some big goal, perform better athletically, feel better physically?  What would make 2023 the best year ever?  Are you looking for

John 15: 9

Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.

Acts 18: 5

But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

Mark 4: 24

And He was saying to them,. . . “By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.”

Philippians 4: 18

But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied.

Ephesians 1: 20-22

He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.

Ephesians 2: 6

. . . and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 59: 1 – 2

Behold the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

Ephesians 3:20

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.

Genesis 26: 28 – 29

And they said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you; so we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.’”

Psalm 105: 14 -15

He permitted no man to oppress them, and He reproved kings for their sakes: “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.”

Psalm 46: 1 – 3

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.

Isaiah 43: 2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched.

Genesis 12: 3

And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.

Proverb 2: 6 -7

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.

He is the wisdom and the plan. You are the hands and feet. Let Him instruct you. Then . . .

Psalm 115: 16

The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of mankind.

Proverb 2: 6 -7

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.

Luke 6: 46

And why do you call Me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?

Luke 6: 7

And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He healed on the Sabbath.

Luke 6: 12

And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Luke 6: 35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great; and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Isaiah 49: 10

They will not hunger or thirst, neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; for He who has compassion on them will lead them and will guide them to springs of water.

Revelation 12: 9

. . . Satan who deceives the whole world.

John 1: 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

God is not judgment, anger or correction. He is . . .

1 John 4: 17

By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

We discover that love abides in us because God abides in us and God is love.

1 John 4: 8

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Philippians 2: 9 -10

Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth.

Philippians 2: 8

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2: 7 [He] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Jesus was, and is, and always will be. He was with God at the creation of the world. He sat in the high places with God, and He was God. And yet, he emptied Himself of His deity and came to earth in the form of a bond-servant. Why? No one less than the very Son of God was good enough for God to send into the earth for the redemption of each and every one of us. And what

John 14: 13 – 14

And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Daniel 10: 12

“Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.”

Deuteronomy 1: 21

See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

This is the word of the Lord for you today.

Romans 12: 2

Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

Matthew 6: 33

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.

I hope you enjoyed the healing series from the Word of the Day.  I pray you got something out of it. I appreciate, though, that it encompassed much material and requires time to assimilate.  Transforming our thoughts doesn’t happen overnight.  You can read a scripture, engage with it and then the very next day have your thoughts fly in absolute contradiction to it.  That is why we meditate on scriptures and spend time with them. Because there was so much information and so many scriptures, I have created a new tool for you.  The entire healing series is now available

Numbers 5: 39

Obey his commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways, as you are prone to do.

Joshua 14: 7

I returned and gave from my heart a good report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people and discouraged them.

John 21: 3 – 6

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find the fish.” So they cast it, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish.

Exodus 22: 29

Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

Luke 18: 40

Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him.

Hebrews 13: 8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.

Acts 10: 38

You know of Jesus of Nazareth . . . and how He went about . . . healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Hebrews 10: 35

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Revelations 12:11

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony.

Philippians 4: 6 – 7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 13: 32

“Behold, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I reach My goal.”

James 5: 14 – 15

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.

Psalm 41: 3

The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed; in his illness, you restore him to health.

Did you know that right now, wherever you are . . .

Psalm 30: 2

O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed me.

Acts 2: 23

“With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.”

Luke 8: 46 

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.”

I think we just need to be more stubborn and more determined.

Ezekiel 47: 9

So where the river flows everything will live.

There is a river of life, and it heals and blesses everything it touches.

Proverb 16: 24 

Pleasant words are like honey from a honeycomb – sweet to the spirit and healthy for the body.

2 Kings 4: 38 – 41 

Elisha now returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. One day as the group of prophets was seated before him, he said to his servant, “Put a large pot on the fire, and make some stew for the rest of the group.” One of the young men went out into the field to gather herbs and came back with a pocketful of wild gourds. He shredded them and put them into the pot without realizing they were poisonous. Some of the stew was served to the men. But after they had eaten a bite or two they cried out, “Man of God, there’s poison in this stew!” So they would not eat it. Elisha said, “Bring me some flour.” Then he threw it into the pot and said, “Now it’s all right; go ahead and eat.” And then it did not harm them.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Galatians 3:13 – 14

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” – in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Proverb 3: 7 – 8

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

Matthew 4: 23

Jesus was going about in all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Malachi 4: 2

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

Matthew 9: 28, 21: 22

And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 8

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

2 Corinthians 10: 4 – 5

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

. . . all those mental gymnastics, must be brought to kneel at Jesus’ feet.

Luke 6: 12

Now it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray.

Romans 12: 1 – 2 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. There are two aspects of these verses that are important for health and healing and they both point to our obligations. The hard truth is that we are responsible for our

Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your moral bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

Romans 4: 17 – 21

17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
18 In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So shall you descendants be.”
19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;
20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully assure that what He had promised, He was able to perform.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.

Mark 16:17 – 18

And these signs will accompany those who have believed; in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Mark 11: 23 – 24

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, is shall be granted you. “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.

Matthew 21: 21 – 22

“Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the seas,’ it shall happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”

Matthew 18: 19

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 8:2-3

And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

If you had any doubts about Jesus’ willingness to heal you . . .

Mathew 8:16 -17

And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “He Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases.”

Jeremiah 30:17

For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds.

This verse is special to me among the healing verses and here is why.

Jeremiah 1:12

You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.

God is scanning the whole earth watching and listening for people who will call on His Word.

Isaiah 53: 4-5

Surely our griefs (sickness) He Himself bore, and our sorrows (pains) He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging (stripes) we are healed.

There are reasons for every part of Jesus arrest, sentencing and crucifixion.

Isaiah 41:10

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am you God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

You know, I am quite fond of giving you tools, and today’s verse is a strong one. Here is what I want you to do . . .

Proverb 18:20-21

With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; he will be satisfied with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit.

There is nothing in God’s Kingdom that is not hinged on our word and His.

2 Kings 20: 5

Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.”

Proverb 4:20-22

20 My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body.

Psalm 118:17

I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord.

Psalm 107:20

He sent His word and healed them.

In the beginning was the Word . . . and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us

This is my very favorite healing verse. I just love this it.

Psalm 103:1 – 3

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His Holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget none of His benefits.
3 Who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases.

Fully appreciate the benefits.

Psalm 91:16

With a long life I will satisfy him.

Hey, forget this sickness business. Let’s just leave that to the Egyptians. Let’s live in the promise of God, intertwine our lives around Jesus and get full and satisfied. Yeah, I like that!

Job 22:28

You will also decree a thing and it will be established.

This may be the most important verse in the whole series.

1 Kings 8:56

Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

My Valentine for God Will you please take this heart of mine? Place it in your garden of love; Please water it well with kindness And feed with wisdom from above. Take the ugliness from within, Replace with understanding and light; Then each day bless and hallow it, That it may rest in peace at night. Alma Hopkins I am going to take a pause from our healing scriptures to send you this special Valentine. This is another of those newspaper clippings found recently. There is no telling how long ago this was clipped from the paper or even which

Exodus 23: 26

I will give you long, full lives.

One cannot pray in faith for healing if he has the misconception that God created his sickness.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you many live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding close to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, so that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.

Deuteronomy 28: 2,3, 5, 14 – 17, 61 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the Lord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 14 And do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God,

Deuteronomy 7:15

“And the Lord will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you.”

God is removing sickness from among us, as He promised to do. Our part in the bargain seems to be listening to His commands and faithfully obeying them.

Exodus 23: 25

But you shall serve the Lord your God and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.

Do you think it sounds silly to pray about food?

Exodus 15:26

And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Job 42: 10

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes.

I can imagine how little Job wanted to pray for them too. He must have thought some choice things when God told him to pray for those fools. Fortunately, though, Job obeyed.

Habakkuk 2: 2

Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that one who reads it may run.

Fourteen days later, I reviewed my written goals and realized . . .

1 John 4: 8

God is love.

I believe in love. I believe in a Father who gave His son specifically to save us. It stands to reason, then, that He has plenty of methods in place to assure that people get the chance to meet Jesus.

Colossians 1: 27

For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory.

Job 23: 2

If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his throne and talk with him there.

Ephesians 1: 7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Colossians 1: 11 

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father.

Genesis 40: 8

“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”

Genesis 39: 4 – 5

Joseph naturally became quite a favorite with him. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household and entrusted him with all his business dealings. From the day Joseph was put in charge the Lord began to bless Potiphar for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs began to run smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.

Genesis 39: 2 – 3

The Lord was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

Ephesians 3: 17

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.

1 Chronicles 28: 9

If you seek Him, He will let you find Him.

Whether you are Jewish, Baptist, Pentecostal or any of a myriad of belief systems, it all comes down to this quite simple principle . . .

Proverb 31: 8 – 9

Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverb 6: 16

There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him.

Joshua 22: 24

“We were worried because of the situation we’re in. We thought sometime in the future your children might say to our children, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel?’”

Psalm 77:6

I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders.

Journaling with Jesus is different than the type of journaling most of us learned initially. This type of journaling is actually . . .

Ephesians 3: 16

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 3: 14 – 15 

When I think of the wisdom and scope of god’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

Habakkuk 2:2

Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that one who reads it may run.”

Matthew 5:16

Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Revelation 21:5

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

  Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season, I hope you find time to sit and savor all of the beauty of the holiday.  Breathe in the aromas, delight in the flavors.  Let your eyes feast on the twinkle of lights and colorful decorations.  I hope you enjoy every single silly and whimsical delight of this festive time of year.  I also pray that you find time to let your spirit drink in the deepest joy and greatest love.  I pray that your spirit will be as sensitive and tender as it was when you were a

Proverb 29: 9

When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person, the foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.

Psalm 68: 18

He ascends into the heavenly heights, taking his many captured ones with him, leading them in triumphal procession. And gifts were given to men, even the once rebellious, so that they may dwell with Yah.

Ephesians 4: 6 

And he is the perfect Father who leads us all, works through us all, and lives in us all!

It is, in fact, the New Covenant in a word . . .

James 5: 14

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.

James 4: 17

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Proverb 3: 34

God treats the arrogant as they treat others, mocking the mockers, scorning the scornful, but He pours out His grace on the humble.

Proverb 28: 25 

An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be blessed and prosper.

Ephesians 3: 12

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Jesus is the reason for the season, but . . .

Ephesians 3: 6

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.

Psalm 27: 14

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 32: 8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.

He must keep an eye on us to make sure we don’t walk off any cliffs.

Proverb 27: 19

As in water a face reflects the face, so the heart of a person reflects the person.

Proverb 3: 27

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

I say, let’s give until it feels really good, until we feel the blessing of God ignited within us.

1 Peter 2:9

But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Proverb 18: 2

A fool finds no delight in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Deuteronomy 14: 2

For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Proverb 26: 23

Like a clay pot covered with cheap silver, so is smooth talk that covers up an evil heart.

Ephesians 5: 20

 Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:9

Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices.

We cannot be both renewed ambassadors of the Messiah and . . .

Matthew 16: 24

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Discipleship kinda flies in the face of our individualistic approach to life . . .

Proverb 25: 21 – 22

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

He has blanketed us with His grace so . . .

Acts 9: 36

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means Dorcas); this woman was excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually.

James 1: 22

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.

Acts 9: 1 – 2

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem.

Acts 10: 1 – 3

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment.

It is interesting to me that there are two stories in the Book of Acts about people receiving visions and . . .

Proverb 24: 17 – 18

Never gloat when your enemy meets disaster, and don’t be quick to rejoice if he falls. For the Lord, who sees your heart, will be displeased with you and will pity your foe.

Romans 8: 2

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

2 Corinthians 2: 14

But thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.

Matthew 28: 19

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

My intention with this Word of the Day is . . .

John 16: 33

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world, [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you].

Proverb 23: 12 

Live a more disciplined life, and listen carefully to words of knowledge.

There is so much we could discuss about living a disciplined life . . .

Proverb 1: 8-9

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not ignore your mother’s teaching; For they are a graceful wreath for your head and necklaces for your neck.

Why should we go through . . .

Proverb 18: 24

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

David had a friend like this . . .

2 Chronicles 11: 16

People from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek the Lord God of Israel followed the Levitical priests to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors.

Deuteronomy 15: 10 

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

God wants to bless everything you touch.

Proverb 22: 9 

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

If I may, I would also like to be so honest as to say . . .

1 Corinthians 2: 10 – 13

God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. After all, who knows everything about a person except that person’s own spirit? In the same way, no one has known everything about God except God’s Spirit. Now, we didn’t receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us. We don’t speak about these things using teachings that are based on intellectual arguments like people do. Instead, we use the Spirit’s teachings. We explain spiritual things to those who have the Spirit.

1 Kings 3: 3 – 5, 15

Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David. . . And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there . . . Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and held a feast for all his servants.

Proverb 20: 28

Good leadership is built on love and truth, for kindness and integrity are what keep leaders in their position of trust.

Leadership is hard . . .

Proverb 20: 19

One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a gossip.

There is a Jewish concept called Loshon hora . . .

Proverb 21: 23 

Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

I think the secret to guarding one’s mouth is . . .

Philippians 4: 13

I can do all things.

Is God schizophrenic? Does the Bible set up a dichotomy telling us one thing and then the opposite?

Luke 6: 38

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

If you read yesterday’s Word of the Day, you know that . . .

Luke 6: 46

“Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Jesus doesn’t demand you obey him because he is an egomaniac . . .

Luke 6: 31

Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.

It sounded so simple when we were children . . .

Proverb 20: 27

The spirit God breathed into man is like a living lamp, a shining light, searching into the inner most chamber of our being.

James 1: 22

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.

Each Word of the Day is an invitation to see . . .

Philippians 2: 3 – 4

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Love one another; just as I have loved you.

John 13: 34 – 35

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

Psalm 119: 49

Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope. Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

These promises from God . . .

Proverb 19: 5

A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who declares lies will not escape.

So, the difficulty is not in understanding. I mean face it; this passage is as clear as fine crystal. The hard part is obeying. We are like petulant children. We don’t want to grow up and face the consequences of our actions, so we lie about them.

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.

It sounds like a Hallmark movie . . .

Proverb 12: 15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

Psalm 119: 62   

At midnight I rise to thank you.

Do you ever have trouble sleeping?

Proverb 10: 4

Poor is one who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverb 18: 20 – 21

From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled – with the harvest of his lips he is satisfied. Death and life are in the control of the tongue. Those who indulge in it will eat its fruit.

John 16: 32

Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

Proverb 14: 7

Leave the presence of a fool, or you will not discern words of knowledge.

Psalm 91: 1

One who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will lodge in the shadow of the Almighty.

Faith is not making a decision and expecting God to back it. Faith is only found in following Him.

Proverb 10: 22

It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich.

It is the blessing of the Lord which is at work. The blessing of the Lord makes rich!

Proverb 17: 22

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

If you want a healthy body, then you need a joyful heart.

Psalm 119:63

Anyone is my brother who fears and trusts the Lord and obeys him.

In these confusing times, it is nice to have theological guidance from the one who is best qualified to teach us, the Lord Himself.

Romans 8: 26

Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

James 5: 13

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

Proverb 16: 3 & 9

Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The mind of a person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Proverb 16: 20

One who pays attention to the word will find good, and blessed is one who trusts in the LORD.

Psalm 145: 14

The Lord sustains all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.

Hebrews 4: 12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.

Proverb 12: 25 

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Instead of being anxious, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving . . .

Proverb 15: 1

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Proverb 14: 6

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Proverb 13: 10

Through overconfidence comes nothing but strife, but wisdom is with those who receive counsel.

Proverb 12: 14

A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, and the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.

Proverb 11: 17         NIV

Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

Proverb 10: 22

It is the Lord’s blessing that makes a person rich, and hard work adds nothing to it.

Proverb 9: 10 – 11

The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship Yahweh. To receive the revelation of the Holy One, you must come to the one who has living understanding. Wisdom will extend your life, making every year more fruitful than the one before.

Proverb 8: 32, 35

Now then, sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. For one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.

It is most humbling seeing the kindness and generosity of your blessed and anointed hearts. Christ within you is so evident.  As your donations are coming in for the Bike MS event, not only am humbled, but I am also blessed and inspired.  I feel more impetus to get out on my bike and do my part for you and for those with MS.  I cannot do enough to thank you, but I will do my best. Here I am on a recent ride. This was at my 35 mile rest stop on a 50 mile ride.  That is my longest

Proverb 7: 8

Passing through the street near her corner; and he walks along the way to her house.

Proverb 6: 16 – 19

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who declares lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.

Galatians 5: 1

 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Proverb 5: 1 – 5

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding, so that you may maintain discretion and your lips may comply with knowledge. For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverb 4: 7

The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your possessions, acquire understanding.

Proverb 3: 13 – 18

Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, and one who obtains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver, and her produce better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who hold on to her.

Proverb 2: 1 – 5

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God.

Proverb 1: 1 – 7

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.

As we pause this weekend to remember and honor those who gave their lives to protect our freedom, let us also remember the one who initially purchased that freedom for us.  Love is known by this, that Jesus willingly laid down his life for us (1 John 3: 16) so that we might be free.

John 14: 21

The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.

John 14: 7 – 10

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works.”

Psalm 150

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Everything that has breath shall praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

John 14: 6

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

James 3: 17

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy.

The important lesson from this little example is . . .

Romans 2: 4

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

1 Corinthians 10: 4

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

Let me show you this in a real-world example.

Psalm 149: 6

God’s high and holy praises fill their mouths, for their shouted praises are their weapons of war!

Psalm 62: 1

I wait quietly before God.

One of the most important spiritual lessons I had to learn was . . .

Psalm 61: 1 – 3 

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.

Psalm 115: 15

May you be blessed of the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.

I have noticed that there is a new expression that has gained much popularity.

1 Corinthians 15: 57

And to God — thanks, to Him who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 148: 13 – 14

Let them praise the name of the Lord because his name is high above all others. His glory is above heaven and earth. He has given his people a strong leader, someone praiseworthy for his faithful ones, for the people of Israel, the people who are close to him. Hallelujah!

Mark 16: 15

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

1 Timothy 6: 18

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.

One might use Christian ethics as a personal morality code, but that does not make us Christians.

1 Corinthians 3: 19 – 20

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”

Psalm 147: 10       NIV His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. I don’t know that I have ever seen this verse so clearly before. We see what we are able to see, what our hearts are prepared for. I accuse God of adding things to my Bible that weren’t there previously. It is amazing how you can read the same passage year upon year and then, all of a sudden,

Isaiah 41: 9

I have chosen you and not rejected you.

You gotta love this good news!

Ephesians 4: 11 – 12

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the purpose of equipping of the saints and the building up of the Body of Christ.

Psalm 145: 8

The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

Now isn’t that what you want in a best friend?

Psalm 145: 21 

I will praise you, Lord! Let everyone everywhere join me in praising the beautiful Lord of holiness from now through eternity!

Psalm 146: 5

Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God.

Psalm 145: 6

They tell of the power of your awesome works – and I will proclaim your great deeds.

Philippians 4: 8 

Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.

Genesis 37: 5

Then Joseph had a dream.

When you are feeling like life is the pits . . .

Lamentations 3: 41

We raise our heart and hands toward God in heaven.

Imagine my horror when . . .

Psalm 145: 1

I will exalt You, my God, the King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.

My heart explodes with praise to you! Now and forever my heart bows in worship to you, my King and my God!

John 3: 17

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.

John 1: 17

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 28: 6

“Blessed will you be when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out.”

. . . you see Jesus’ fingerprints on the fabric of your life.

Psalm 144: 3

O Lord, what are humans that you should care about them? What are mere mortals that you should think about them?

Genesis 21: 4

Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Genesis 12: 1, 4 – 5 “Go from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.” So Abram went away as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the people which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. We are still talking about getting in the game which is

Genesis 11: 31

Now Terah took his son Abram, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they departed together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran and settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

Jeremiah 29: 11

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Psalm 143: 10 

I just want to obey all you ask of me. So teach me, Lord, for you are my God. Your gracious Spirit is all I need, so lead me on good paths that are pleasing to you, my one and only God!

Acts 1: 3

To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of things regarding the kingdom of God.

Jeremiah 29: 12 -14

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes.

Psalm 25: 10

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

Hebrews 13: 17

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Psalm 142: 1 – 2

I cry out with my voice to the Lord; with my voice I implore the Lord for compassion. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.

Luke 6: 37

Do not judge.

It is easy to be judgmental. Why? Because people are fallible.

Revelations 12:11

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony.

John 1: 18

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Are you as close to the Father as you would like to be?

Luke 6:12

It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

The reason I chose this verse is because it astounds me that. . .

Psalm 141: 3

Set a guard, Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

I imagine a cave entrance with a large angel standing watch over it.

Luke 10: 38 – 42

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Lamentations 3: 25

The Lord is good to those who await Him, to the person who seeks Him.

What is the motivation for seeking God?

1 Chronicles 28: 9

If you seek Him, He will let you find Him.

Seeking God builds relationship with Jesus and the Spirit.

Philippians 1: 4

[A]lways offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.

A funny thing happened on the way to a tree.

Psalm 140: 13

Certainly the righteous will give thanks to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.

That is what is attractive, living, dwelling daily in His presence.

Mark 12: 28

One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

“Which is the worst sin?”

Psalm 139: 17 – 18

How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

David was having a grand encounter with God, in a dream

Romans 12: 6, 8

However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly . . . the one who is in leadership, with diligence.

There is such a thing as Biblical Leadership.

Romans 13: 10
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

1 John 4: 8
God is love.

To say that our Beloved allows evil to befall us is to . . .

Psalm 139: 7

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

I used to be a person who was not good at being alone and I became lonely very easily.

Luke 19: 10

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Matthew 23:27

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

This verse reminds me of someone I once knew. His desk was immaculate; no folders, papers or files upon it, but . . .

Psalm 23: 5 – 6

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, and my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23: 1 – 4

The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 138: 7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will reach out with Your hand . . . and Your right hand will save me.

Mark 15: 46

Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb which had been cut out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

In the attitude of seeking the Lord and reaffirming my devotion to Him . . .

Luke 18: 1

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged.

Exodus 32: 29

Then Moses said, “Dedicate yourselves today.”

Luke 7: 7

For that reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You.

Psalm 137: 4

How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

Matthew 22: 37 – 40

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 5: 45

… so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5: 43 – 44

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

1 Corinthians 13: 6-7

(Love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Psalm 136: 1

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His faithfulness is everlasting.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-5

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered.

Isaiah 30: 21

Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

Isaiah 30: 18

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.

Isaiah 65: 24

It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Psalm 135: 1

Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, you servants of the LORD.

Matthew 20: 12

These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat.

James 4: 8

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

I have been trying to answer the question, “Why should we seek the Lord?”

Acts 17: 27

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

Psalm 22: 26

The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever!

Psalm 134: 1

Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord.

Psalm 105: 4

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

2 Chronicles 15: 12

They entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.

1 Chronicles 22: 19

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 4:29

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there – life forever.

Isaiah 41: 17

The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst; I, the Lord, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

Romans 12: 9 – 13

Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Isaiah 32: 17

And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

Psalm 30: 11 -12

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Psalm 132: 7

Let’s go into His dwelling place; let’s worship at His footstool.

1 Peter 2: 4 – 5

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8: 26

Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Jude 1: 17 – 21

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.

Psalm 131: 1 – 3

Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes arrogant; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child resting against his mother, my soul within me is like a weaned child. Israel, wait for the Lord from this time on and forever.

Luke 22: 26

But it is not this way for you; rather, the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.

Jeremiah 17: 7 – 8 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream, and does not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit. Peace and trust have much to do with one another. I particularly was intrigued by the line that reads, “whose trust is the Lord.” Trust has become a person. It is more

2 Chronicles 32: 1 – 8

. . . And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

2 Thessalonians 3: 16
Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

Revelation 21: 5
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Merry Christmas!   Christmas tidings to every one of you. I pray that this Christmas Season will be a warm reminder of why you became a Christian.  I pray that your relationship with Christ will be rejuvenated and renewed.  It is also my hope that you will receive healing for the stress this year has brought. This arrangement, done by Diane Jones, reminds me that we can arrange our lives and thoughts according to the limitless grace of our dear Lord.  Though 2020 handed us many lemons, they can be squeezed and made into lemonade.  Diane’s arrangement encourages my spirit

Luke 2: 15 – 20
When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Luke 2: 8 – 11
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Matthew 2: 11 Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In western culture, the gifts of frankincense and myrrh hardly seem on par with the gift of gold. Is this, then, a dialogue on valuable gifts? Or, perhaps, invaluable gifts? It turns out that historically, frankincense and myrrh were at least as valuable as gold and many historians believe them to have been more valuable than gold. I got this from Dr. Axe regarding these ancient oils. Visit his website at draxe.com. Myrrh is a resin, or sap-like substance, that is one

Psalm 130: 1 – 4
Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings. If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered.

Isaiah 7: 14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.

Jeremiah 31: 13
Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Isaiah 19: 20
And it will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will save them.

Matthew 25: 37 – 40
Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

Psalm 129: 4
The Lord is righteous. He has cut me loose from the ropes that wicked people tied around me.

Psalm 51: 11
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51: 10
Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
What I hear in this . . .

Psalm 51: 1 – 4
Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; according to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, and my sin is constantly before me.

Luke 6: 38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
Today is giving Tuesday.

Psalm 128: 1 – 2
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the fruit of the labor of your hands, you will be happy and it will go well for you.

Psalm 100: 4
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courtyards with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Jude 1: 24 – 25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 107:20
He sent His word and healed them, and saved them from their destruction.

Psalm 127: 1
Unless the Lord builds a house, they who build it labor in vain.

Matthew 7:24
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves. It you really want to see Christianity in action, here is your verse. Christians are supposed to put the needs of others ahead of their own. We are supposed to consider others as more important than ourselves. That is what Jesus did. He sacrificed his wants and needs for the rest of us. He didn’t want to be crucified. He didn’t want to die. He gave himself for us. We see this in others. I cannot help but think of

Matthew 15: 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. Matthew 12:34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. Jesus said that in the last days, wolves would come dressed as sheep so we must be adept at discerning who is of the truth and who is not. Jesus said you would know the wolves (and the sheep) by their fruit. Yesterday, I sent you the test. It comes out of Colossians

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, a heart of compassion, humility, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.

Psalm 126: 1 – 2 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, it was as if we were dreaming. Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs. Then the nations said, “The Lord has done spectacular things for them.” I claim this passage on behalf of our generation. We have been challenged. We have a global pandemic which has claimed many lives and upended our lives for most of the year. The weather has been tumultuous, and that is probably an understatement. There have been tornadoes, floods, typhoons, hurricanes, fires, mudslides, earthquakes, unseasonable temperatures

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

This third chapter of Colossians is Paul’s instruction regarding how one’s life changes after accepting Christ.

This is key language, certainly. I have been thinking quite a lot lately about what our faith requires of us. If I call myself a Christian, is there more to it than my salvation?

The clear message from this passage is that our thoughts should be with Christ where he is seated. We should be seeking those things above.

Trusting in God means we remind ourselves of what He has said instead of casually letting thoughts run through our minds. It also means correcting our thinking.

May I suggest, the hour is now. We are in the hour of which John spoke. Do you have any doubt about that? One good thing the year 2020 has done for us, or should have done for us, is to focus us on that which is important. We should have clarity about the focus of our lives.

Yes Lord! Let peace continually reign over the hearts of everyone within the reach of my pen (or computer, as it were.) Grant them . . .

This may be one of the most important devotionals I write all year. 

Did you every wonder how the Apostle Paul perceived his mission? In order to complete the race the Lord has set before us, we must understand and accept our personal mission. Paul, in writing to Timothy, tells us wat his was. It is twofold. First is love, second is faith.

I am reminded, today, that psalms are actually songs. As we think about this as music, there is tendency, perhaps, to try to categorize the psalms generally but also this one specifically. One wouldn’t likely call it a ditty, maybe a lament instead. Would you expect this . . .

This verse is for me today. I would like to be this person. Of all the things I think I could change about me, this is one I would like to succeed at. I doubt I am the only person who feels they do not praise the Lord enough or give Him enough thanks.

What struck me about this verse, though, is not the benefit to us as much as the relationship the Father and Son enjoy.

What is a Christian? At one level it is a very easy question to answer. At another level, we believe there is more to being a Christian than merely our beliefs and our confession.

This verse is an important verse for each of us to know and understand. Without it, much of the Bible loses its efficacy. However, with it, the Old Testament is as vibrant and life giving as the New Testament.

What a sad truth this is; we bear the scorn and contempt of a world which has lost faith in the one true God.

I want to tell you a little story today. It seems these days, some of my best moments come when I am riding my bike. Recently, on the night before a scheduled bike ride, I invited God to go on the ride with me the following day. On the day of the ride . . .

You see here a methodology for healing. We’ve a little problem with this today though. We are supposed to be socially distanced from one another. How do we lay hands on the sick when we pray for them?

Taken together we learned, first, that God did not send Jesus into the earth to judge the world. Second, we are told that the Father is not judging anyone Himself. Therefore . . .

I have been riding my bike quite a bit this summer and one interesting observation of note is the number and variety of places I have seen quoted John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

As Christians, we have an interesting heritage and lots of homes. Like the Jews we have roots in Jerusalem as our home because we have been adopted into the family of Abraham.

A friend and I were talking yesterday when he said he feels like he has lost a year of his life to Covid. I well imagine a lot of us feel that way. It gave me pause, though, and I have two responses to it.

Who am I, Lord, that you should take notice of me? Who am I that you should care for me when I am just a worm and unworthy? I will tell who I am. I am a worm for whom Jesus bled, suffered, and died.

Today’s verse is the verse I have repeated to myself day after day. I had to have it to hang on to. These are our Father’s own words. He brought them to me.

When we speak of the Lord guarding and protecting us, we often think of the physical protection and security of our bodies and homes. . . it is important to have safeguards for your soul as well.

It is very easy to believe that fullness of joy exists in the Lord’s presence. How could there be anything else? When we work backwards through this verse . . .

We are still learning so much about who (and what) God is. When Moses asked Him who he should say sent him, God said, “I am.”

The keys for national healing is the exact reflection of what we need on a personal level for healing. Let us look at these three important elements to national and personal healing.

My friend, Ann, brought up a really good point recently. She expressed concern over whether we are walking in faith or fear. This is always a good question but especially now during the corona virus situation.

You can appropriate any and all Bible promises, including this from today’s psalm, because they all belong to you.

The psalmist knows that peace, strength, and blessing are in the precepts of the Lord. He finds his strong tower and his shield in the law of God. The statutes of God are not laws to be despised to this psalmist. He understands that God has given the law as a means to aid and protect His loved ones. They are life and healing to those who find them. Today’s verse shows that God’s word is a guiding light.

“The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.” As the foundational stone, the integrity of the whole building relies upon the cornerstone. It determines the strength of the whole building.

The entire psalm is two verses and every word is wonderful. Two things struck me, though. First, this psalm is directed towards all nations and all people. Think of that. Imagine all the people of the world praising Yahweh, lauding Him with praise. Is that not a beautiful image? That day will come. We can meditate on it now, rolling that image around in our minds. All the peoples of the world will sing praises to the Lord, our God and we will praise Him in unison, many languages in harmony. Wow!

This is a good psalm and I think you will find comfort in many of its verses. I chose these two verses because they shouted to me about the peace we can find in our Lord.

This is one of the things which has most bothered me about the corona virus outbreak. No nation has had a bigger outbreak than the United States. My thinking is that we ought to fare well because of our God. Let me show you this same verse from the Passion Translation. It reads, “Why should the unbelievers mock us, saying, ‘Where is this God of yours?’” Does that not aggravate you a little? It bothers me a lot. This great nation, established in and by God is struggling with the viral outbreak. Why?

This psalm is about how the earth yielded to the command of the Lord when Israel fled from Egypt. The sea parted, the river stood back, and rocks even produced drinking water. This may be a good meditation for a world overrun by a viral enemy.

This is one of those verses which has different readings in different translations. There are varying nuances on the theme, and you might be interested in reading it in different Bibles. One of the easy ways to do that is to go to Bible Gateway. You can bring up this, or any other passage, in multiple translations at once. I landed here for one simple reason.

Today’s passage shows the characteristics and benefits of a life lived in reverence to the Lord. It describes the life of the person who loves the Lord. Blessing and prosperity adorn his life and he is prosperous in all his ways. It also shows his personality traits, traits which are gained through living enamored with God.

My favorite verse in this psalm is actually verse 10, “The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” That is the verse I intended to use for today’s Word of the Day. I didn’t use it because when I read verse 4 this idea of God’s compassion overtook my mind and heart. I was immediately given to understand that being in the Lord is how we are able to express compassion and to be gracious. Those two traits might not be intrinsic to humans, but we have the ability to express them expansively because He is in us giving life to our mortal bodies. His life within us is filling us with His goodness so that we have His love to share with others. This, the love and compassion of our dear Father, is what the world needs now, most of all.

Melchizedek is an interesting figure. He appeared in Genesis 14: 18 after Abram defeated the three kings. Interestingly, though, Melchizedek is mentioned more often in the New Testament than the Old. When Abram returned from the battle, Melchizedek, the King of Salem and High Priest of God, brought out bread and wine to Abram. Abram, in turn, gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils of war. Very interesting indeed!

There are two aspects of these verses which sing to me. The first is that our Father saves according to His kindness. The second is that our salvation shall be recognized as the grace which comes from the hand of the Lord God, Yahweh, our Father and deliverer.

These two verses capture well how I feel about the coronavirus situation. We have battled it with our human wisdom, yet it seems we are getting nowhere. I appreciate the Herculean efforts researchers and medical personnel are investing in this problem. They truly are heroes. However, despite their tireless efforts, the virus continues to ravage the world. It is truly amazing how it tears through populations. We need intervention, Divine intervention.

Happy Monday all! I pray you are well and longing for a fresh word from the Lord. This psalm is a favorite of mine because it tells of God sending us His Word and the impact it has on human life. The Word heals. Amen.

I have this psalm, specifically verse 20, among the scriptures I give to people when they have need of physical healing. Of course, it is equally applicable to emotional or mental healing as well. I have also used it in the Word of the Day at least 18 times. I believe it has a strong message that will feed life to us. Today, however, I was equally struck by the verses accompanying verse 20 because together they tell a potent story. In context we learn that the people cried out to the Lord in their day of trouble. I cannot think of a period, in my lifetime, when we have been in greater trouble. When the people spoken of in this psalm cried out to the Lord, he saved them from their distress.

Save me, show me your favor, let me find joy, prosperity, happiness and praise. Not a bad prayer, especially when you consider the psalmist asks the Lord to lead him to praise. All these things; favor, salvation, prosperity, etc. ultimately lead us to praise. Don’t you believe that praise, bragging about the great things God is doing in your life, leads to more praise and, subsequently, to more of those great things? The more I focus my mind and words on praise and thanksgiving, the more praise and thanksgiving well up in my heart.

This is a good word and a good reminder. When we sin, it is often with our mouths. I know I need hear these verses routinely to keep me reminded to watch my mouth. I did an entire series on this one little verse once. It is packed with meaning and when you unpack it, you find these are very powerful words. I am sure that Paul did not choose them lightly.

As you may have noticed, I am reading Colossians, the third chapter, and if you look at the digital Bible I am reading from, you will see that almost every verse is highlighted and the only reason it isn’t all highlighted is because I restrained myself. This chapter is a primer for the what the Christian life is to be. Today’s passage really spoke to me and I want to suggest that it is the seminal passage for this time in our history. However, we are so far from this paradigm right now, that I hesitate to speak what alit on my heart as I read it. Then again, many writers of truth have been shouted down throughout history and berated for speaking the truth. Just look at Paul, John and Peter for starters.

We talked about seeking on Monday. Here Paul tells us what else we should seek. So far this year, we have seen that we are to seek the Lord, His strength and His face continually (Psalm 105: 4), His Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6: 33, and now the things which are above. The shorthand is, fix your eyes on Jesus. Keep looking at him because in him is all that matters. All the universe is in him because he is the light, the life and the way.

Well, we certainly did return to our own property and stayed there. 2020 is the year we will not forget. Many people have surrounded themselves with more deep thought and philosophy in the months since the coronavirus invaded our lives than perhaps in entire years. Here is the question, though, what do you want to be able to say in say, 2022 when you look back at this year? Will you be able to say that despite the monumental challenges, the unprecedented impact upon our way of living, that you, none the less, we’re able to come out the other side having gained something important?

Psalm 105: 4 Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually. Perhaps the most important, certainly some of the best advice in the Bible, this verse speaks the essence of the intertwined partnership, a valuable life model. Seeking Yahweh’s face in every event, even in every moment of life establishes a life lived with God Himself. It is the epitome of Christian experience. The keyword in this verse is, “continually.” Seeking God’s face continually implies an action and denotes where our energy is spent. However, the precursor of seeking God’s face is staying our thoughts upon Him. Having

Job 33: 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Let’s return to the breath. I should have shared this with you long ago. My friend Chuck Goldberg taught me this, so here we go. I have shown you that the Breath of God is the Holy Spirit. Step one complete. Step two – we have talked about the name of God before, Yahweh. Now, Chuck has taught us that the name of God is actually the breath. What? Step three. Okay, so here is the lesson. Divide the name Yahweh

1 Timothy 3: 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Paul, in writing to Timothy, gave direction regarding the qualifications for church leaders. This verse points out one of the requirements, i.e. that he must have a good reputation outside of the church. I don’t know that we discuss these requirements often, in the general church but perhaps we should. Even if you have been privy to the discussions, is a person’s reputation outside the church something often considered? When

John 21: 1 – 8 Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know

John 20: 21 – 22 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Why in the world did Jesus breathe on his disciples? After yesterday’s Word of the Day, I bet you know the answer. Let’s ponder this just a moment though. Yesterday we saw that the breath is the Spirit. We also saw that where this breath is there is life and when there is the absence, there is

Psalm 104: 29 – 30 You hide Your face, they are dismayed; You take away their spirit, they expire and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the ground. You might not know it to just read these two verses, but they contain a couple of insights into the Divine Trinity and creation. In order to show the revelation which is contained here, let us first read this passage from a different translation. “When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give

Romans 1: 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Of course these words were written by Paul who was a preacher, like me. He encountered what we all do, the ministry to the saints juxtaposed to the ministry to the non-saved. There is more to this than simply preaching to saved and unsaved. Of course, the message is different when addressed to those who are already saved. Beyond that, though, there is a requirement in this verse of our obligation to the unsaved. The obligation is to the

2 Samuel 22: 31 God’s way is perfect! The promise of the Lord has proven to be true. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. I really like when the Father starts showing me verse upon verse which combine to illuminate His teaching. Every verse this week has built upon the previous one. It began with “Blessing the Lord” in which we learned that believing God’s promises blesses Him. Today we arrive at a word of assurance. We have been looking at a model for prayer. This model is dependent upon God’s Word and His

Job 22:28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways. What do you think of when you hear the word “decree?” You probably do not think of the Bible. This verse from Job goes along with yesterday’s Word of the Day. Click Here to go to yesterday’s devotional. This is still about prayer. We are learning that prayer is much more than a laundry list of requests. It also does not equate to begging God to do something for us. Prayer is much more about finding what God

Psalm 103: 20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word! We have talked about prayer a good bit this year and I have tried to introduce you to a prayer model that may be a little different from what we learned as kids. I have also tried to show you the important role that angels and God’s Word play in prayer. This verse fairly shouts. God’s kingdom operates according to His Word and both God and His angels are listening, attentive to the utterance of His Word. Most

Psalm 103: 1 – 5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I remember well when it came home to roost in my heart. I was in Florida, getting

Proverb 3: 23 – 24 Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. This is a picture of what Christian life should be. It is a life of peace, tranquility and security. The fully realized Christian is able to lie down and sleep in peace because there is no fear or worry. They enjoy sweet sleep. Good sleep alone is a reason this verse is attractive, but I really like the picture it paints of a

Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. In 2015 I wrote a devotion titled “The Crimson Veil.” The substance of that article is about the effect the blood has on our relationship with the Father. When He looks at us, He looks through a crimson veil, that veil being the blood of Christ. God sees Jesus’ righteousness and worth when He looks at us because He looks through the veil of sacrificial blood. Speaking for myself, that is a powerful image and certainly helps

1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. According to all God has promised us, may He be blessed, because He does not fail. This is rich language but more importantly, it is the assurance of God’s promises fulfilled in our lives. What value has the Bible if not to see God, to learn of His ways and promises and to, subsequently, see them fulfilled in our lives? God did

Roman 12: 15        NIV Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. It would be interesting to hear from you as to what this sentiment says to you. It probably says more than seen at first glance. It is also probably appropriate for these times, specifically, because of the wide-spread and varied emotions people are experiencing around the globe.  People are facing a wide range of circumstances.  The situations and accompanying emotions can even vary by geographic region. What is our response to these changing situations and the real-life consequences? This is the application of

Psalm 102: 12 – 22 But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea. Let

Jeremiah 1:12 You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it. I’ve been thinking about prayer a lot lately. I bet I am not alone in that. I stumbled over this scripture today and it got me to thinking again. The best kind of prayer is when we pray God’s words and this verse makes it evident why that is true. Can you even picture that for a moment? Imagine God watching the earth for someone to speak His Word so He can rush in to perform it. Amazing. However, it brings up for me

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. A friend of mine posted something on Facebook about selflessly caring for others. I was reminded of this verse and found myself wondering if that is a key to self preservation. It set me to thinking. The people I know who are trying to find ways to bless and support others seem to be faring well though this challenging time. Is there something God wanted to do for us that comes through our

Proverb 2: 6 – 7 For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. Do you need wisdom, knowledge or understanding? Well, the Lord, our God, has stored these things for us so that they would be available in our time of need. Now, the real question is, “How do we avail ourselves of these things?” The answer is that you spend time in prayer. God is going to lead you in wisdom and knowledge. That is why he has stored them up; so that He can give them

Matthew 8: 18, 23 – 26 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side . . . and when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He himself was asleep. And they came to Him, and awoke Him saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;

The observance of Memorial Day is to honor men and women who died in their military service to this country.  It is common for us to acknowledge our living veterans too.  It is a day for waving the flag and for esprit de corps.  Whatever may be wrong with our country, we are still proud to be Americans and humbled by the price so many people have paid for us to get to live the lives we do. Memorial Day is a time for reflection.  Even as we express our gratitude to those who fought and died in military service,

Exodus 34: 6 – 7 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.” I wrote yesterday of my changing attitudes and if I failed to communicate this, I want to make clear that the only reason there is even a drop of compassion in my body is because our Father is full of loving compassion. He has given me the ability to feel His love and compassion for His

Matthew 12: 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. Many of you know my background but for those who do not, I was a Political Science major in college. After college I went to law school and got my Juris Doctor degree. I was known in college for my conservative views and argued for small government which should be administered as closely to the people as possible, civil liberties, and privacy. I lean towards the writings of John Locke and away from Thomas Hobbes.

Matthew 6: 33               Amplified Version But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. One of the fundamental principles of faith is to seek God. Seeking God’s face and His presence is never the wrong thing to do but, in this passage, Jesus gave us a more precise instruction. He said to seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, the two being closely related. Jesus

Matthew 6: 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Last week I wrote to you about Matthew 7: 7 – 12 (See Word of the Day, Fish or Snake, May 15, 2020). The substance of that article was asking and receiving, seeking and finding, knocking and the door being opened. We look for God’s blessing and God is not a man that He would give us a snake if we asked for a fish. He gives good gifts to His beloved. I was out on a bike ride Friday

Psalm 101: 1 – 4            NIV I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil. Most of us

Matthew 7: 7 – 11, 12 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

Psalm 13 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing

John 12:32              KJV And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection. His being lifted up on the cross like the serpent being put on the pole in the desert is a sign of salvation. Jesus was also talking about his resurrection and ascension. He was making the point that those acts would be the message that called people to him. That’s not all though, to this day, he is still actively calling all people unto him and that

Romans 12: 10           NKJV Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. I used this quote once before in the last 40 days of this covid conundrum. It is from Thomas Paine who, in another very trying time in American history, penned these words, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” This quote is from December 23, 1776. No doubt the souls of people were sorely tried and some, no doubt, found wanting. Allow me to share more of the quote. He went on to write, “The

Psalm 100      GW Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord cheerfully. Come into his presence with a joyful song. Realize that the Lord alone is God. He made us, and we are his. We are his people and the sheep in his care. Enter his gates with a song of thanksgiving. Come into his courtyards with a song of praise. Give thanks to him; praise his name. The Lord is good. His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness endures throughout every generation. Here is an admonition to praise God, sing to Him, serve Him, and

Deuteronomy 5:33 You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess. Let’s go back and reread this verse. It is potent. Here is my takeaway, God’s commandments are meant to prolong our days and bless our way. I was thinking about a different verse which says, He will lead us in the way we should go (Isaiah 48:17) when I had a nudge to go look through a

Exodus 33: 18 “I pray You, show me Your glory!” This is my prayer today. The theme for the National Day of Prayer is “Pray God’s glory across the earth.” Whomever chose the theme for this year must have had divine inspiration because it is the perfect prayer. It is curious that the National theme has a world-wide scope. This isn’t just about praying for our national leaders. It is about praying for God to show up across the whole world. So, what is the glory of the Lord? You may have seen the term “Shekinah Glory” before. The Shekinah

Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Right now, many places in the world appear God forsaken. How do you feel about that statement? What do you think non-believers are thinking now? Do they, or we, see God’s hand? Is He asleep? How do we answer anyone’s doubts, even our own? Stubborn faith is one answer. We choose to believe in love regardless of the current situation. How can this viral disaster occur, and hundreds of

2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 9             NLT Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to

Psalm 99: 4                  NLT Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. Our God is a God of justice and righteousness, but it must also be noted that He is a God of fairness. Fairness is one of those ideals that gets a bit lost sometimes. Some people say life isn’t meant to be fair. I disagree whole heartedly. Children have a basic sense of fairness. It is one of their measures of life. For some completely bizarre reason, as we grow

Psalm 85:9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Sorry if this seems redundant or is boring but I couldn’t resist this verse after yesterday’s Word of the Day. What struck me about this is that when we live in His saving grace, as we discussed yesterday, then God’s glory shines in our land. If we take a more precise, modern-day language reading of the word “fear” we would render that phrase “revere Him.” We just don’t use the word fear in that context anymore. Therefore, the relationship is that

Psalm 34: 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. I was very surprised today to realize I had not sent this verse. I would have sworn I had. There is never a time when this verse is not appropriate because we all have need of Jesus’ saving grace daily, we have all suffered broken hearts and unfortunately, most of us have experienced at least one time in our lives when we have been crushed in our spirits. What I hear the most in this right now, though, is the high level

Romans 4: 3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” So here is my question, would Abraham have become the Father of Israel if He did not believe? He is also called the father of faith. Surely, he would not have won that title without outstanding, radical belief. Question number two, what is the relevance for today? My answer is that I want to be like Abraham. Think of what God asked him to believe. He and his wife were already old. Sarah was infertile as a young woman. Then

Jeremiah 17: 7 – 8 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” What refreshing and comforting words we receive today from Jeremiah. The person of faith and trust is represented as a tree. Trees live a long time, longer than humans. In the Bible,

Psalm 98: 7 – 9 Let the sea, everything in it, the world, and those who live in it roar like thunder. Let the rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing joyfully in the Lord’s presence. Do you ever wonder what happened the day the Lord died? I mean, if he is the life (John 14: 6) what happened to the world when the life died? And then, did the earth rejoice when he came back to life? Did the animals feel something happening in the earth? Did they hide in their burrows when Jesus died? What about the

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.” I journaled this verse recently and learned quite a bit from what the Lord revealed to me. What this verse gives us, God says, is our heritage. We are entitled to His vindication and victory. Here is what God said to me about this verse. I hope you enjoy it. Father, what would you say to me about this verse? “People tend to limit this verse. They rarely address the second part at all. Even the first phrase

Genesis 26: 1, 12 Now there was a famine in the land. Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him. I have been thinking about the economic aspect of this corona virus problem and wanting to write on it. This passage has been running through my mind for a couple of weeks now. It has everything to do with our current economic situation. However, this story about Isaac is one of the Biblical passages which can leave you scratching your head. When Isaac was confronted with a famine, he thought

Matthew 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Boy, there is a revelation in that scripture. A legion is 6000 and it refers, specifically, to troops, soldiers. Jesus said if he asked the Father, God would put at his disposal more than 72,000 angelic soldiers. Let that one sink in for a moment. Now, what is the power of prayer? One of my friends and colleagues received a question regarding covid-19 and angels. The writer wanted to know what the

1 Peter 5: 7 Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Whenever I ask our Father what message He wants to give to His people, His answer is always the same, “Tell My people I love them.” That is the Father’s heart and that is the message He is sending today through this devotional. If you read no further, just hear, “Your Father, Yahweh, loves you!” Today the message of His love comes in the form of His care for you. There are two things I want to discuss about this verse. First, it’s just about

Psalm 97: 3 All around him burns a blazing glory-fire consuming all his foes. This passage reminds me of the Shekinah Glory of God. What is that, you ask. Do you remember the burning bush? It was engulfed in flame but did not burn up and the voice of God spoke to Moses from it. Then there was the pillar of fire that the Israelites followed in the desert. In the second book of Acts, “flames or tongues of fire” appeared to the assembled (v. 3 TLB). The Shekinah Glory of the Lord is His presence and often appears as

John 16: 25, 27 But (I) will tell you plainly of the Father . . . for the Father Himself loves you. Have you ever wondered why God, chooses to be called “Father?” I mean, He is Lord High King, God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Why does He call Himself Father to a bunch of rag a muffin humans? He could choose any title or name imaginable yet He chose to be a Father. Why does He ask us to love Him rather than just to serve Him? That is an amazing question, isn’t it and an interesting

As this situation wears on, it is easy to grow weary, even for people of faith.  However, we are a body, united to stand against any foe.  And, we are standing.  Christians all over the world are praying more and stronger than ever.  Bible studies go on via videoconferencing and teleconferening.  Wisdom may require that we not congregate in person right now, but we are together in the Spirit, God’s Holy Spirit being the medium through which we are united.  The Spirit is able to be with you and in you right now even while he is in me and

1 Peter 3: 12  (Psalm 34: 15) For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer. The National Day of Prayer is coming up soon, May 7th. Why should we devote an entire day to prayer? The answer is, because Dad is listening. Moreover, He is attending our prayer. I want that, don’t you? In the early part of this year I wrote that I believed Father was calling us into a deeper prayer life this year. Now we understand why. He was enlisting us in an attack on the coronavirus. Yahweh

Proverb 18: 24 But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. One of the things this viral attack on our world, cultures and lifestyles has done is to bring people together. Though we are separated by space and don’t get to see one another, you sure do appreciate your friends and find tenderness towards people in general. Maybe you have some friendships that have been forged during this time or strengthened. You find out who provokes tenderness in your heart and whose heart is pining for you. Perhaps you have been surprised by someone who reached out

Joshua 23: 9 – 11 For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. I didn’t include this passage in yesterday’s devotion because it was already getting lengthy, but I felt you needed to see this for yourself and us discuss it a bit further. Truly,

Psalm 96: 1 – 2 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. I wrote to you last week about praise. This song is titled “A call to Worship.” I think this is worth some thought. As you read further in this psalm the author also says to take an offering to the Lord. This made me think of how we can partner with the Lord in devotional unity against the viral situation we are facing but

Deuteronomy 31: 6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. So, I’m working today and praying as I do and asked Father to give me a heart of courage that I may stand strong and confident during these trying times. He said to me, “Ivey, you have one of the strongest hearts I know. That does not mean that you don’t feel. There is a big difference between courage and denial.” That was an eye

Psalm 57: 1       NLT Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. Did you know God has wings? I didn’t. I never thought about it until now though I have read these passages many times. When you picture Him, do you picture Him with wings? Have a look at Psalm 36: 7, “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings,” (NIV). God’s wings are a place of refuge for

Luke 21: 25 – 28          GW “Miraculous signs will occur in the sun, moon, and stars. The nations of the earth will be deeply troubled and confused because of the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint as they fearfully wait for what will happen to the world. Indeed, the powers of the universe will be shaken. Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, stand with confidence! The time when you will be set free is near.” This

Ezekiel 22:30 I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. First of all, I do not believe for one moment that God is out to destroy us. This virus is not His handiwork, nor His will. None the less, I believe His gaze is roaming the earth for those who will stand in the gap for the world, who will lift up a voice of faith and let truth be heard. I wrote

Psalm 95: 1 – 7       NIV Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for

Romans 4: 17        God’s Word Abraham believed when he stood in the presence of the God who gives life to dead people and calls into existence things that don’t even exist. This is a good time to teach about Abraham. We will visit him next week as well. Today’s verse continues the thoughts of yesterday’s Word of the Day. And so, here is the question, “What are you saying?” I love this version of the Bible and its rendition of this verse. Abraham is called the Father of faith because he believed even when the promise of

Psalm 91: 10 No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. This verse was written for today. There are many great utterances from the Lord which are appropriate for our current situation and I will be sending them to you over the next weeks but is there any verse more timely than this? Psalm 91 is such a great chapter anyway. If you have not read it in a while, take some time to read it. You will find it greatly encouraging. You may find yourself thinking that the author was looking through a crystal

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Never was there a more appropriate time for this verse, at least in our own lives. The world has suffered many challenges throughout history, but the coronavirus has touched almost every country in the world and that is big. This is our time. Wherever you live in the world, your nation needs you to pray. For once we do not have the excuse of being too busy. For once, we have time to spend with God. Before too long, we will look back at this period in history and we will either be able

Matthew 8: 16 – 17 And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” What do you love about this verse? We’ve read this before, but it has taken on new meaning in this current viral situation. Or, at least it’s importance and meaning are more present in our thinking. Personally, I love the part that says

Psalm 94: 14 For the lord will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance. This verse does not need a lot illumination. It is understandable on its face. It is some good news though and that we need a lot of right about now. Also, this is a verse which may be easy to share with others. It is simple and straight to the point. Probably the best use of this verse is as a confidence builder. I am reminded of medicines you take by holding them under your tongue until they dissolve. This verse is like

Proverb 4: 20-23 My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body. I know I said I wasn’t going to send out the Word of the Day this week but there is something that is really nagging me. There are a couple of things which seem to be missing from the national dialogue. One of those is that there are things you can do

          Mark 6:46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. Greetings Friends, While I am taking a break, I want you to know there is plenty of content on my website to keep you fed for weeks.  Click here and enjoy hundreds of messages to keep you encouraged and uplifted.  You can also scroll down the right hand side and see topics I have written on.  Click on a topic or a verse and all of the messages on that topic or containing that verse will display.  I think you will find

Matthew 6: 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? As I sit here working in my office, I can hear the birds happily chirping outside. They are celebrating the arrival of spring. Listening to them, the world seems so normal. They haven’t a care in the world and, apparently, haven’t heard of corona virus. If I were to turn on the television or even go to my email inbox, I would see a

Hebrews 1: 7              New Living Translation Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.” This is the vision the Lord gave me regarding Covid-19. And I need to thank my friend, Chris, who came up with this verse after reading this in the Prayer Request email which is part of Ivey Ministry’s Prayer ministry.   This virus is being propelled across the country via a highway of fear. We need to stand together and stand against this menace. While I was praying about it

Acts 6: 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. On March 3, 2020 I wrote that I believed God was calling us to prayer this year. I wish I had taken that Word from God more seriously and done more praying, but I say, it is not too late. I think everyone can understand, now, why our Beloved was calling us to prayer. Our Father loves us and wants not even one of us to come to harm. That is why He called us to prayer. He is our love and our

Isaiah 41:10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ I have coined a new expression that is my guide for this time of extreme confusion over the corona virus. It is “Wisdom without Fear.” We should exercise reasonable caution throughout the flu and cold season anyway, but especially now with the corona virus spreading. However, we should not be in a panic. We are called to meet calamity with

Psalm 93: 1 The LORD reigns. That should be enough said. That should be enough for all and yet . . .. The panic over this corona virus is insane, but here is my question, “Are all the people who are out buying yards and yards of toilet paper and who are closing their businesses, are they all unsaved people?” In other words, are Christians part of the panicking horde? Clearly, the answer is yes. Churches have cancelled services. Really? Instead of cancelling services we should simply change them to prayer services. Are you afraid of congregating more than 20

Deuteronomy 31: 8 “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” To what can you apply this verse in your life? You know we all have areas of our lives where we don’t stand quite as firmly. When we find them, though, we can throw this verse at them and be renewed in our faith. Every word of this verse is wonderful, but I love the idea that the Lord, our God, is going before us to prepare the

Judges 6:23 The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” I must write again on the Corona virus, or more to the point, the spread of the virus. I have been amazed at the reaction to this virus. It seems that the reaction has been stronger than with previous contagious diseases. This has moved me to tell you one thing which feeds and spreads the virus at least as much as any other factor. Fear. Fear is fueling the spread of Covid 19. One of my friends brought up a good point recently.

Isaiah 61: 1             Passion Translation The mighty Spirit of Lord Yahweh is wrapped around me because Yahweh has anointed me, . . . He sent me to heal the wounds of the brokenhearted. I have been thinking on this verse for some time now and I am not sure that we fully embrace its meaning or significance for our own personal experience. So, today, let’s think about the brokenhearted. Who are they? What does this verse imply or express for them? First, who are the brokenhearted? Well, at some level it is each of us,

Psalm 92: 1 – 4 It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night, with the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, with resounding music upon the lyre. For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How good is your praise? When I read passages like this, I am both encouraged and disappointed. I am encouraged because I see what praise can

Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds. Okay, I will admit that today’s title sounds a little odd. Blame your Dad! That is just the way He said it to me. The point is, Jesus is on site, in your body, healing you. Have you ever had a fever blister (cold sore)? If you ever have or ever do, the virus that causes the sore remains resident in your body forever. That struck me. Why does it not always cause a sore but sometimes will. Then our Father showed me

Exodus 24: 7 Then he (Moses) took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!’ We know that the Israelites did not always do everything as God directed. In addition, they often complained bitterly to Moses. And yet, they did have the best intentions at this point in time. Is this like many of us? We have the very best of intentions but somehow, we get off track. Then we need a reminder so that we can

“My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Lest there be doubt, this is the voice of God speaking – to you! What a fabulous statement and promise. Perhaps this is one of those “promises” that you want to claim as your own. Maybe post it in your office or on in your car. Even while you are the go, while you are active, God is not only with you, but He will give you rest. You do not have to go in the power of your might, but rather by His. He will be the

Acts 6: 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. At the beginning of the year many ministers seek the Lord for a word about what the new year will hold for believers. Some of you may have noticed that I was quiet on the topic this year. The reason was that I did not seek the Lord on the subject, I rarely do, but He often speaks something to me. I didn’t feel like I had heard Him this year, but now I am certain that I did, and have. I actually

Psalm 91: 3 For it is He who delivers you from the . . . deadly pestilence. Here is what I have to say about and to the coronavirus, “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you,’” (Isaiah 41: 13). God has faced this problem before, and He has already spoken to the problem. He tells us to put our trust in Him because He is our shield and refuge. He delivers us from the pestilence. He guards our homes and health. When the plagues

Hosea 6: 6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. I have been thinking about Lent a lot this year. Often, we think about what we might give up for Lent. Some people give up a particular food. For others it might be giving up a sport or recreational activity or even television for a time. Those sacrifices are about moving things out of the way which may interfere with devotion. In the same vein, but perhaps the other side of the coin, I have been thinking about what

Isaiah 45: 2 – 3 “I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.” What is most exciting here, that God will smooth out the rough places, give you hidden wealth or that you are called by name? One exciting bit is that God is willing to prove by these

Matthew 7: 7 – 8          GW Ask, and you will receive . . . Everyone who asks will receive. Yesterday I wrote about speaking the result you desire when you pray. That is a very important part of prayer. No sooner had the email gone out than did God prove his word to me and to a grandmother who relied on her profession of faith for her grandchild. My friend, Ann, wrote that her son sent her a message that his newborn was having digestion issues. Ann says she began praying that the child’s digestive system

Romans 4: 17                Tree of Life Version He is our father in the sight of God in whom he trusted, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence that which does not exist. This verse speaks about Abraham and says that he is our Father in faith. He is our faith example. We learn from him as he learned from God. God had to teach Abraham how to stand in faith. It wasn’t an intrinsic trait, but God was the example to Abraham teaching him that he must speak the end

Psalm 90: 16 – 17         TPT Let us see your miracles again, and let the rising generation see the glorious wonders you’re famous for. O Lord our God, let your sweet beauty rest upon us and give us favor. Come work with us, and then our works will endure, and give us success in all we do. This is my prayer. How can it not be? Oh, dear Lord, let your glory fall in our presence and show us the wonder of you. Revive our hearts with and by your grace. Let the radiance of your presence

Luke 6: 38         KJV Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. I don’t use the King James version very often because I don’t speak Elizabethan English. Occasionally, though, there are verses that I just hear in the old KJV and you may as well. This is one of those verses. We understand, at least at one level, what this verse means. Taking a look

Deuteronomy 28: 12 The LORD will . . . bless all the work of your hand. As many of you know, last year at the MS Bike ride, I won a bicycle. It was very exciting. At a different event I won a Jersey shadow box. Recently there was a drawing in an exercise class and, yep, I won. Yea! People have been saying I should go to Las Vegas. Others said, “We need to get in the car right now and go buy a lottery ticket.” Truthfully, I love winning. It is exciting and fun, but I still don’t

Ephesians 4:29              The Passion Translation And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them. Wow! After yesterday’s Word of the Day on encouragement, this verse speaks volumes. Words are the cornerstones of encouragement. One side of this verse is probably what you thought of yesterday when reading on encouragement. That is to specifically and intentionally say things which will bring encouragement and uplifting thoughts to others. The other side of encouragement is

1 Thessalonians 5: 11    GW Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing. I received an email last week from a dear soul who receives the Word of the Day and it reminded me of this verse. There are others like this one, teaching us to be encouragers to one another. I have written on this call to encourage before, but it struck me a little differently last week. I thought about how much the notes you send bless me and how they keep me going when the task of writing a daily devotional gets

Matthew 7: 1 Do not judge. I was reading a little book of quotes the other day. It is fun little book because it has quotes from people aged 5 to 95. This one jumped out at me, “I’ve learned that when you judge others, you are revealing your own fears and prejudices.” One of the things that bothers me about the modern church is how judgmental and exclusionary we are. Sometimes it feels like the Christian church is a club where membership is limited to those few we deem acceptable. The rest of the folks are just going to

John 16: 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. God has promised that the Holy Spirit will guide us but how do you know something is a God idea? How do you know that He is guiding you with that thought? Well, recently I got a good taste of a God idea and thought I would share the revelation of it while it is fresh in my mind. One of the clearest signs that the idea that popped into my head was God’s thinking rather than mine was that it

Psalm 1: 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 37: 1 – 2 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. One of my neighbors cut down all of his trees because, he said, “They are killing my grass.” I thought, what a metaphor for life this is.

Romans 12: 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. I heard an interesting comment recently. Dr. James Richards said, “Renewing the mind, if you don’t mix meditation with it, is nothing but an exercise in ego and intellectualism.” Whoa!!! That is a big statement. The Apostle Paul tasked us with renewing our minds. The problem is, most of us don’t know how. So, we begin to try to “change” our

Psalm 88: 13 – 18 I cry out to you for help, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer will come into your presence. Why do you reject my soul, O Lord? Why do you hide your face from me? Ever since I was young, I have been suffering and near death. I have endured your terrors, and now I am in despair. Your burning anger has swept over me. Your terrors have destroyed me. They swirl around me all day long like water. They surround me on all sides. You have taken my loved ones and friends far

Genesis 6: 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. Was the flood an act of grace? Does that sound like a ridiculous question? I received a comment mixed in with the prayer requests this week. The author was perplexed at how God could “kill” so many people especially since murder is a sin. It set me to thinking and hence the question I first posed. How would you analyze this problem? Well, I began by

Romans 15: 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. We never have to be without hope because God sent us the Holy Spirit through whom we always have hope. And in hope we can be continuously filled with joy and peace. When you let go of hope you will find that joy and peace leave as well. But we can always abide with all three because wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is hope. I

Romans 5: 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given. Don’t lose hope because, just like love, hope does not fail. Even though the horizon may look troublesome, do not give in to fear and hopelessness. Your hope is in the Lord Jesus, our Father and the Holy Spirit who they sent to us. The love that was poured out to us is the anchor of our hope because that love can never fail. It is pure, secure and determined. That love brought

Acts 2: 26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; moreover my flesh also will abide in hope. It is a horrible thing to live without hope, and yet there are many people who are doing just that. But you don’t have to be without hope any longer. Jesus brought hope into the world. Now you can be free of dejection, depression and sorrow. When Jesus went to the cross, died and rose again, he accomplished more than salvation for your eternal soul. He brought hope into a dying world. He became hope. He died that we might

Psalm 87             GW The city the Lord has founded stands on holy mountains. 2 The Lord loves the city of Zion more than any other place in Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said about you, O city of God!           Selah 4 The Lord says, “I will add Egypt and Babylon as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Sudan to the list of those who acknowledge me. Each nation will claim that it was born there.” 5 But it will be said of Zion, “Every race is born in it. The Most

Psalm 119: 112 I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes forever, even to the end. The New Testament equivalent of this verse is found in James 1: 22 where James, the half-brother of Jesus, importunes us to “prove” ourselves “to be doers of the word, not merely hearers.” James teaches us that it is not enough to go to church and listen to a minister tell us about the Word of God. We need to take the word we hear and put it into action. The psalmist from this passage in Psalm 119 has made that transition. He

John 8: 31 – 32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” This is an oft quoted passage but misquoted in a sense. The truth will not set you free. It is knowing the truth that sets people free. Truth is all around us, but it is only when we get a revelation of the truths that are pertinent to us that they can affect our lives for the good.

Psalm 86: 17             GW Grant me some proof of your goodness so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame. The psalmist wanted God to give him a sign that everyone could see, a sign of God’s affection. Essentially, he wanted evidence that he was favored by God so that his enemies would ashamed that they had attacked the child of God. Sometimes I think a similar way. I pray the blessing of the Lord will show on us so that all people will see it and know that Yahweh

Psalm 15: 1 Lord, who dares to dwell with you? Who presumes the privilege of being close to you, living next to you in your shining place of glory? Who are those who daily dwell in the life of the Holy Spirit? One of the people who dared to live in that close proximity with the Lord was David, who is the writer of this psalm. He understood the great prestige of walking with Yahweh. Do we dare presume the privilege of living “next to (His) shining place of glory?” What does that even mean? What is this shining place

Psalm 86: 11 – 12                  TPT Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honor to your name. With all my heart and passion I will thank you my God! I hardly know what to write about this passage. This is a prayer from David, and it sounds like it, doesn’t it? I was first attracted to the section about teaching us to move like Him, work like Him but then I am over-taken

Lamentations 3: 22 – 23        NLV The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. This is the same verse as yesterday, but I sent you a different version. Today I am going to share with you my personal journaling which came out of this verse. Sometimes as I meditate on scripture, Father gives me something for the Word of the Day. Sometimes, it’s just for me. This was just a bit of imagery, nothing serious. None the less, I hope you enjoy it

Lamentations 3: 22 – 23       NRSV The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I have a new journal, a gift from a friend. This morning I turned to the page with this verse and found myself pondering it. As I turned it over in my mind, I wondered if this might provide a good opportunity to show you what meditation can look like. Now I know some of you are old hands at meditating on scripture but bear with the rest

Deuteronomy 18:15       Complete Jewish Bible  “ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him.” I have been looking at this verse for some time now. What do you think of it? One of my reactions to it goes back to yesterday’s verse. People are so easily offended these days that it makes the job of a pastor a challenge. How do you say what people need to hear if they so easily take offense? I have also noticed a general sense of bringing

Proverbs 19:11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. I am studying “glory” which is how I found this verse. I wrote it down and came back to it today. Apparently, it is to our glory to overlook offense. That’s not something I have heard often. You will be very blessed by reading this verse in several other translations but let me share one more with you. This is the God’s Word version, “A person with good sense is patient, and it is to his credit that he overlooks an

Psalm 85: 8 I will hear what God the Lord will say; for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly. I hope you are enjoying Psalm Mondays. The psalms seem to be providing a good start to the week. Hearing God is a good way to begin the week too. As you read through different Bible versions for today’s scripture you gain a perspective that hearing God is an intentional act. In other words, the psalmists determined to listen to God and we can too. Another thing I

Psalm 63: 5 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. I thought I would share the secret of David’s success for those who wish to know it. It’s two-fold. First, David remembered the Lord. That’s a very good start. He thought about the Lord. He remembered that the Lord, our God, was his constant companion and his strong right arm. So, at night, when he had bedded down the sheep, he remembered God. Part two – when David remembered God, he then meditated on Him. What does that mean? He didn’t just

Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. There are easily several messages contained in this passage. The one that shouts most loudly to me today is there is fullness of joy in His presence. There is joy in Jesus, which means there is an answer to depression. I want to say it this way, there is no need to be depressed. Here me though, this isn’t to make light of depression and anxiety. Rather, the purpose of my comments is

Hebrews 13: 5                  Passion Translation Don’t be obsessed with money but live content with what you have, for you always have God’s presence. For hasn’t he promised you, “I will never leave you alone, never! And I will not loosen my grip on your life!” I was listening to some old music the other day when Desperado by the Eagles played. I was only half listening, but this line grabbed my attention, “Your prison is walking through this world all alone.” I reacted, “How true but we need never be alone.” Our

Psalm 44:3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them. Here is a good example of partnership with God and I hope you find it encouraging because the favor of God was sufficient weaponry to possess the land. What land are you trying to take? Is it a new job, financial security, a big project? How about raising kids? Whatever your big goals, you don’t have to do it in the power

Psalm 84: 11 – 12 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You! Let’s start off this week with some good news. Which sentence or phrase above holds the best news for you? It’s all good. May I share the God’s Word version with you as well, “The Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor. He does not hold back any blessing from

Psalm 39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence.” You know, I was just missing David so here is a quip from a psalm of David. The more time I spend with David’s writings the more I like him and the more I learn. I told you that meditating on God’s goodness has a transformative effect on the inside of you. Well, the more time I spend with David, the more I see how close and

Isaiah 57: 15 For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Although God lives in a high and holy place, above and beyond all that we can even imagine, He also has come to make His abode with each of us. Why? So that He can revive us. No matter how weary you become; no matter how stressed and

Psalm 83: 16- 18 Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, and let them be humiliated and perish, that they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth. This is a very human sentiment. In fact, I would wager most of us have had this same feeling at one time or another. Sometimes we might feel these emotions towards our foes. At other times, perhaps, it is the thought we have towards the unsaved critics of our

Matthew 1: 18 – 21 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her

Psalm 82: 6 I said, “You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.” This is a challenging bit of scripture, but the key is that it is scripture. If you value scripture as God’s word to us, then you have to deal with troublesome passages instead of reading over them and discarding them. In context, God was talking about the lost people in the world. They are lost and without understanding, He said. His next words are, but I have made you Gods and sons of the Most High. In other words, if there are

Job 22: 28 “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.” I want to change the way you and I think about prayer. As we charge into year 2020, I believe this is a great time to do so. I hope you have big plans for 2020. We are beginning a new decade and one that has been dreamed about for years. Science Fiction books and movies looked forward to this coming year and now it is upon us. Let’s have a great year and a great decade.

Psalm 73: 23 – 24 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. When Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah, he said the savior would be called Immanuel. Immanuel means God is with us. That is one of the most important pieces of prophecy in the entire Bible. It is a key piece of theology. God is with us. Jesus’ coming to earth, his sacrifice and subsequent resurrection change the entire dynamic between God and people. The temple moved. Instead of

Luke 2: 14             1599 Geneva Bible Glory be to God in the high heavens, and peace in earth, and toward men good will. Before we jump into verse 14, let us recall what happened in verses one through thirteen. Shepherds were near the town of Bethlehem keeping the night watch over their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the Sh’khinah glory of the Lord shone all about the angel and the shepherds. The angel’s purpose was to announce the birth of the Lord. Immediately upon telling the shepherds the good news

Psalm: 11 – 14          God’s Word But my people did not listen to me. Israel wanted nothing to do with me. So I let them go their own stubborn ways and follow their own advice. If only my people would listen to me! If only Israel would follow me! I would quickly defeat their enemies. I would turn my power against their foes. What do you hear when you read this passage? Do you see God’s sentiments towards the ancient Israelites? Perhaps you see His message to modern Jews? Perhaps it sounds like a reprimand to

Psalm 81: 10 “I, the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” This is a declaration of a God who wants to serve. What an amazing epiphany that is. have you thought of Yahweh as one to serve you? Wow! He brought each of us from our own Egypt. It is easy and not insignificant to think of the Israelites held in bondage to Egypt and its Pharaoh but that is not the complete Biblical picture. All of the stories in the Bible of past

Luke 2: 8 – 13           Complete Jewish Bible In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks, when an angel of Adonai appeared to them, and the Sh’khinah of Adonai shone around them. They were terrified; but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all the people. This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. Here is how you will

Luke 2: 8 – 9          NLV In the same country there were shepherds in the fields. They were watching their flocks of sheep at night. The angel of the Lord came to them. Did you ever wonder why the angel appeared to shepherds? Why not clergy or statesmen? If an angel came with a message today, to whom would he appear? The answer, to those who tend the sheep. Selah. There is speculation about these shepherds. Who were they? I offer you, rather than answers, food to ponder. We know they were shepherds near Bethlehem who

Isaiah 9: 4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. There was a popular song by this title. I admit, it always rankled a bit because it is a song right from the heart of pain and brokenness and that is where we all were before love entered and repaired the injury of our past. Yesterday we favored a popular verse from this chapter. Verse 6 is the good news – a child

Isaiah 9: 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. I find this a heart-warming passage as it brings to mind images of the baby Jesus and Christmas. It is also fascinating to me. In this one passage is so much explanation of the once foretold, now realized Messiah. Remembering that this is an Old Testament passage creates an understanding of pre-Christ expectations. Yet, I suspect most people who

Psalm 80: 3 Revive us, O God! Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory; then nothing will be able to stop us. This is as clear a revival prayer as you’d ever want to hear. It also mirrors the sentiment that many of us feel, that if God will send revival, everything will be okay. Nothing will be able to stop us when the rays of His glory shine upon us. Who could disagree with that? The idea of a revival sweeping across the land creates a terrific picture in our minds. Sometimes, though,

John 7: 30 They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. John 10:14-15 I lay down My life for the sheep. Some people debate and rage over who killed Jesus. These become very passionate debates. Some say the Romans killed Him. Some say the Jews. When we really understand the passion of Christ, then we can finally let go of this debate. The only one who had power over Jesus’ life was Jesus. In the seventh chapter of John, those who hated Him tried to seize

1 Peter 1: 20        TPT This was part of God’s plan, for he was chosen and destined for this before the foundation of the earth was laid, but he has been made manifest in these last days for you. I really enjoy Christmas and I feel extra close to Jesus during the Christmas season. Yesterday I was celebrating Jesus’ birth and said to him, “Jesus, thank you for being born.” Just think about that. Jesus was with God when Yahweh created the earth (John 1: 1 – 3). He witnessed and participated in the creation of the

Romans 5: 2       NLV By putting our trust in God, He has given us His loving-favor and has received us. We are happy for the hope we have of sharing the shining-greatness of God. What good news this is. When we invest our trust in God, we open our own path to happiness and His favor. I want you to see this verse from the Passion Translation as well, “Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep

Romans 5: 20      TPT So then, the law was introduced into God’s plan to bring the reality of human sinfulness out of hiding. And yet, wherever sin increased, there was more than enough of God’s grace to triumph all the more! I hear comments, and I know you do too, about how the world, and even our own cities, are falling into greater and greater sin. Some speculate that God is not as active because sin has become greater, or more prevalent. One day when I heard someone speaking in these terms it made me wonder what sin

Psalm 79: 9 – 10          TPT Our hero, come and rescue us! O God of the breakthrough, for the glory of your name, come and help us! Forgive and restore us; heal us and cover us in your love. Why should all the nations sneer at us, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” Now is the time, Lord. Asaph mourned the diminished standing of Israel. Where it once was a formidable and glorious nation, the foreign nations no longer held it in awe, no longer did they fear the prowess of the Israelites or their

Numbers 24: 9 His people lie down and rest like a lion. They are like a lioness. Who dares to disturb them? Those who bless you will be blessed! Those who curse you will be cursed!” God is in the blessing business. Yesterday you probably spent some time blessing and thanking Him. You can never out bless God, though, so today He is sending a blessing back your way. And, anyone you bless will be blessed. Again, the blessing will return to you. Anyone who blesses you, shall be blessed. This is the way God’s kingdom operates. Blessing is the

  Psalm 100: 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. What would you like to say to Father if you could sit with Him face to face?  Does today’s verse capture the essence of your sentiment? We are far enough removed from the harvest that we don’t experience the relief and exaltation of having a crop come in.  That is, however, what this holiday is intended to embody.  Though it is a time for family and festivities, it is ultimately the one day of the year, above all others, that

Matthew 15: 31 And the crowds marveled with rapture and amazement, astounded over the things they were witnessing with their own eyes! The lame were walking, the mute were speaking, the crippled were made well, and the blind could see. For three days everyone celebrated the miracles as they exalted and praised the God of Israel! What is most amazing in this passage to you, that the lame, blind and mute were restored or that Israel worshiped and celebrated for three days? I would love to be a fly on the wall, a time travelling fly, so that I could

John 9: 25 The man responded, “I don’t know if he’s a sinner or not. But I do know one thing. I used to be blind, but now I can see.” Jesus healed a blind man. Of course, the Pharisees’ response was to scoff at them both, even accusing Jesus of being a sinner. “Well,” said the blind man, “that may or may not be but this I know, he healed me.” Of course, that was a paraphrase the point being, the blind man, now the seeing man, was not interested in the Pharisees’ theology or judgments. He was interested

Psalm 78: 20 – 11        TPT They didn’t really believe the promises of God; they refused to trust him and move forward in faith. They forgot his wonderful works and the miracles of the past. Asaph delivers a history of the Israelites in the psalm. He recounts their exodus with its miracles and challenges in making the point that it is important to remember our history and, significantly, to teach it to the next generation. Failing to keep God’s blessings fresh in our minds and hearts leads to our own failure. Each generation goes through this challenge.

Romans 12: 1 Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Yoga can be a very contemplative time and yesterday was one of those quiet, pensive times. Thoughts about my body as a temple came to me and that is what I pondered the rest of the day which brought this verse to mind. I have heard this verse preached and I have read it, both many times. Most of the time when anyone referenced this verse the language

John 11: 43 – 44 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” The story of Lazarus is a good metaphor for the Christian experience. Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, from death, yet Lazarus was still bound hand and foot. A few sentences earlier Jesus told Martha, “I am . . . the life,” (v. 25). In Jesus is

Psalm 77: 12 – 13          TPT I ponder all you’ve done, Lord, musing on all your miracles. It’s here in your presence, in your sanctuary, where I learn more of your ways. For holiness is revealed in everything you do. The End of all things is to learn where your power center is, and this is it. God is the source of all good. Asaph understood that when all was said, all was done, it comes back to the meditation in God’s presence. You don’t have to be in the sanctuary of the church because Jesus

Psalm 77: 10       TPT Lord, what wounds me most is that it’s somehow my fault that you’ve changed your heart toward me and I no longer see the years of the Mighty One and your right hand of power. Yesterday we saw the angst of Asaph. He groaned at the mere thought of the Lord because He felt that he had lost favor with God. What he felt was real chagrin. It pained him to think about where he stood with God and this verse explains why that thought pained him so. In his heart of hearts, he

Psalm 77: 3 – 9           NIV I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Asaph

Psalm 107: 20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. This is the verse from Wednesday. I brought it back because I want to discuss the last word in the verse: destructions. The other critical word is the possessive pronoun right before it. I want to talk about “our” destructions. It is first important to notice that God has delivered us from our destructions. Remember that this is a verse on healing. It is not much of a logic leap to conclude that some of our health issues are related to destructive (destructions) things

1 John 3:21-22 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. One of the challenges to receiving our healing is our own hearts. Sometimes our own heart condemns us so that we are unable to accept the healing that God freely offers. Worst of all, these condemning thoughts and beliefs are often buried deeply enough that, lest we take some serious time surveying our beliefs, we likely do not realize the rubbish

Psalm 107: 20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. There is so much nuance and richness in this verse that it is a bit like eating a very rich food. Let’s begin with “word”. To get the richness from this verse, you need to connect this verse to John 1: 1 & 14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father,

Joshua 24: 15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Truth be told, you are going to serve some God. It might be the money God, the workaholic God, or recreation God. You may serve manna but there are so many things which capture our devotion. An idol is anything you put

Psalm 76: 8 – 9            GW From heaven you announced a verdict. The earth was fearful and silent when you rose to judge, O God, when you rose to save every oppressed person on earth. Selah. There is so much confusion surrounding God’s judgment. Well, today you can bask in the good news because when God arose to render His judgment, it was to save every person on earth. Selah! If you say anything about God’s judgment, most people are as described in this verse, fearful. When God arose to give His judgment, the world

Galatians 5: 24 – 25 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. So many times, when people hear about passion and desire they think of sexual desire. That is a very limited view of what this passage is speaking about. Your passion for anything, your desire for anything that is not God can be a problem. When your consuming passion is for a new car, a favorite activity, food, etc. then you are serving the desires of your

Matthew 7: 15-16 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Galatians 5: 22- 23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Jesus gave us a warning in chapter 7 of Matthew. He told us that in these days there would be people who would represent themselves to us a part of the flock of Jesus but in reality, they are ravenous wolves who would devour us if we

Proverb 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. This scripture was brought to my mind recently and I saw it in a new light. Trusting the Lord is a favorite theme of mine both in my ministry and in my own personal life. I have a personal saying that I wish to walk in “radical trust in the Lord.” And sometimes I have been that deep in my trust, but I find it is a difficult place to stay. The world rushes in; my own thoughts take me captive

Proverb 6: 16 – 19 There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies and one who spreads strife among brothers. This is an amazing passage to me. First of all, it is so interesting that of the things God hates, I mean really hates, He has included haughty eyes and a lying tongue. Now we all expect Him to hate hands that shed

Psalm 75: 9 – 10 But as for me, I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. It is nice knowing the conclusion of things beforehand. It brings confidence. This verse, we should take to heart and remember God’s determination for our lives. He has pre-ordained that all the righteous shall be lifted up. Your house, your name and all that you hold dear are on Yahweh’s list of glory. And by house,

Colossians 1: 12 … giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. You are already qualified to share in the inheritance of God. Isn’t that good news? You do not have to earn it. It is done. So, give thanks. Praise the Father. He has arranged everything so that you could be His heir. Even if you do not pray every day, get in the habit of praising every day. That is really more important because God has already done everything He needed to do to bring you into

Exodus 11: 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. If you know the story about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, you know that neither Moses nor the Israelites had favor in the sight of the Egyptians in the natural. They were hated and despised. Pharaoh was more than fed up with Moses and Aaron. At one point Pharaoh told Moses that if he saw

Psalm 74: 1 – 2 O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance. Can I be honest with you? I am not in love with this psalm and had trouble choosing a segment to write on. Ultimately it was what I didn’t like that captured my attention. This is not a psalm of David and I find myself missing him. Read the entire psalm for yourself and tell me

John 12: 49 – 50               NLT “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” This is the model of ministry and it applies to clergy as well as lay people. We need only speak what the Father tells us to say. Pulpit ministry can be challenging and so can ministering to your friends. We, however, make it harder than it

Mark 14: 3 – 7 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done

1 Timothy 6: 17          GW Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. This is one of the greatest challenges of wealth, trusting in it rather than trusting in God. This is the story of the rich, young ruler. Jesus invited him to join the team but instructed that first he should go sell what he had and give to the poor. That

1 John 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. So, here is my question, have we come to know and do we believe the love God has for us? When I hear some of the things that come out of Christians’ mouths, I think we have not come to know the love God has for us. Have you ever heard a Christian say that God gave them, or a loved one, cancer in

Psalm 73: 1 – 3 No one can deny it—God is really good to Israel and to all those with pure hearts. But I nearly missed seeing it for myself. Here’s my story: I narrowly missed losing it all. I was stumbling over what I saw with the wicked. For when I saw the boasters with such wealth and prosperity, I became jealous over their smug security. I remember well tripping over my sense of injustice at the financial success of the unrighteous. Was I envious? Yes, and outraged. It seemed wrong to me that people who were not blessing

Matthew 8: 5 – 7 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” Here is the latter revelation, which I mentioned in yesterday’s Word of the Day. Epiphany number two is that there is rest in grace. In fact, I would say, that the ultimate expression of God’s grace is rest. How, you might ask, do we get rest from the word grace? Well, let’s see. I won’t bore you by going over every

Proverb 3: 34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted. While the simplest, and perhaps most functional, description of the word grace is “unmerited favor” it is far from a full understanding. If you run a search on the word grace and read all of the verses in which it appears, you will see that for yourself. That which began my look into the word grace was actually an observation about judgment. I wrote in my journal, “there can be no grace where there is judgment.” That was my epiphany at that moment. It

Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Grace, the mere sound of the word is comforting. A very commonly accepted shorthand definition for grace is: unmerited favor. We have been saved by the gift of God through nothing we have done. Our only part is faith in the blood of Jesus. It was grace, the unmerited, unearned gift of God which saved our souls from hell. That is what God’s grace towards us does. Grace, however, isn’t limited to this one application nor is

John 1: 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. Grace – it is a word we little understand. Of divine grace Wikipedia writes, “Divine grace is a theological term present in many religions. It has been defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation; and as an individual virtue or excellence of divine origin.” The dictionary reads, “simple elegance or refinement of movement, courteous goodwill.” What is clear from these sources is that the word

Psalm 72: 8 – 9 May he also rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. You will undoubtedly sense a change of tone in this psalm. David didn’t write this one. It is written by his son, Solomon. The kingdom falls apart after Solomon, the kingdom that God gave to David for eternity. You begin to see the unravelling even here. Compare this psalm with the one’s David wrote.  Here, we find Solomon praying for himself, not

John 14: 16 – 17 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper who will be with you forever. That helper is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it doesn’t see or know him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be in you. Yesterday we saw the impact of truth on our lives. Because Jesus is the way to the Father, and he is the truth then the truth is the way to the Father. It is interesting, then, that as Jesus was about the leave planet earth,

John 14: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. I was riding my bike this week when this verse came to me and at the same time, took on a whole new meaning. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus; we know that. Jesus said he is the way. Thus, he is the way to the Father. As I was riding, I heard it this way. First Yahweh brought to my mind that no one goes to the Father apart from

Ephesians 4: 15 But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. Here is the conclusion of Paul’s soliloquy. This verse of Ephesians 4 could well be called the topical sentence of all that comes after it. The verses which we have examined hang on this verse. This represents the theme of the chapter. We are all supposed to be growing up into Jesus Christ himself. We are not only to grow into an image of him, but we are actually supposed to be growing up as

Ephesians 4: 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. And finally, be nice, for this is the way of a mature Christian. Yesterday we read Paul’s directions for the attitudes and expressions we must avoid. Today he shows us the contrast. He said don’t be a party to bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor (complaining), slander and malice. Now he is saying do be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving. Think about tender-hearted for a moment. That would be the exact opposite of being hard-hearted. You will see the tender heart

Psalm 71: 5 – 7, 14 For you are my only hope, Lord! I’ve hung on to you, trusting in you all my life. It was you who supported me from the day I was born, loving me, helping me through my life’s journey. You’ve made me into a miracle; no wonder I trust you and praise you forever! Many marvel at my success, but I know it is all because of you, my mighty protector! No matter what, I’ll trust in you to help me. Nothing will stop me from praising you to magnify your glory! David wrote this

Ephesians 4: 31 – 32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. In verse thirty, Paul told us to grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. His very next words seek to further instruct us in how to avoid distressing God’s Spirit. Put all of these things away from you; bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice. Don’t have them around you at all because they should not be part of the mature Christian’s walk. Most of us know, or at least have a good idea what

Ephesians 4: 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. There is continuity in Paul’s teaching to the Ephesians. He begins at a basic place; redemption. Paul tells us to put on the new self that was won for us through Christ’s victory. He continues through the other verses we have looked at building upon each preceding verse; the foundation being Christ himself. Paul teaches us about truth, anger, righteousness and the tricks of the devil. Then he instructs us to keep our mouths from speaking anything except

Ephesians 4: 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. We left off last week, in our Ephesians series, talking about how to react when angered. Here is what Father God would have you do when you are angry. Rather than giving place to the devil we are supposed to say things which are edifying. To edify means to build up. In other words, we are to speak those words which build up

Psalm 70: 4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad because of you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “God is great!” This is a good meditation. Can those who seek Yahweh really be glad? Is there really something in seeking Him which can bring us joy? Our theology says so but does our life, our attitude, our words? Do we go about proclaiming, “God is great!” I think we believe it but in our busy days we are not always in touch with the deep thoughts of our own minds and hearts. David’s world was

Ephesians 4: 26 -27 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. This is the verse I have been working my way towards for several days now. The point of all of this is for Paul to tell us not to give the devil an opportunity in our lives. An opportunity for what? Well, Jesus told us in John 10: 10 that the devil comes only to steal, kill and destroy. Therefore, we want to keep the door closed to the devil so

Ephesians 4: 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Now that we have put on the new self that Jesus bought for each of us, we are to interact with each other in the holiness that He has provided. Look, it is time we stopped acting like the devil, especially in our relations with one another. But, do you know what it takes for us to stop acting like the devil? It takes surrender. God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, has provided everything we need

Ephesians 4: 24 . . . and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. You have been created a new creature. You have been created in righteousness and truth. Jesus said in John 14: 6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” You have been created in the truth because Jesus is the truth and you are the righteousness of God because Jesus gave you right standing with God through his blood. That is what righteousness means, “right standing with God.” In this

Ephesians 4: 22 – 23 . . . that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Today we will begin a series on Ephesians. I think we can glean much more from these passages when taken together. Putting off the old man is where our Christian walk begins so a good place for us to begin this short study. The devil has deceived us with the lusts of the flesh, whether

Psalm 69: 31 – 33 For I know, Yahweh, that my praises mean more to you than all my gifts and sacrifices. All who seek you will see God do this for them, and they’ll overflow with gladness. Let this revive your hearts, all you lovers of God! For Yahweh does listen to the poor and needy and will not abandon his prisoners of love. There is a lot of good news in this passage. David was tormented when he wrote this psalm, but he resolved into praise and praise boosted his confidence that Yahweh would, indeed, rescue him from

Galatians 3: 13 – 14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. In the Old Testament when God promised that He would pour out the Holy Spirit He sometimes made the promise to the nation of Israel but more often said that He would pour out the Spirit on all mankind. You

Ephesians 5: 18 [B]e filled with the Spirit. God does not only want you to have a little bit of His Spirit, He wants you to be full to overflowing. Well, that is His nature after all, isn’t it? In everything He does He likes to fill us and more so that our every need is met with plenty left over for others. He never leaves the smallest portion of us unfilled or unfulfilled. After promising the Holy Spirit for many years, it is not a surprise to me that He wants to completely fill us with this promise. There

Acts 2: 32 – 33 This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. This verse unites many of the themes we have seen in the scriptures we have looked at regarding the Holy Spirit. God, multiple times, made a promise to pour out the Holy Spirit upon all mankind. Jesus, then, told us that it was imperative for Him to leave so that

John 1: 33 He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit would come “on” someone and that person would perform anointed works. Gideon blew his horn; many prophesied. But the Holy Spirit would lift off them after their task was accomplished. He did not come upon them and remain. The time of the Holy Spirit was not yet. John the Baptist baptized in water but announced that one was coming after him who would baptize in the Holy Spirit

Psalm 68: 6 God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. It is easy for us to get “religious” and when we do, we create a whole bunch of sayings, expressions, doctrine and habits that are not Biblical. Today’s verse points out one of those religious ideas that is completely foreign to God. It has become rather common for Christians to talk about being in a desert period. This is a religious idea, meaning more about man-made conception that Spirit led reality. There was the time

Acts 1: 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. We know something about God, and we know Jesus but who, really, is the Holy Spirit? The answer is that He is the power of God, the creative force of God. In the first chapter of Genesis we see that the earth was formless but the Holy Spirit was moving (or hovering) over the surface of the waters. Then God spoke the word and the Holy Spirit responded to that spoken word and created all that God spoke. So, by the Holy Spirit God

Luke 11: 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? The Father promised the Holy Spirit to His people for years. Then when the appointed time came, the Holy Spirit was poured out onto all who would receive; all who ask. Jesus promised that all who would ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit would receive. God is not trying to make you earn this gift. He is not withholding the Holy Spirit or reserving it

John 7: 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Jesus was speaking to a crowd and teaching them of the things to come. In fact, he was teaching them about the Holy Spirit. This statement indicates that the Spirit is to be received. In other words, He is a gift and those who wish to receive the gift shall have it. But the Holy Spirit is not going to be forced on those who are unable to

John 14: 16               (Amplified Version) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever. I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s psalm, indeed that you are enjoying Psalm Mondays. It is a good way to start the week. Today I want to continue the series I began last week on the Holy Spirit. It is my hope that these several days we are spending on the Holy Spirit give you an inside look at who the Spirit is

Psalm 67: 1 – 5 God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us— Selah. 2 That Your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah. 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Indeed, let all the people of the world praise

John 16: 7, John 14: 16-17 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away; the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth.” As the end of Jesus’ ministry approached, he told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and be offered up as a sacrifice. His disciples were understandably distressed

“I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.” Joel 2: 28 “And I will pour out … the Spirit of grace and of supplication.” Zechariah 12: 10 “I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 39: 29 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on High. Isaiah 32: 15 I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring. Isaiah 44: 3 Father God started promising the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon us long, long ago. Here are some quotes from the Old Testament where God made this promise to us. The

Acts 1: 4 And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” he said, “you heard of from Me . . ..” Before Jesus sent the disciples out to teach and preach the good news of the Messiah arisen and alive, he prepared them. Part of that preparation was for the disciples to receive the promise from the Father which Jesus said that he had spoken to them about. What was this long awaited promise? Jesus tells them in the very next phrase. Acts 1: 5 reads, “for

Luke 24: 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of my Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Jesus made this statement during the forty-day period between his resurrection and ascension. He was preparing his disciples for the ministry ahead of them. Shortly they would form the new church and would have to carry out all the administration and teaching of a brand new religion. He had to minister to them to get them from their deep sorrow to the dynamic profession of the faith.

  Colossians 3: 23 – 24 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. A strong society requires a strong labor force.  It is an honor to labor in the name of the Lord Jesus.  As we celebrate the role of labor in building this country, we should remember that generations of hard working Americans are to be credited for the luxuries we enjoy today.  There is joy in doing a job

Psalm 37: 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Let us look at this verse a little differently today. Let’s drop off the end of it and think about the first part, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” What do you think it means to delight yourself in the Lord? It sounds like we are supposed to make ourselves a delight to the Lord. That is not what it means, though. The language is odd but the Passion Translation clarifies this statement for us, “Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of

Matthew 7: 12 Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. I have a couple of observations about this verse today. First, I don’t hear this proverb bantered about these days like I used to. Is it still in vogue? I think Jesus would say it is still applicable. Another observation, Jesus said that this one principle satisfies the entire law as well as all the instruction from the prophets. In other words, today’s verse, when we live it, fulfills everything that was written in the Old Testament, all

Ezekiel 23: 30 And I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Perhaps you have heard this verse before. It is usually taught as a lament that God could find no one to pray for the land. There were no faithful people anywhere; no one who was willing to dedicate themselves to prayer. There is another aspect to this verse worth considering for there is another player involved, i.e. Yahweh Himself. What was going

Matthew 27: 50 – 53 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two form the top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Try to wrap your mind around all of this for a moment. We generally accept that Jesus arose from the grave

Psalm 66: 22          TPT I will forever praise this God who didn’t close his heart when I prayed and never said no when I asked him for help. He never once refused to show me his tender love. As I look back on my journey of faith, I notice how my attitudes have changed. I recall the zealousness of being a new believer. That was a fun time. I so well remember the new awakening when I became spirit filled and how that changed my life forever. Then a conference, a prophetic dream and an emergence

Jeremiah 31: 9 I will make them walk by streams of waters, on a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel. I say it often but for those who are new to the Word of the Day, fill in your name in place of Israel. I actually take a pencil and line through Israel in my Bible and fill in Ivey. You can too. I have this passage outlined in my Bible. I really was not going to send another verse out of Jeremiah today, but I just couldn’t help it. I

Matthew 28: 20 I am with you always, even to the end of the age. I had an interesting conversation with our Father this week. Let me share honestly and be completely transparent. I have had a bit of a frustrating week, not bad mind you, just some hiccups that I have allowed to derail me a bit. By the way, the remedy for this is always the same for me, spend more time with my Dad. And, so I did. We were talking about Him always being with me and truthfully, I felt a little selfish and told Him

Jeremiah 31: 16 “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. Have you ever labored in vain, or at least what seemed in vain? Are you spending time and energy right now that doesn’t seem to be bearing fruit for you? Well, God has a good word for you today. Your labor is not in vain. Your work will be rewarded. I have to believe that God’s word is true and that as you sow, you shall reap. If you are sowing seeds with your effort, then God will

Jeremiah 30: 17 “For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds,” declares the Lord. There are many healing verses and stories in the Bible. The aspect of this one that is useful is that it addresses wounds. In this verse, God does not only contemplate illness, but injuries as well. If you have an injury rather than a sickness, you may like this verse. Our bodies were designed for health and healing. They were engineered by Yahweh to heal. I can prove it to you. Have you ever had a paper cut? Do

Psalm 65: 2, 5          TPT You are the God who answers prayer; all of humanity comes before you with their requests. You answer our prayers with amazing wonders and with awe-inspiring displays of power. You are the righteous God who helps us like a father. Everyone everywhere looks to you, for you are the confidence of all the earth, even to the farthest islands of the sea. Even people who don’t know God, even people who say they don’t believe there is a God, know whom to call when the chips are down. I like to

Romans 1:16 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. To fully appreciate this verse you have to first remind yourself what salvation means to the Jewish writer. Salvation to the Jew is much broader than our narrow view. Many people think of salvation only in terms of not having to spend eternity in hell. Yes, that’s part of it but to God and to Paul salvation would be akin to Shalom. It means that we are saved

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Did you know you have a choice in where God exists in your life? David was the one who set the Lord before Him and at His right hand. Where do you want God? David put God where He was always in sight. That was how he combatted the fear which could have so easily overwhelmed him. It is how he had the confidence and faith that his enemies would be vanquished. Every day, he saw problems in

John 14: 27           TPT “I leave the gift of peace with you – my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts – instead, be courageous!” There is no version of this verse which is not excellent. I chose the Passion Translation because it makes clear that Jesus gave us the gift of peace, his own peace he gave to us. Not only is it superior to the peace the world has to offer, it is perfect. Imagine that

Isaiah 58: 3 Why have we fasted and thou dost not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and Thou dost not notice? This is an age old question. Father, we are doing what we should do. Behold our righteousness. Yet, you are far off. You do not hearken to the voice of your people. Why is the Almighty God silent and impotent? I love the book of Isaiah. He shows us that each one of us is Zion. We are that piece of the nation of Israel encapsulated in the guise of one person. As Isaiah speaks about the nation

Psalm 64: 8 So they will make him stumble; their own tongue is against them. David wrote this psalm as a complaint against a group of people who were gossiping about and plotting against him. In the end, it is their own words and schemes which will trip them up. That is the way with gossip, the outcome of treachery. You may feel vindicated if someone has been badmouthing you. Take solace in the fact that their words will eventually turn around and bite them. If you are prone to gossip, heed this warning. Gossip is like a snake, you

Hebrews 4: 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. God’s Word is powerful and has the ability to set people free from any enslaving condition or circumstance. Only, however, if they mix the Word with faith. It is faith which energizes the Word you hear. Think about that for a moment. Do you remember the story about the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed? Jesus said of

Acts 1: 2 – 3 [U]ntil the day when He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. There was a period of forty days between when Jesus was resurrected and when He ascended to heaven when He made several appearances to his disciples. He had his body and was alive. He ate with them and

Hebrews 1: 3       TPT The Son is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature—his mirror image! Jesus is the exact representation of God. You can see some great expressions of this idea by reading this verse in a variety of translations. Here are a few: WE – He is just like God himself, CJB – The very expression of God’s essence, NLV – The Son is as God is in every way. When you look at Jesus, you have seen the Father. That is such an important statement. If you love Jesus,

Romans 1:29 – 31 [B]eing filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful. Paul is describing a wretched group of people here. First, he shows the malevolence with which they are filled and then he tells us how those things manifest. He begins with “they are gossips” and then goes on through some pretty atrocious attributes. It strikes me that he begins this list of horrible characteristics with gossiping. One would think Paul

Psalm 63: 2             TPT I’m energized every time I enter your heavenly sanctuary to seek more of your power and drink in more of your glory. This is another Psalm of David’s. He did not write every psalm, but he did write a good many of them. Verse one reminds us why God said David was a man after God’s own heart. It reads, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no

Psalm 77: 6 I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders. I really like this scripture. It has a nice feeling to it, but it also shares some key insights to meditation. For example, did you notice that the author meditates with his heart? Well, that’s not very western of him. Oh yeah, he wasn’t western. Our faith originates in the east. No wonder some of these ideas perplex us. The author goes on to say that his spirit ponders. Okay. Let’s pick up our meditation series right there. First,

Psalm 46: 10             TPT Surrender your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. Let’s continue our look at meditation today. I hope you have concluded that meditation is a vital part of the Christian walk. If you have not, then you might want to conduct a search on the word meditate. Secondly, I hope you have decided to make it part of your walk with Christ. The first step in effective meditation comes from Psalm 46: 10. The NLT reads, “Be still, and know that I am

Joshua 1: 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. This is one of those “stand out” verses in the Bible. Some Christian circles use it a lot while others don’t teach it quite as much. Even fewer teach what it means to meditate or how to do it. I am going to use it today as

Psalm 46: 10        GW Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. Yesterday I used today’s verse in making a broader point. Today I want to take you into it more in depth. Yesterday I used the NLT version of Psalm 46: 10 which says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” In order to see God’s hand manifested in our lives, we have to be still, quiet and allow Him to be God. Without the benefit of stillness and quiet, it is challenging to hear God. Another very important aspect

Psalm 62: 1, 5         NLT I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. I hope you are enjoying Psalm Mondays. I am. We are, in a practical way, getting to look particularly at David’s thought life and relationship with God. Today’s verse gives a great insight to David’s success. It also may point out a liability that we deal with in the modern society which David was not hampered by. David learned to be still, quiet, even silent before

Isaiah 41: 9 I have chosen you and not rejected you. Did you know that God has chosen you? Do you know that you are precious to him? Sometimes we think that the only people God has chosen and called are those called into ministry. That just isn’t true. It took me awhile to understand the call on my life but now I can help you. I thought He was calling me into business as a Christian business person. Then I thought He was calling me into law. And while those were appointments for a time, I finally realized that

Psalm 73: 1       TPT No one can deny it—God is really good to Israel and to all those with pure hearts. But I nearly missed seeing it for myself. I have just returned from an Impact Ministry conference with Dr. Jim Richards. It was a special weekend with a special acknowledgement of Jim’s sister, Pat Richards. I am sure as time goes on, more and more will filter through my mind about what I learned. The takeaway that I loved most, though, was this statement from Dr. Richards, “God is good, and only good.” That is the point

Isaiah 41: 15 Behold, I have made you a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; you will thresh the mountains, and pulverize them, and will make the hills like chaff. God has made you something strong. You are no longer weak. Do you see who you are in His eyes? By and through Him, you are mighty and powerful. Is there a mountain looming over you? Well, God has made you able to demolish it so that it becomes little more than a memory. You will look around and say, “Where is that mountain that terrorized me?” All that

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. The Lord is good. That doesn’t sound like a huge revelation perhaps, but you might be surprised how many Christians have not come to that conclusion yet. He is good and He does good. He is not bad, and He does not do bad things to us. He is full to overflowing with goodness and He rains His goodness on us. He is also a strong fortress in our day of need. What does it mean that He

Psalm 61: 7 – 8 I will live enthroned with you forever! Guard me, God, with your unending, unfailing love. let me live my days walking in grace and truth before you. And my praises will fill the heavens forever, fulfilling my vow to make every day a love gift to you! Wow, what a vow! I never thought of that one, did you? Make every day a love offering to the Lord. No wonder David had the relationship with the Father that he did. No wonder he could hear the voice of God. He prayed earnestly, expecting God to

2 Chronicles 31: 4 In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring the prescribed portion of their income to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the law of the Lord. This is the continuing story about Hezekiah and his efforts to restore the temple and the people of God. It puts me in remembrance of a ministers’ conference I attended a couple of years ago. I was shocked at the number of ministers who either worked a second job or were building a multi-level marketing company as a means of making ends meet.

2 Chronicles 31: 21             NLT Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful. I have written on this verse before and no wonder, it is a very poignant verse. Notably there is instruction to seek God “wholeheartedly” and that is the point I have spoken to before. As I read this passage recently, God spoke it to me differently, as He is want to do. We may seek God generally, but we may also seek Him in a specific fashion. By this I mean, we may seek Him just to know

Psalm 28: 7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. This is a great model for showing us how to live with God’s active presence in our lives. We put our full trust in Him which allows Him to work in our lives. The result is that we are helped. The next thing that happens is that in our joy and gratefulness, we praise Him. Now that is how the Christian life is supposed to work. Don’t spend

1 Timothy 6: 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. You can always recognize people who are full of the love of God. They are always generous. You have to be because God is generous. So, when you are full of Him, generosity naturally flows from you. Why then are some people, even believers, tight fisted? It is their lack of faith, lack of trust or their belief that their own hands have provided for them. Once you truly begin to trust God, you begin to understand that

Psalm 60: 8       CJB God in his holiness spoke, and I took joy [in his promise]. In case you want to find this verse in a different translation, it will be verse six in most other translations. David was dismayed and crying out to the Lord. Though disgruntled and wracked with worry, he knew the Lord’s nature and that God wanted to rescue His people. In the midst of his travail the voice of God rescued him with the promise of deliverance. One of the things which distinguishes some of us from David and the great prophets is

John 15: 18 – 19 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. It can be pretty confusing and disheartening when someone dislikes you or treats you badly when you have never done anything to them. And here is the bad news. The more godly you become, the more they will hate you. But take heart. They hated Jesus first

Micah 5: 2, 5 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. And this one will be our peace. Here is a foretelling of the coming of Jesus. He was expected and the Jews were looking for Him. It is just like Father God to use some small town, one of insignificance to bring His son into the earth. From the small and weak He is able to do great and mighty things. When God sent Jesus into the earth,

Psalm 22: 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard. God never abandons His people but when one is going through a difficult time, it is easy to feel alone and isolated. No matter your situation right now, God is not offended by those problems that hinder you. He is offended by sin. But even if sin is the problem that afflicts you, there is none better to save you. Yahweh does not hide His face from

2 Kings 17: 15           NLT They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them. Reading the history of Israel is both inspirational and tragic. This excerpt from the book of Kings brings sorrow. In the New Testament we find Samaria estranged from the rest of the Jews. Jews wouldn’t even speak to a Samaritan. It wasn’t always that way, though. Samaria was a jewel of Israel, nestled in a lush valley, the Bible says it was “glorious” in its beauty. How did glorious Samaria fall so far? It

Psalm 59: 16 – 17 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness. You may need to read the beginning of this psalm to get the full thrust of these last two verses. The backstory is familiar. Saul was in relentless pursuit of David. Saul’s men surrounded, besieged and attacked David and

1 Chronicles 1: 9 Now, O Lord God, Thy promise to my father David is fulfilled; for Thou has made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. When God made that promise to David it probably seemed as impossible as any of the promises you have read in the Bible. Yet God was able to fulfill all He promised to David. David’s son Solomon bears witness to us that all has been fulfilled in his sight. In other words, we have an eye witness account that God did exactly what He said He would

Galatians 5: 1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. I hope you have a wonderful Independence Day but even more, I pray you will never be subject again to a yoke of slavery.  There are all sorts of bondage, but Jesus set you free so that you would never have to be restrained by any of them.  Celebrate freedom but remember it was Jesus who set us free.  

2 Corinthians 5: 17 – 18            TPT Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new creation. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new. And God has made all things new. Most of the time when we think of this verse or talk about it, we refer to the sin nature of the old self. We think of when our habits were different, indeed our way of life was different. We’ve put away the drinking and partying. We’ve cleaned up our mouths.

Isaiah 41: 13 “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’ Fear is pervasive. There is no one who has not been stung by its tentacles. Still, Father says we do not have to live with fear, nor should we. Because He is our Lord and God, much less Father, we have a means to overcome fear. He has promised He will never leave us forsaken. He will not leave us to our own abilities. He is bigger than that which frightens us. Imagine having

Psalm 58: 1, 11 Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.” This is the first stanza and the last of Psalm 58. The first depicts life under human rule, the second reveals life in God. Sometimes it is frustrating living in a world ruled by man. Justice seems out of reach.

Psalm 37: 4             NLT Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. A friend of my emailed me this week, closing her message with “God’s will be done.” That is a heartening expression, is it not? What I heard in it was, “Not the world’s will but God’s will be done.” I am sending out a proposal and I believe it is God’s will so naturally, I want the people who must decide on the idea to follow God’s will. I don’t want them to bend to the world’s pressures,

Matthew 13: 31 – 32 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” I must give credit for a catchy phrase to Diane Jones. In a recent conversation regarding seed and harvest she said, “It’s seed sown, not grown.” Upon elaboration she explained that our

2 Corinthians 8: 18 So we’re sending with him the brother who is greatly honored and respected in all the churches for his work of evangelism. Most of us have been taught at least something about evangelism but there is probably more confusion out there than clarity. Evangelism is definitionally associated with the public preaching of the gospel. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe

Romans 14: 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. Paul has an interesting message for us today. He was dealing with a problem of people judging each other. The Christian church had both Jews and Gentiles and their customs and beliefs were very different. Even their diets were different. Paul opened up the chapter by writing, “Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgement on his opinion.” (V. 1). Interesting! We have not

Psalm 57: 7 – 10       NLT My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Again I find myself understanding why God said David was a man after His own heart. We might say, “He touches

Isaiah 51: 12 I, even I, am He who comforts you. You do not have to rely solely on the comfort of friends because God has assigned the task of comforter to Himself. It is great to have the comfort of friends and family, but they are not always available. There is only one who is with you morning, noon and night. Yahweh, Father, Holy God is with you in all hours of the day. Furthermore, He knows your problems intimately so he can address them better than anyone else. What’s more, He loves you so much that He does

Psalm 109:31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul. Who among you is without need? If you have any need, this verse is for you. Who among you has been judged to your detriment? This verse is for you too. God, the Almighty creator is your right hand man. He stands by you to save and to vindicate. His hand is not so short that it cannot save, that it cannot provide for your needs. Do we, though, really expect God to be an active player in our

Psalm 56: 7 They don’t deserve to get away with this! Look at their wickedness, their injustice, Lord. In your fierce anger cast them down to defeat. This verse stands alone well enough but take in consideration the previous two days’ verses because all three of these have been from Psalm 56. David said that people attacked him, plotted against him and twisted his words against him, hounded him, slandered him and sought his life. He had it pretty rough and surely, he was angry and wanted vengeance. He wanted God to punish them for what they did to him.

Psalm 56: 3, 4b               TPT But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart. The roaring praises of God fill my heart, and I will always triumph as I trust his promises. I am enjoying Psalm Mondays and I hope you are too. I wanted to stay with Psalm 56 for another day or two to soak in what David had to share. His experiences are different from ours but the trials themselves are common to us all and I think

Psalm 56: 1-2, 5       NLT O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. They come together to spy on me – watching my every step, eager to kill me. I feel David’s anguish in this passage, do you? As he fled from town to town, he never knew whether he would find friend or foe. Worst yet, some

Luke 22: 17      GW Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He said, “Take this, and share it.” This could well be the example of Jesus’ ministry to the modern world. He gives to us freely and then it is our job to share what he has given us with others. For some people this comes naturally. Whenever they find something they enjoy or that benefits their lives, they tell others about it. This is often the best way to find out about books, movies, nutrition and more. This is how people become Christians.

Mark 14: 10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. Have you ever wondered about the disciples’ reaction to Judas’ betrayal? Jesus was amazingly nonchalant about it but then, he knew it had to be. I wonder about the Sons of Thunder though. I cannot imagine them taking it well. What about Peter? He was not one to keep his feelings hidden. Remember that he drew his sword when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. His intention was clear. He meant to fight for Jesus’

Ephesians 4: 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Now that we have put on the new self that Jesus bought for each of us, we are to interact with each other in the holiness that He has provided. Look, it is time we stopped acting like the devil, especially in our relations with one another. But, do you know what it takes for us to stop acting like the devil? It takes surrender. God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, has provided everything we need

Psalm 55: 22 Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. This is from yesterday’s psalm. The good news in this verse is too good to pass up. Undoubtedly it puts you in remembrance of 1 Peter 5: 7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” (NIV). I love finding these Old Testament passages which are the mirror reflection of New Testament verses which we hold so dear. It is easy to get lulled into the idea that the God of the Old Testament

Psalm 55: 16 – 18 As for me, I shall call upon God, And the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice. He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me. This is a psalm of David and at once tragic, sad and victorious. David’s lament was not solely that his life was pursued relentlessly but rather that his life was sought by one he loved. The enemy was not a Philistine, as it were, but rather Saul whom he loved

Ephesians 4: 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin. Fear is like anger because it has the potential to engulf you in sin and self-destruction. That is why I have chosen this verse to talk about fear. Fear is a horrible contagion; it contaminates all it touches. If you give fear any place in your life, it will seek to invade all your life. All of Job’s troubles came about because of his fear. He said, “For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me,” (Job 3: 25). Fortunately, he learned this important lesson about

2 Samuel 7: 1 – 2             NLT When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” One of the most outstanding things about David is that God calls him a man after His own heart (Acts 13: 22). When I read passages like this, I understand why. David had God on his mind. Picture, if

Ephesians 4: 24 . . . and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. You have been created a new creature. You have been created in righteousness and truth. Jesus said in John 14: 6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” You have been created in the truth because Jesus is the truth and you are the righteousness of God because Jesus gave you right standing with God through his blood. That is what righteousness means, “right standing with God.” In this

Ephesians 4: 22 – 23 . . . that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The devil has deceived us with the lusts of the flesh, whether that be material possessions, food, drink, or any of the other things that bring pleasure to our carnal selves. He has convinced us that those things will bring us happiness and he has convinced many people that the way of Godliness is a

Psalm 54: 1 – 2        TPT God, deliver me by your mighty name! Come with your glorious power and save me! Listen to my prayer; turn your ears to my cry! David was on the run from Saul, hiding in the desert and among the towns. The people of Ziph betrayed him to Saul so David turned to God to save him. We know God responded because David died an old man in his palace. That is the first good news we take from this psalm. When we call out to the Father, He hears and rescues

John 8: 3 – 11 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He

Matthew 11: 28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Did you know you need rest for your body, your soul and your spirit? In the very next verse Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls,” (v. 29). Jesus understood that we get tired down in our souls. It is a weariness that is even more pervasive that physical fatigue. Mentally you are drained and emotionally spent. This kind of weariness, indeed,

John 8: 31 – 32 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” I wish to draw your attention to the two statements Jesus makes in this one sentence. Although there are two thoughts, he tied them together in one sentence. That is because He wanted us to understand that the two ideas are tied together. First, if you want truly to be a disciple of Christ, then you must abide

Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those who died in the line of duty protecting our liberty.  I would also like to thank all those who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States.  May our blessed Lord be with you and keep you.   Photo by Carol Colman        Taken at Arlington National Cemetery

Hebrews 4: 1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. I find this language interesting. Why should there be any fear related to God’s rest? Verse 3 reveals that God was angry and in His anger He swore that “they” would not enter into His rest. Look at verse three from the Passion Translation, “For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise and we experience the realm of confident rest! For he has said, ‘I was grieved with them and

Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Or do I owe you? Perhaps you have heard this verse taught before. If so, great! Most of the teaching I have heard on it focuses on being debt free, i.e. owing no one. Except we do owe and the debt we owe is love. Paul really wrote a blockbuster statement at the end, but I think it may have slipped by us. He said that all the obligation of the law is met if we love our neighbor.

John 15: 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. We all know that Jesus is our model, but do we ever consciously consider that he modeled love? Yahweh God is love; His composition is love. So, Jesus emulated His father and showed humanity what real love is. There is a key in this verse to which I alluded in yesterday’s Word of the Day. Notice that Jesus received love from the Father. What he received, he gave, and in the same measure. He says, essentially, “What I received from the

1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 3 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. This passage reminds me a bit

Psalm 53: 1 – 4                 CJB A brutish fool tells himself, “There isn’t any God.” Such people are depraved, all their deeds are vile, not one of them does what is good. God looks out from heaven upon the human race to see if even one is wise, if even one seeks God. Every one of them is unclean, altogether corrupt; not one of them does what is good, not a single one. This is the state of humans without God. Of course humans are brutish without the grace of God but

Exodus 5: 22-23              (NIV) Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Reading this makes me uneasy. My heart responds, “Moses, you better watch it talking to God that way.” Then as quick as a thought, my perspective changes because I know the rest of the story and I think, “Just wait

1 Kings 17: 18 So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!” What is that expression, the more things change, the more they stay the same? This might well have been said yesterday rather than long ago. There are two implications in the verse. The first one is that God punishes us for our iniquity by making bad things happen to us. The second is that it is God who takes life from

2 Samuel 5: 20            NLV So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). There is a common expression among Christians. We talk about receiving a breakthrough. When you have persisted against a problem or like David, an enemy, and the victory finally comes, we often characterize that as the breakthrough. This expression comes from David’s exclamation on God’s goodness.  You can see the breakthrough language

Psalm 52: 8 – 9              TPT But I am like a flourishing olive tree, anointed in the house of God. I trust in the unending love of God; his passion toward me is forever and ever. Because it is finished I will be praising you forever and giving you thanks. Before all your godly lovers I will proclaim your beautiful name! Yesterday I sent you the first seven verses of Psalm 52. I thought you needed to see how David finished this song. Not only is it beautiful but in the face of adversarial

Psalm 52: 1 – 7         TPT   For the Pure and Shining One A song of instruction by King David composed when Doeg, the Edomite, betrayed David to Saul, saying, “David has come to the house of Ahimilech!”   You call yourself a mighty man, a big shot? Why do you boast in the evil you have done? Yet God’s loyal love will protect me and carry the day! 2 Listen, O deceiver, trickster of others: Your words are wicked, harming and hurting all who hear them. 3 You love evil and hate what is good and

1 Peter 3: 7 Husbands, in a similar way, live with your wives with understanding since they are weaker than you are. Happy Weaker Sex Day!! I hope you laughed when you read that. I have to laugh. You certainly wouldn’t walk through my YMCA and come away with the idea that women are weak, even physically. I look around the classes and the women are fit and strong. I wouldn’t like to be the person who walked into our Y proclaiming that women should bow to men because women are weaker. The person who does that better workout every

Hebrews 4: 16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. God is sitting on the throne of grace. Did you know that? He is not sitting on the throne of judgment nor the throne of condemnation. No, His choice of thrones is the one of grace. That should set someone free right there. Glory!! Additionally, we are invited, no, instructed, to draw unto that throne so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of

Psalm 23        NLT The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup

1 Samuel 30: 19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. The Jews have a ideal of peace which I hear ringing out through this verse. They call it “Shalom” and it is a very comprehensive idea, much fuller than our “Christian” idea of what peace encompasses. The Jewish sense of peace is rich and complete. It has little to do with tranquility and calmness other than that those are the natural outcomes of fullness of peace. I have heard Shalom described as “nothing missing, nothing broken.”

Psalm 51: 11 – 12 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. I really had a hard time choosing which verse to send today. This psalm is good right from the beginning. You would really be blessed to read the psalm in its entirety. How could I not choose these two verses, though, especially verse eleven where David writes explicitly about the Holy Spirit. There are many things which distinguish David from other Biblical personalities,

Hebrews 11: 1          (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is the substance of those things you are praying for. Faith is something real. It is substantive. It is not just an idea or a concept. It isn’t just theology or a feeling. It is the substance, the actual matter, that becomes your answered prayer. My dictionary defines substance as: the real or essential part or element of anything; essence, reality, or basic matter. You see faith isn’t ethereal. It is real even though it is

Luke 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer. Today is the National Day of Prayer in the United States. For those of us who live here, we should first offer up a prayer of thanksgiving that we can have a National Day of Prayer. Let’s also pray for all those around the world who cannot openly pray to Yahweh. For all of you who read this devotional and live outside the United States, will you consider this your personal invitation to join with us for a day of prayer? There is no time or space in

2 Corinthians 6: 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. We have become the righteousness of God in Christ because Jesus took our sin onto himself. There is a song that, although pretty, kind of bugs me because it fails to reflect this great thing that Jesus did for us. The singer says in the chorus that he is just an old sinner saved by grace. Well, which is it? Are you an old sinner or are you saved by grace? You cannot

Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize without weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Two ideas strike me about this verse: Jesus’ compassion and his sinlessness. The two work together for our good. Jesus was in all manner tempted just as we are and yet did not sin. He knows the temptation of sin and is compassionate towards us. He knows exactly what we go through. Yet he was able to face those temptations and turn away. His success should bring you hope

Psalm 50: 5 “Gather My godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” By now, most Christians have embraced the idea that God called us to Him so that we might be in relationship with Him. That relationship is one of kinship, it is a bond that is sacred to God. He seeks those who have covenanted with Him through sacrifice, forged a bond through sacrifice and He gathers those to Himself. When we read the word “sacrifice” in the Old Testament, we usually think of lambs and bulls and goats offered on the

1 Peter 2: 2 – 3 Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Yesterday, we looked at the foundational scriptures John 1: 1 & 14. They are bedrock, that upon which we build. Today’s passage is one of the bricks which is laid upon the foundation. Now that we know that Jesus is the Word and that the Word is living and powerful, we are instructed to desire it like babies crave milk. It is our

John 1: 1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. The reason I send you a scripture each day is because I believe the Word of God has the power to improve your life. The Word of God is alive and powerful. It is not just a collection of writings by a bunch of dead guys. The Word is Christ. He was the Word and was with God and He still is the Word. He is life and power. You

John 14: 23 If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. I don’t know where I first heard it said but this statement has always stayed with me, “Don’t just tell me you love me, show me.” That is what I hear when I read today’s verse from Jesus. Don’t just tell me you love me, show me by keeping my word. Many people identify themselves as Christians but then there are some who are actually trying to live the Word. Now, that is an entirely different matter. Keeping Jesus’ Word means that first you need to read it.

2 Corinthians 3: 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. I was thinking about this verse last week, so I looked it up. You know, it is even better than I remembered which is a lesson unto itself. Don’t rely on your memory when it comes to verses because, just as happened with me last week, Father will show you something new or deeper in it. Faith comes by hearing the Word

Psalm 16: 10 – 11           TPT For you will not abandon me to the realm of death, nor will you allow your Holy One to experience corruption. For you bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the bliss that brings me face-to-face with you. I am not ready to leave behind the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Perhaps you are still in the Easter mood, or if you prefer, Resurrection Sunday. Forgive me if I still use the term Easter. I guess I am nostalgic about the whole Easter season, as an event

1 Samuel 16: 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. David was anointed as the King of Judah and yet he spent the next years running around in the desert hiding in caves as he was pursued by Saul. Paul had an amazing transformation and was called by Jesus to be an apostle. The next thing that happened to him was a long stint in the desert. He was called, anointed and then put up on

1 Samuel 24: 5 – 7 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. There is some good advice here, don’t mess with the Lord’s anointed. The Pharisees should have read this passage. If they had, they wouldn’t have messed with Jesus. Jesus is the anointed one. I wonder what the

1 Samuel 13: 7 – 14 Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering

Acts 10: 4      (CJB) Cornelius stared at the angel, terrified. “What is it, sir?” he asked. “Your prayers,” replied the angel, “and your acts of charity have gone up into God’s presence, so that he has you on his mind.” Ivey Ministries has been working on our prayer ministry and developing a prayer team. Naturally I have been spending time in prayer verses. There are a number which have grabbed my attention but how can this one not cause us to pause? Today’s verse was taken from the Complete Jewish Bible. The NASB reads, “Your prayers and alms

Psalm 49: 6 – 9 They trust in their treasures and boast in their riches, yet not one of them, though rich as a king, could rescue his own brother from the guilt of his sins. Not one could give God the ransom price for the soul of another, let alone for himself. A soul’s redemption is too costly and precious for anyone to pay with earthly wealth. The price to pay is never enough to purchase eternal life for even one, to keep them out of hell. This is not a verse about money though some people categorize it

Psalm 25: 4 – 5 Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; Teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth and teach me. How much easier would your life be if you knew God’s ways and walked in His paths? There is a song the lyrics of which are, “Show me your ways, that I may walk with you.” It has been a favorite of mine for years. I wonder if the writer got the inspiration for that song from this verse. The first thing I thought about today as I read this verse is that in order to

1 Samuel 7: 2 During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the LORD had abandoned them. Have you ever been in this same situation where it feels like the Lord has abandoned you? I suppose there are few people who have not had a time when it felt like God was not listening. We know in our minds it is not true, that He will never leave nor forsake us but there are those times; times when you feel like you are in the middle of a desert with no food or water, no sustaining presence. Where is

Romans 2: 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. This is a funny little verse when viewed from our modern perspective. Even more so since there are so many Christians who are not of Jewish origin. Of course, the first believers were almost exclusively Jewish. As Gentiles began joining the ranks of believers there arose debate and confusion. How can non-Jews be saved by the Jewish Messiah? What followed was a

Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. There is a lot of chatter about the wrath of God and it never ceases to surprise me. Why are we absorbed with talking about the wrath of God? There is no wrath for those who are in Jesus. My first thought is this, I want you attending a church that teaches 1 John 4: 8, “God is love.” That is the revelation we all need to live in, God is love. God is not wrathful, He

Psalm 48: 9 Lord, as we worship you in your temple, we recall over and over your kindness to us and your unending love. Recollection is an important part of our praise. It is good for us and it is good for those around us, especially our children. There are two forms this worship may take. First is our own internal ruminations. If we are not routinely recounting the great and wonderful things the Lord has done for us, then we are missing a chance to build our own faith. There will come a day when your faith feels like

Philippians 3: 9 [That I] may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. Here is where things get hard. This verse perfectly positions us if, and when, we comprehend within us, what Paul intended to convey. It is easy to read with our intellect and assign it to the theological part of our minds. We need, though, to bring it to the forefront of our brains and consider each of the parts. The

Ephesians 1: 18 – 20         Complete Jewish Bible I pray that he will give light to the eyes of your hearts, so that you will understand the hope to which he has called you, what rich glories there are in the inheritance he has promised his people, and how surpassingly great is his power working in us who trust him. It works with the same mighty strength he used when he worked in the Messiah to raise him from the dead and seat him at his right hand in heaven. Although we looked at verse eighteen yesterday,

Ephesians 1: 18             Amplified And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people). I love the expression “confident expectation.” It is the image of us leaning forward, fully assured of God’s continuous attendance to our needs and desires. When we hear this odd language like

Deuteronomy 31: 6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” This is one of those verses we want to be true. It is also a good verse upon which to test your resolve. Are you a believer? Do you believe this verse is an actual promise from God to you? Can you stand on it? Well, that is the question, isn’t it? Face it, there are times that despite our spirituality, we just feel alone.

Psalm 47: 1 – 2          The Passion Translation Go ahead and celebrate! Come on and clap your hands, everyone! Shout to God with the raucous sounds of joy! The Lord God Most High is astonishing, awesome beyond words! He’s the formidable and powerful King over all the earth. I was trying to sense the mood of the author of this psalm and the tone with which he wrote while reading it. One of the footnotes shows that this shout of joy is literally a ringing cry. Imagine, if you will, feeling so overjoyed with who God

Malachi 3: 10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” There is much talk about giving to the church, but it seems to me that there is little understanding. I suppose it is just one of those uncomfortable subjects. Well, let’s just look at God’s words and see what He says about it. This one little verse says quite

1 Corinthians 15: 34 For some have no knowledge of God’s wonderful love. I think this is one of the biggest keys in all of Christianity, that is understanding the love the Father has for each of us. The verse above is Bible so it must be true but even if it was not in the Bible and you had simply spoken it to me, I would believe it. It is easy for us to relate this passage to non-believers. If they knew of the love of God, we reason, then they would be believers too. My ministry, though, is

Psalm 46: 4 There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives. This river is the Holy Spirit and the flow of the Holy Spirit brings many benefits to our lives. Among these is joy. The Holy Spirit is often characterized as a flow in addition to water, rivers and fountains. It is the flow of the Spirit which brings revelation and waters the garden of God. We live in and as part of God’s city right now even as we dwell on earth because the earth is

Romans 14: 5 Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. Being convinced in our minds is the easiest part. The mind is willing, but our hearts are unconvinced. Have you watched the Disney movie, Frozen? Well, here is another life lesson from my “Everything I learned, I learned from Cartoons” anthology. Of course, last week the Disney movie, Saving Mr. Banks, was not animated, but you get the idea. One of the central characters in Frozen, Anna, was injured by her sister Elsa’s freeze power. Elsa’s frozen shot hit Anna in the head. Their parents, the Queen

Psalm 46: 1 – 2 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. That is why we are not afraid even when the earth quakes or the mountains topple into the depths of the sea. Imagine, for a moment, standing on a bluff. Beneath your feet you feel the earth quaking as if shivering from a sudden chill. In the near distance you see a mountain as large as any mountain you have ever seen. While you look upon it, it crumbles like cheese, and the whole mountain tumbles into the sea. Where once stood

John 4: 17 – 18 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” I was listening to Christian music the other day when a song played that recounted this episode. The song lyric said, “Jesus told her of all her sin.” Honestly, it was a pretty song and well sung, but this lyric grieved my heart. I thought of other Bible references about women. Women

Luke 5: 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. Jesus set a priority on spending time to pray and fellowship with his father. I wonder, though, how he had time to slip away to the mountains or the wilderness for fellowship time. Most pastors I know are busy, very busy. Jesus saw all of the demand. He saw the plethora of hurting people. And he, of all people knew he had the means to help everyone of them. People were clamoring after him for his words, his prayers and his healing touch. I just

Proverb 4: 20 – 22 My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Colossians 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer. Every adventurer knows to carry a First Aid Kit on excursions. We are encouraged to have an emergency first aid kit in our cars and our homes. I have one for my kayak and another in my hiking gear and yet another in my

1 Samuel 16: 7             (NCV) “God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I just watched the movie Saving Mr. Banks. It is about Walt Disney’s trials and efforts in acquiring the rights to make the movie Mary Poppins. By all indications, the author of the Mary Poppins books was difficult and even unreasonable. Disney was committed to turning the Mary Poppins book into a movie. It took him 20 years of cajoling, negotiating, and pleasing Mrs. P.L. Travers

Psalm 45: 1         God’s Word My heart is overflowing with good news. I will direct my song to the king. My tongue is a pen for a skillful writer. This psalm is written about Jesus and his bride, which is the church. The psalmist saw into the spiritual realm and was overwhelmed by the gloriousness of Jesus. Jesus’ grandeur and beauty caused his heart to overflow with the good news which bubbled up from within his own spirit. When Jesus walked the earth in human form, he was not the most handsome of men. When, however, you

Matthew 13: 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. We often talk about the thirty, sixty, and hundredfold return. One most commonly hears it in relationship to sowing seed into the Kingdom of God and in anticipation of the kind of harvest one can expect. God is in the multiplication business so everything we do with Him or for Him does get multiplied. Therefore, I have no problem

Matthew 13: 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Today we learn about another response people have to the Word which is sown in them. Some are deceived by what the world has to offer and full of fear and worry. These people choke on the Word because it stands in opposition to the lure of the world’s pleasures and troubles. We confronted, earlier in the week, the need

Matthew 13: 20 – 21 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. Here is the second category of people Jesus identified. These are people who listen to a teaching and are immediately overjoyed. Perhaps they went to a conference, heard a guest speaker at church or even read a book. There initial response to the Word

Matthew 13: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is from the Parable of the Sower. Jesus told the Parable of the Sower to the crowd but later explained it when his disciples questioned him about it. Although foundational, it is important we understand this parable and its implications for each of us. We know the Word has power. It is equally true, though, that few of us are living in the power that Jesus walked in. We

Psalm 44: 3 Our forefathers didn’t win these battles by their own strength or their own skill or strategy. But it was through the shining forth of your radiant presence and the display of your mighty power. You loved to give them victory, for you took great delight in them. The writer of this psalm seems confident in his statement that their forefathers’ victories were not the result of their own strength, skill or battle strategy. The triumph was not the result of their own wisdom, experience or knowledge. Instead, the psalmist would have us believe that victory came through

Psalm 34: 10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. You know, I really didn’t mean to get waylaid on this “seeking” thing. However, I just can’t seem to get away from it. Today’s verse gives us a really good reason to seek God, i.e. to avoid lack. Young lions have the power to meet their needs. No beast can stand against them. Lions have even been known to take down elephants. So, if there is any animal with the power and ability to

Psalm 34: 4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Fear is a pernicious emotion. It draws us into ever deeper dread, and it draws to us all sorts of negative experiences. Once fear gets a foothold in our spirits, it invites all its little buddies to come torment us as well. We may begin with a fear of spiders or of heights only to realize one day that fear lurks around almost every corner. That is its nature. It wants to invade every part of our lives and it will if

Ephesians 1: 17 . . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. A friend of mine was suffering from writer’s block. It is a most uncomfortable feeling. I thought, “I cannot afford writer’s block. The Word of the Day has to be delivered tomorrow morning at 5:00.” I have learned that our Father and His Spirit are supporting me every day in producing these “words” from Him and that I must relax and let Him lead me. Still,

Numbers 2: 1 – 2 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance. One of the grandest precepts for us to accept and subsequently incorporate is that we can hear the voice of God speaking to each of us. Especially on this side of the Protestant Reformation, we should be people who are zealous to talk with God and hear His responses. Yet, we have fallen into a pattern

Psalm 43: 3        TPT Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence, into your many sanctuaries of holiness. Isn’t this beautiful? Can you see Father pouring His light into you, filling you with the light of revelation truth? Wow! That is an image to ponder. That shining light leads us from the inside out. I find that fascinating but also rational. Yahweh’s light within us leads us into all truth. It leads

Mark 10: 17 – 22 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” Looking at him,

Matthew 28: 18          NMB And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, all power is given to me in heaven and in earth. So, if, as Jesus said, all power was given to him, then why could he do nothing in and of himself? Is this a perplexing problem or a simple question? Remember from yesterday’s Word of the Day that John 5: 19 records Jesus as saying that he could do nothing of himself. So how was he able to perform so many miracles? The answer is, he was given all power when he was

John 5: 19 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself.” Jesus said he was nothing without God so consider me, as David said, a worm (Psalm 22: 6). Who are we if Jesus could do nothing without the Father’s assistance? Before Jesus’ ministry began, Father sent him to be baptized by John the Baptist. When John baptized Jesus in water, God baptized him in the Holy Spirit. The text from Matthew says that the Spirit of God descended from heaven and rested upon Jesus (Matthew 3: 16). Everything Jesus did from then on was

Zechariah 4: 6 “This is the word of the Lord . . ., ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Last week we spent a little time with the prophet Habakkuk, and he taught us about partnering with God and not being prideful. Habakkuk told us that leaning on our own strength, might and power, is a result of a prideful soul, a soul which is not right within us. The good news was that our Father has prepared a way for us to renew our souls and make them right. It

Psalm 42: 5        NIV 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. This week we are continuing our journey through the psalms with this passage from Psalm 42. Since you seem to be enjoying the psalms, we will continue to do one every Monday. This psalm is one sad lament and yet, is there one amongst us who has not felt equally forlorn at some point in life? The psalmist had a revelation, though, one which buoyed him even

Habakkuk 2: 4 Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith. Yesterday Habakkuk taught us that God does not want us to rely on our own strength, but rather to trust in His. We talked about partnering with the Holy Spirit, allowing him to guide our decisions and actions. We learned that He is not pleased with our looking to our own strength and skills. In fact, the scripture said we will be held guilty if that is our reliance. I don’t want to be held guilty

Habakkuk 1: 11 But they will be held guilty, they whose strength is their God. The prophet Habakkuk wrote this sometime around 607 B.C. That means this passage is over 2600 years old. It might have been written yesterday for how appropriate it is to our everyday existence. I have been writing over the last couple of years about partnership with God. This is the singular message of our time. God sent Jesus to save us from destruction. Having accomplished his task, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our constant companion and helper. We are supposed to learn to

Psalm 37: 21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back but the righteous is gracious and gives. Do you know what it is called if you borrow and fail to pay back? It is called stealing. Yep! That’s what it is. Now why would any of us intentionally steal from one another? An absolute and complete lack of understanding and faith is why. If you understand God and who you are in Him, then you have no reason to withhold payment from those to whom it is due or not to give generously to others. Only those who are

Jeremiah 31: 16 – 17 Thus says the Lord, “Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded,” declares the Lord, . . . “and there is hope for your future,” declares the Lord. God is speaking to us today. He is speaking from His heart. Let’s listen to His words of encouragement and faith. You did know that God is a person of faith, didn’t you? He began everything by calling those things which be not into being, but that is a message for another day. This day, He wants to tell

Isaiah 40: 10 Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. This Word of the Day is for me because yesterday I was feeling very selfish. I didn’t want to look for a verse for you or a Word from God for you. I just wanted to do what I always tell you to do, hang out with Dad. So, I did and this is what he gave me. I do hope it blesses you too. As is typical, when Dad wants to

Psalm 1: 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. I want to talk about prayer and study today. I continually encourage you to read your Bible but the question is, is this a matter of law or can we find liberty in it. We live in a period of grace, Jesus having saved us from the curse of the law and being the very fulfillment of the law in this age. So, is it right or acceptable for ministers to teach and advocate the exercise of legal

Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Are you appreciative of what Jesus did for you? Are you sometimes overwhelmed by the magnitude of his accomplishment? Is it humbling thinking that he endured all for you, so that you would have a life of blessing and a path to the Father? I find it overwhelming at times. What he did for me is too big to contain. It overpowers my thinking and I, like you, feel enormously grateful. In those moments, how can

1 Corinthians 1: 19       KJV For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Last week we sang a song at church which spoke to me. I extracted this idea from it, that when we trust Him, we don’t need to understand. We live in an age of intellectualism. We like to process everything through the left side of our brains so that everything makes sense and is understandable. This is the opposite of what Jesus told us to do. He told us to believe

Psalm 41: 1 – 2 God always blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless. They’re the first ones God helps when they find themselves in any trouble. The Lord will preserve and protect them. They’ll be honored and esteemed while their enemies are defeated. While typing in this verse I had to stop and just say, “Thank you Lord.” Do you ever do that? Are there times when the Word of God speaks to you so profoundly that it is as if God has just spoken to you aloud? That is the way it feels to me

1 John 4: 4 You are from God, children, and you have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. This is one of those verses that we hear often but I wonder if we see the meaning in it. Yesterday we explored the idea of treating the Bible as literal truth. What happens if you do that with this verse? Who is it that is in us? The verse from yesterday, 1 John 4: 15 reveals that God lives inside of everyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of

1 John 4: 15            NIV If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. When we slow down and think about this verse, it seems pretty odd really. We accept it pretty easily because our pastors have put this verse before our eyes and ears for years. When you really think about how does God live in us? Where does He live? And how are we in God? Is this just rhetoric or is it truth? Many of us err because we fail to take the

Romans 8: 6        NIV The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. I am sure we all want life and peace. Jesus said he came to the earth to give us abundant life (John 10: 10) and I certainly do not want to frustrate his purpose in my life. I am equally convinced that you want the peace of Christ flowing through your life along with the abundant life he brings. I wish, sometimes, there was nothing I had to do to position myself for all

Colossians 3: 15      Amplified Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. This is good advice, isn’t it? You may sometimes hear, “Let peace guide you.” In this verse, Paul teaches us that peace should be the controlling or ruling principle in all our ways and decisions. That certainly has implications for personal decisions when we don’t have

Psalm 40: 3      Passion Translation A new song for a new day rises up in me every time I think about how he breaks through for me! Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until everyone hears how God has set me free. Many will see his miracles; they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him! How sweet are the sentiments of David towards his heavenly father. There are many kinds of relationships we can have with Yahweh but the emotional connection David displays is the most enviable of all. When was the last time

Psalm 9: 3 For when you appear, I worship while all of my enemies run in retreat. They stumble and perish before your presence. I have enjoyed our jog through the Psalms. I am continuing it, you may have noticed. Each Monday I will continue our journey through the psalms. This is one I found when we did Psalm 9. It was so good that I saved it for another day. I love this, don’t you? In it I see our partnership with Yahweh. This partnership is such a huge and important revelation. Jesus said we are to abide in

Deuteronomy 30: 19           NOG I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live. Are you familiar with this verse? I want you to be. It is so very powerful and can change your life. In fact, this is a great one for you to meditate on. The piece of it I wish to highlight today is the word “choose.” God has offered us life. He has offered us blessings. Death and the curse entered the

Romans 15: 13             NIV May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Most of us are attracted to this prayer and the idea that we may be filled with joy and peace. There are a couple of interesting nuances, though, that we should look at. First, Paul calls God the God of hope. Then at the end of the verse his prayer is for us to overflow with hope. Third, this overflowing

1 Timothy 5: 23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. Paul in writing to Timothy included this statement at the end of his discourse about elders. It is actually awkwardly placed between two statements that are about the sins of others. So, maybe Paul was attempting to communicate to Timothy that a little wine, even among the elders is not sinful. I have always held that being Christian must not necessarily be synonymous with being a tea-totaller, or completely abstaining from alcoholic drinks. People will remind

Psalm 39: 1 – 2             NIV I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.” So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. If you want to keep yourself from sin, the tongue is an excellent place to start. Most of us do more damage to ourselves and others with our mouth than any other way. In my book, Journey Through the Bible, chapter 64 is titled Loshon Hora. This is a Hebrew expression

Luke 24: 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. The backstory here is that it is the third day after the crucifixion. Mary and several of the other women went early in the morning to Jesus’ tomb. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. There appeared unto them angels who told them Jesus was risen. The women raced back to tell the apostles and others of Jesus’ followers that Jesus had arisen. Later, two of the men from this group went to

Luke 24: 15          KJV And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. Ministers, me included, are always telling you to commune with God but what does that mean and how do you do it? Here is a definition for the verb commune: to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings, to be in intimate communication or rapport. Does that help? The first level of communion is communication. That seems logical and reasonable, doesn’t it? They are from the

Philippians 4: 19                    God’s Word My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus. Do you believe this verse? I mean do you really, really believe it? Today’s Word of the Day is not, surprisingly, about God meeting your needs. It is about believing. It is about challenging our beliefs. The truth is, most of us don’t really believe the Bible. We believe a version of the Bible. As we read the Bible we need to learn to challenge our belief system asking whether it

Deuteronomy 10: 12 Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. First, you can line through the name Israel and write in your name. That is how you should read this verse. Second, please recall that you have to modernize this language. We no longer use the word “fear” the way it was used in this context. A better, more modern word would be revere.

Psalm 38: 9 – 10 Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. I am moved by David’s passion and how he lays his heart out before the lord. Is this something we do? Is this something I do? When I am under stress, I turn into a turtle. I withdraw into my shell and hold everything inside. We all know, at least intellectually, that this is not good, not healthy, and completely non-productive.

Matthew 5: 44 – 45            NET But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. You’ve heard that you are to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you and that is a good focus of this passage, but I particularly like verse 45 for two reasons. First, it tells us the reason for the

Proverb 4: 7 The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. I have a question for you today. Proverbs is a wisdom book, so is it primarily a book of the Old Testament or does it transcend the Old Testament? Is its advice pertinent to this generation? Okay, so that is two questions. The reason I bring this up is because we tend to have a very different perspective on the Old Testament books since we are New Testament believers. So, what do we do with the book of proverbs? And, for that matter,

Joshua 1: 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. You’ve heard the popular saying, “Do it Now.” It was a great message and helped a lot of us in our everyday life. In fact, that saying has become part of the cultural jargon of our age. So, why am I telling you not to do it

Colossians 3: 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. When we read the Bible, particularly familiar sections of it, our minds react immediately with recognition. The downside, though, is that familiarity puts our minds in to a comfort state rather than an inquiring mode. We tend to read over the passage a bit more than one that is new to our eyes and mind. One of the cures for this is to read from

Psalm 37: 5 & 7                    God’s Word Entrust your ways to the Lord. Trust him, and he will act on your behalf. Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him. This is one of my favorite Bible passages. It is important to me because it speaks to an issue that I constantly must consider. This passage is about the partnership with God. When we partner with Him, then the work load is shared. We have our part and He has His. The key is for us to do our

Hebrews 12: 25 – 26             New Living Bible Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” The God’s Word Translation reads, “Be careful

Hebrews 12: 19             New Living Translation For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. The Word of the Day for December 19th, 2018 characterized the voice of the Lord. The excerpts I used from Psalm 29: 3 – 9 read, “The voice of the Lord . . . is powerful, . . . is majestic, . . . breaks the cedars, . . . hews out flames of fire, . . . shakes the wilderness, . . .makes the deer to calve and strips

Hebrews 12: 1       (New Living Translation) Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. This may be a familiar verse to you however, I appreciate how the New Living Translation puts forth the ideas in such a straightforward and simple way. The NIV Bible says to run the race with perseverance. The key, though, is the imparted knowledge of how we do this. It is one thing to mentally nod in agreement to run the race with

Matthew 8: 2 – 4 A leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Tell me, what jumps out to you from this passage? There are many messages easily gleaned from these verses. As I read it

Psalm 36: 9 – 10 To know you is to experience a flowing fountain, drinking in your life, springing up to satisfy. In the light of your holiness we receive the light of revelation. Lord, keep pouring out your unfailing love on those who are near you. Release more of your blessings to those who are loyal to you. Our Christian walk is a journey as the very name implies. One does not walk and remain in the same place. Therefore, the first question is, are we travelling or are we rooted in place? Are we still journeying with Jesus

Psalm 35: 1 – 3                 God’s Word O Lord, attack those who attack me. Fight against those who fight against me. Use your shields, both small and large. Arise to help me. Hold your spear to block the way of those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your savior.” How many facets of Yahweh do you know personally? He has many titles He connects to people through. Whole books have been written on the “Names of God” though I would argue those aren’t His names as much as they are

Psalm 34: 22 None of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. Psalm 34 is one of the truly great psalms of David and in running a search, I find I have written on it several times, especially verse 10. I have never, however, written on verse 22 before. As I read Psalm 34, I found so many great messages and fabulous verses but what of this lonely verse here at the end of this great psalm? Does it have anything to say to you today? Here is what I heard as I read. Our God is all

Psalm 33: 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. This is an interesting verse because we see the trinity at work creating the earth and the universe. We learned from the apostle John that Jesus is the Word. Therefore, when David wrote that the heavens were made by the Word of the Lord, we recognize the involvement of Jesus in creation. Do you remember the devotions written about the Holy Spirit where we learned that the Spirit actually is the breath of God? (For a review

Where do you want to go this year?  The year is new and there is nothing you cannot achieve with the Holy Spirit.  January 1st is the eternal do over.  Forget your age, for you are neither too old nor too young.  You can build on last year’s achievements and springboard off the failures.  It is a new day, brand new and all things are possible.  Catch a vision of where you would like to go this year.  Believe in your heart that your vision is God’s desire. I pray, with all sincerity, that 2019 fulfills all its promise in

You know the lyrics to the famous Christmas Carol, “Hark the herald, angels sing, glory to the new born King!”  A herald is a bringer of news, an official messenger.  Hearken to the voice of the messenger, in other words, for he is bringing you good news of a great joy, so joyous, in fact, that the angels sing, “Glory, Glory!  The King is born!”  Think of that, angels celebrating with uplifted voices because the savior has arrived.  I guarantee you they are singing, “Glory, glory,” even until today. There are many images of Christmas and we have many demands placed

Psalm 32: 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. This is personal. It’s from God to you. He is telling you that He will give you personal counsel. That is why He says He will counsel you with His eye upon you. There is advice that is good for everyone and which applies to everyone. That is not what this verse is about. This is about giving you daily instruction in the way you should go. Our Father is offering to give you

Psalm 31: 23 – 24              Passion Translation Listen to me, all you godly ones: Love the Lord with passion! The Lord protects and preserves all those who are loyal to him. But he pays back in full all those who reject him in their pride. So cheer up! Take courage all you who love him. Wait for him to break through for you, all who trust in him! I hope some of you took me up on the idea of reading each of these psalms in their fullness as your daily Bible reading. I

Psalm 30: 1, 5               God’s Word Verses 7 – 8, 10 – 11    Passion Translation I will honor you highly, O Lord, because you have pulled me out of the pit. Weeping may last for the night, but there is a song of joy in the morning. I was panic-stricken and became depressed. Still I cried out to you, Lord God. I shouted out for mercy. So hear me now, Lord; show me your famous mercy. O God, be my Savior and rescue me! Then he broke through and transformed all my wailing

Psalm 29: 11          God’s Word The Lord will give power to his people. The Lord will bless his people with peace. Last Friday we looked at the awesome power of God. He is so powerful that His voice can shake the earth. David spends the greater part of Psalm 29 describing how powerful God’s voice is. What a surprise to get to the last verse and discover this nugget. All the power of the universe, a being so powerful that His voice has the capacity to cause earthquakes, tsunamis, strip trees bare and break them in

Psalm 29: 3 – 9 The voice of the Lord: is powerful, is majestic, breaks the cedars, hews out flames of fire, shakes the wilderness, makes the deer to calve and strips the forests bare. This psalm begins by directing us to ascribe to the Lord the glory and strength due His name. In other words, attribute to Him, give Him credit for, the power and might of who He is. David is reminding us, that although Yahweh is our love and Father, even our most intimate friend, He is still God Almighty, with the emphasis on All Mighty. The

Psalm 28: 6 – 7                  God’s Word Thank the Lord! He has heard my prayer for mercy! The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted him, so I received help. My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song. These two verses capture David’s relationship with God. Praise is on David’s lips. Our Lord heard his prayer and answered from His mountain. David doesn’t stop with praise though, he declares the greatness of the Lord, extolling His strength and protection. God is a shield about us

Psalm 27: 4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. It is no wonder that David desired to spend every day at God’s place. It is the place of perfect peace, perfect healing, of joy and rest. Of course, there is also the privilege of beholding the beauty of our Lord and savior and the magnificent splendor of our Father. We know David’s son, Solomon asked

Psalm 26: 8              Passion Lord, I love your home, this place of dazzling glory, bathed in the splendor and light of your presence! Yesterday we were introduced to the private place our Father has reserved for us, a place where He meets with us and discloses the secrets of the universe, and even of the earth and your life. Today we get a picture of that private place that only those who love God get to enjoy. It literally glows with the glory of His presence. His glory saturates the wood and upholstery so

Psalm 25: 14              Passion There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises. There were several verses I thought of using for today’s selection before I settled on verse fourteen. For example, in verse one, David again, declares his trust in God. I could have written a lot on these words from verse three, “For how could anyone be disgraced when he has entwined his heart with you?” I’ve written quite a bit in the last few years about being intertwined

Psalm 24: 3           Passion Who, then, ascends into the presence of the Lord? And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place? How would you answer this question? Which of us is qualified to stand int God’s presence, of entering His throne room? Here is God’s answer from verse 4, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully” (NASB). Perhaps this doesn’t fully explain. The Passion translation reads, “those who never deceive, whose words are sure.” Verse four reveals

Psalm 23: 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. This is many people’s favorite psalm. What is it that folks like about it? Is it knowing we have a shepherd who cares for us? Verse 1 from the Passion Translation reads, “The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough.” If this is your favorite psalm, do yourself a favor and read it from the Passion Translation. You are really going

Psalm 22: 4 – 5              God’s Word Our ancestors trusted you. They trusted, and you rescued them. They cried to you and were saved. They trusted you and were never disappointed. There are a couple of things you should know about this psalm. First, it is prophetic. Read it in its entirety, read it from several versions. I particularly like the God’s Word translation for seeing the prophetic nature of this passage. David was in the Spirit and though this speaks to his own situation, you will see that it parallels Jesus’. I strongly

Psalm 21: 2 – 3 You have given him his heart’s desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. For You meet him with the blessings of good things. I hope you are enjoying this stroll through the Psalms. I very much am. The hardest part of this, for me, is choosing only one or two verses out of the psalm to send to you. There are so many verses screaming to be heard, like verse seven from today’s psalm. However, I have to choose so verses two and three are my pick because of yesterday’s

Psalm 20: 3 – 4             God’s Word He will remember all your grain offerings and look with favor on your burnt offerings. Selah. He will give you your heart’s desire and carry out all your plans. Do you know that there are some people to whom it is difficult to give? I had a friend that way. You couldn’t bless her. She refused kindness or just would not receive graciously. After a while, I just got tired of trying to be a blessing to her. She just made it too painful. I wonder if God

Psalm 19: 14                God’s Word May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my defender. This verse has been on an index card for years. Though I am better, I need to be reminded daily. This is not about holiness though one cannot be holy without clean thoughts and words. Although this verse stands alone very well, you will understand its richness when you take it in context with the rest of the nineteenth psalm. Look back at our Words

Psalm 19: 11        Passion For they warn us, his servants, and keep us from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul! We all want great success, don’t we? In this, the eleventh verse, King David points out that all that he has written in the previous ten verses comes to a head here. In verse ten we learned that nothing brings the soul such sweetness as seeking God’s living words. Why? Because they warn us, keep us, bring us success with a lifetime guarantee. Do you see how this flows

Psalm 19: 9 – 10             Passion Every one of the Lord’s commands is right; following them brings cheer. Nothing he says ever needs to be changed. The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth. That’s why I prize God’s word like others prize the finest gold. Nothing brings the soul such sweetness as seeking his living words. Following God’s commands brings cheer. Could it be, then, that is the reason He gave them to us. If you accept the premise that Yahweh is a loving God, or to go further, that He is

Psalm 19: 7 – 8                    (God’s Word) The teachings of the Lord are perfect. They renew the soul. The testimony of the Lord is dependable. It makes gullible people wise. The instructions of the Lord are correct. They make the heart rejoice. The command of the Lord is radiant. It makes the eyes shine. Well, who said we had to proceed to the next psalm today? This is our journey, we can go as we please and there is just too much in Psalm 19 to choose only one verse to

Psalm 19: 1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Have you heard this verse before? I just recently used this in a conversation about the evidence of God’s existence and His creation of earth. I think you have to convince yourself there is no God because if one just looks around or looks up into a night sky, the evidence is there. As is the norm, I have taken this excerpt from the New American Standard Bible. It is still my favorite version but when reading the

Psalm 18: 48 – 49                Passion He rescues me from my enemies; he lifts me up high and keeps me out of reach, far from the grasp of my violent foe. 49 This is why I thank God with high praises! I will sing my song to the highest God, so all among the nations will hear me. David certainly accomplished his goal. People from all nations, nations which didn’t even exist when he was living, have heard his songs of praise. His songs have spiritually fed generations of believers. That is really

This year I wish to express my thankfulness for you.  I appreciate you more this year than ever before.  Together we have shared 2820 Words of the Day.  That is a lot and sometimes I grow weary. I learned much from my surprise surgery this year.  Many of you wrote to me and sent me well wishes and prayers.  Your prayers were very much appreciated as were your kind comments.  In fact, you have given me new inspiration.  After so many Words of the Day I think I had lost some of my zeal.  You assured me that you are

Psalm 17: 4 – 5                  Passion Following your word has kept me from wrong. Your ways have molded my footsteps, keeping me from going down the forbidden paths of the destroyer. 5 My steps follow in the tracks of your chariot wheels, always staying in their path, never straying from your way. We are Word people, are we not? If not, then we need to make a decision, today, that we will become those who follow the Word of God because the Word guides us and protects us. David told us in Psalm

Psalm 16: 7 – 8 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. I have to dedicate today’s Word of the Day to my friend Dr. Charity Kayembe (https://www.glorywaves.org/) who has taught us to pay attention to the guidance the Lord gives us in the night. God uses dreams to communicate with us at night as Dr. Kayembe explains in her book, Hearing God Through Your Dreams. I think this shows

Psalm 15: 1 – 5                    Passion Translation Lord, who dares to dwell with you? Who presumes the privilege of being close to you, living next to you in your shining place of glory? Who are those who daily dwell in the life of the Holy Spirit? 2 They are passionate and wholehearted, always sincere and always speaking the truth— for their hearts are trustworthy. 3 They refuse to slander or insult others; they’ll never listen to gossip or rumors, nor would they ever harm another with their words. 4 They will

Psalm 14: 1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” I remember the first time I heard this verse. It was back in the 80’s and Kenneth Hagin was preaching. Some man said to Hagin that there was no such thing as God. Hagin said something like that he was glad to meet him because he saw him in the Bible. Then Hagin quoted him this verse. I wonder how the guy reacted. It’s true though and if you believe the Bible is true then you will appreciate that to refuse to acknowledge the existence of

Psalm 13: 6               Tree of Life But I trust in Your lovingkindness, my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to Adonai, because He has been good to me. How could I choose any verse other than this one after yesterday’s passage? The first part of the psalm details David’s fear, worry and sorrow but as is so often the case, he does not allow himself to languish in anxiety. The most important word in today’s verse may well be “but.” David tells of all the trouble. He momentarily dwells in the angst,

Psalm 12: 6            Passion Translation For every word God speaks is sure and every promise pure. His truth is tested, found to be flawless, and ever faithful. It’s as pure as silver refined seven times in a crucible of clay. Oh, if we only believed this. Wouldn’t life be different? The truth of the matter, sorrowfully, is that most Christians aren’t really believers. We believe in Jesus but not necessarily all his words. This is lamentable, but you know what, this is something we can change individually and globally. Today’s psalm is a song of David,

Psalm 11: 1 I have taken refuge in the Lord. How can you say to me: “Flee to your mountain like a bird? I am happy to be back in a psalm of David. Not that the others are bad but there is a richness in his writing. I think what I like most is his authenticity and intimacy with the Lord. Let me rephrase today’s verse just so you get the full flavor of it, “How can you say to me: ‘Flee to your mountain like a bird?’ I have taken refuge in the Lord.” Does it make better

Psalm 10: 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil person. Punish his wickedness until you find no more. This doesn’t seem a very Christian concept, does it? Yet, I wager most of us have felt the emotions articulated by this psalmist. You may wish to read the entire psalm, it isn’t long, in order to get the full flavor of this psalmist’s sentiments. He sees the poor and down trodden, the innocent, taken advantage of. He witnessed the arrogance of the wicked and their boasts that there is no God. No wonder in the last verses he adjures

Psalm 9: 1 – 2 I will give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart. I will tell about all the miracles you have done. I will find joy and be glad about you. What part of these verses do you like best? It’s all good, isn’t it. I was stopped by the part about telling of all His miracles. This is another psalm of David. Are you beginning to hear and recognize his voice? Clearly David is passionate about his Lord and God. This passage is interesting to me because David declares what he will do. He isn’t

Psalm 8: 3 – 6 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. I think this is a good place for a Selah – stop and consider these words. That is where David

Psalm 7: 1 – 2 O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge; save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, or he will tear my soul like a lion, dragging me away, while there is none to deliver. This psalm is headed with, “A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.” I find these words as important as the song itself. A Shiggaion is a particular type of song or poem. Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines it as, “a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion; a song of

Psalm 6: 2 – 4              (TPT) Please deal gently with me; show me mercy, for I’m sick and frail. I’m fading away with weakness. Heal me, for I’m falling apart. How long until you take away this pain in my body and in my soul? Lord, I’m trembling in fear! Turn to me and deliver my life because I know you love and desire to have me as your very own. A friend of mine turned me on to the Passion Translation and I am so glad she did. I really love to read

Psalm 5: 11 – 12 Let all who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them sing with joy forever. Protect them, and let those who love your name triumph in you. You bless righteous people, O Lord. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor. I hope you are enjoying this sojourn through the psalms. David reminds us, today, that there is blessing, success, victory, protection, joy and favor for those who take refuge in the Lord. David found his respite in the Lord.  He had a way of intertwining his existence with that of God and that

Psalm 4: 8 I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone O Lord, enable me to live securely. This psalm is titled, “Evening Prayer of Trust in God.” That is a sermon unto itself. This is a good way to end the day, but it also makes me think of bookending my day with a companion prayer in the morning. I hear two promises in today’s verse. First, there are the obvious trust expressions. David rested in the security that he had in the Lord. He was so convinced of the Father’s protection that he

Psalm 3: 3 – 4 But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. In verses one and two David decries the number and aggressiveness of his enemies. This psalm was written when David’s son was chasing him. How forlorn David must have been. His own son had turned against him in a grab for power. Though David spent the first two verses lamenting his dire situation, by verse three his spirit arose

Psalm 2: 1 – 3             (TPT) How dare the nations plan a rebellion. Their foolish plots are futile! Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying: “Let’s come together and break away from the Creator.” This psalm was written circa 1044 B.C. That is a long time ago, and yet, doesn’t it sound like it was written for now? I recommend you read the entire psalm in The Passion translation. It isn’t long. Despite

Psalm 1: 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does he prospers. An idea came to me today that I believe we will enjoy. Let’s take a trip, you and me, a journey of songs, as it were. Beginning today let us sojourn through the Psalms. Each day I will send you a verse out of a psalm beginning with Psalm One and continuing until Yahweh says, “Halt.” There are 150 Psalms. I do not intend

1 Corinthians 1: 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Let’s talk about evangelism a bit today. When you find something good, don’t you want to share it with others? The news about Jesus is good news and we often want to share it with others so they can experience his goodness as we do. Beyond that, though, there is a certain expectation in the church that we share this gospel of good news. After all Jesus did say, “Go

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. What does this passage mean to you? Here is what it means to me, that Yahweh loved you and me so much that He gave that which was most precious to Him so that you and I would not die, to save us from eternal destruction. He traded His perfect son for us. Not much a bargain you might say. It shows what 1 John 4: 8 says, “God is love.” Most

John 6: 13 – 14 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” I am sure you recognize this as the telling of the feeding of the five thousand. We forget, sometimes, that not only were all the people fed, which actually numbered somewhere around 20,000 when women and children are included, but that afterwards the disciples gathered

Matthew 25:21                       (TLV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a little, so I’ll put you in charge of much. Enter into your master’s joy!’ I often ponder, “What motivates Christians?” Maybe the question we ask ourselves is, “Do we, as a body, lack motivation? Are we living to Christ the way we should? Does the thought of the Father saying to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant” in any way inspire you? What does inspire you to go deeper in

Isaiah 57: 10 “You were tired out by the length of your road, yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewed strength, therefore you did not faint.” Tuesday I sent you Galatians 6: 9 which reads, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Today there is good news for your tired body and mind. God will provide the strength you need to carry on. There is a reward for you if you do not faint and there is a way to maintain your

Isaiah 50: 5 The Lord God has opened my ear. Do you know that you stand in the shoes of Jesus? That is what it means to be in him and in him is our goal and calling. This is the New Covenant. What does this have to do with today’s verse? You have been positioned to hear the voice of God exactly as Jesus did. Jesus didn’t speak or perform on his own initiative. Everything he did and said was at the direction of the Father. He heard God speaking to him and followed the Father’s instructions. This is

Galatians 6: 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. It is easy to get tired; tired of trying, tired of standing in faith, just plain old weary. How long am I supposed to stand anyway? Do you ever feel that way? Sure. We all do, but the Lord tells us not to give up. Don’t lose heart. If we will but stand, God promises that we will reap. Have you been believing God for something for a long time? Maybe it has even been many

Psalm 37: 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. Here is the word of the Lord on worry and anger. It is pretty clear. It says don’t do it; don’t worry, don’t give in to anger. Now what part of that is difficult? Well, sometimes the hard part is in the execution of what God has directed us to do, rather than in the understanding. There is help in that though. First, God will never tell you to do something that He has not already empowered you to do. So, take some

My laptop is getting a much needed rest, so I might as well take a vacation while it recovers.  My trusty laptop, Heavenly Father and I have just completed our 2800th Word of the Day devotional.  I pray you are enjoying them and that they are bringing new life to your day and your life. We will all return to our labor of love on September 19th.  Hold a spot for us in your morning.  You bring the coffee, we’ll bring the Word. Until then, be abundantly blessed!

Happy Labor Day  From Ivey Ministries May you enter into your Father’s rest and be blessed!  

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Boy, do we need to get a revelation of this! This is what I call tough love, which usually amounts to being told what we do not want to hear. Most of us do not want to hear what we need to hear. We will even shy away from the people who are best able to guide us. It is hard to face ourselves at times. Better to hide from the

Psalm 32: 7 – 8       Amp You are my hiding place; You, Lord, protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance.     Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you. This is a good time to learn about the word “Selah” because it impacts the understanding of this psalm. One of the primary ideas about this word is that it indicates a pause. We find this word mostly in the Psalms so

Psalm 37: 7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Here is faith and trust in action. Patience is not supposed to be a nail-biting period of endurance. It is supposed to be easy for us because of our faith in God. We should be able to rest during the time of patience rather than being in a barely contained frenzy. Patience is the product of absolute faith that God is well able to carry out all of his good promises. When you have that kind of trust in Him, you are able to relax. Rest and await

John 9: 1 – 5 And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the

Luke 10: 7 The worker is deserving of his wage. There is an emerging trend in pastoring/mentoring in the church today of which you should be aware. The very fabric of pastoring has changed substantially. Once upon a time, most mentoring, counseling and pastoring came through one’s local church. The church hired ministers and paid their salaries. The congregation tithed (10% of their gross income) to the church, the church using those funds, in addition to offerings, to meet the needs of the budget, including salaries. Things are very different today. There are hosts of ministers who are not affiliated

Matthew 8: 20 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” I really admire Catholics. The Catholic faith has taken some hard knocks and folks can be vociferous in their criticism. I don’t think any of us have the perfect theology yet but, as much as one may criticized Catholicism, there are things to appreciate and learn from too. One of those is the devotion of many Catholics. All around the world people are sincerely devoted to their God and

Isaiah 50: 2 Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? I can tell you why there was no one to answer when God called. We were not listening. Though God has opened our ears, many of us have lost the ability to hear His voice. This verse suggests that one of the reasons people have stopped listening for God to speak is unbelief in God’s ability to help our very present situations. One does

Psalm 37: 5 Commit your way to the lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. Learning to trust God is a continual work. We need to become as little children and trust him wholly and completely. You have seen a small child jump off of a height into a waiting parent’s arms. Their trust is complete and fear non-existent. Unfortunately, as we grow, the world teaches us to trust in ourselves and no one else. We learn distrust instead of maintaining that attitude of complete trust. We learn fear. As adults, and yet children of God, we

Isaiah 49: 25 – 26 This is what the Lord says: Prisoners will be freed from mighty men. Loot will be taken away from tyrants. I will fight your enemies, and I will save your children. 26  I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they will become drunk on their own blood as though it were new wine. Then all humanity will know that I am the Lord, who saves you, the Mighty One of Jacob, who reclaims you. There is no version in which this verse isn’t completely awesome. Genesis 12: 3 says that God will

2 Chronicles 30: 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. King Hezekiah called for the celebration of Passover. He sent messengers to all the tribes to gather in Jerusalem for the ceremony. There were a few problems. It was the wrong time of the year, there were not enough priests who were ceremonially clean, the people were not purified, well, you get the idea. The tribes of Israel and Judah had fallen away from the Lord and not continued the ceremonies and feasts of tradition. Hezekiah decided to reintroduce these traditions regardless of the time of year.

Luke 4: 38 – 40 And He arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever; and they made request of Him on her behalf. And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately arose and waited on them. And while the sun was setting, all who had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on every one of them, He was healing them. We all know about Jesus who went about doing good (Acts 10: 38). What strikes

Romans 12: 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. I heard the Father saying in my head to do today’s Word of the Day on Romans 12: 2. I responded, “Dad, I know what that verse says. I have written on it several times and I don’t have anything to say about it.” None the less, I went and read it again. It’s what you do when Yahweh speaks. And

Jeremiah 29: 12 – 14 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes.’ Yesterday we talked about delighting yourself in the Lord and meditating on His Word day and night. This morning I was thinking about that. I said that the words from Joshua 1:8 should be proclaimed routinely and loudly. As I meditated on this very thing this

Psalm 1: 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Verse two of the first psalm is also part two of the road map for blessing. Yesterday we saw that to live in the blessing we should not take counsel from the wicked, sinners nor should we abide scoffers. Part two shows us the affirmative side of positioning ourselves for the rain of the blessing. It says delight in the law of the Lord and meditate therein night and day. It turns out, then, that the pathway to

Psalm 1: 1 How blessed is the . . .. Psalm 1, a very good place to start. Most of you realize the psalms are songs. As such they have a different tone and complexion from the rest of scripture. The psalms contain many special messages and they often minister straight to the heart, completely bypassing the intellect. I am struck by the first words of the first Psalm. I participate in a conference call where we are learning about the blessing. How interesting that the first words of the first psalm are about the blessing. The songwriter is going

Colossians 1: 3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. It is important that we pray for each other as we see in the example Paul set for us. We need each other’s support. Jesus said that while we are in this world we will have trials but to take heart because he has conquered the world (John 16: 33). We do not have to crumble at the trials of the world because he has triumphed. He has provided the way for us to triumph over the challenges of the world.

2 Timothy 1: 7 For God, has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. If God has not given us a spirit of fear, then from where do you suppose it came? Who did give it to us? Bingo! Fear is a weapon from the enemy’s camp. God gave you a spirit of power. He gave you His love and He gave you a sound mind. A mind that is consumed with fear is not from God. Jesus came so that you could be free from such torment. God’s

Luke 4: 18 – 19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Stop for a moment today and consider this passage. This is from the book of Isaiah and it is what Jesus read in the synagogue.  His speaking of this passage marked the beginning of his public ministry. If God sent Jesus only to die

Jeremiah 33: 2 – 3 Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Come on! It is time to shout! God has promised to give us revelation, to tell us of the great and mighty things. This is one of the greatest promises ever! The Amplified version brings out that He is not only going to tell us these amazing things, but that He is

Mark 10: 29 – 30 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses, and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.” Love, no matter whom it is for, includes sacrifice. Maturity requires that we subjugate our relentless self-pursuits in favor of caring for those

Isaiah 43:26 Put Me in remembrance; let us argue our case together, state your cause, that you may be proved right. There is an important lesson embedded in here. God tells us to call to His attention those things which He has said. He invites you to hold His words up to Him. Why is that so important? All of creation hangs on His words. If God ever made a statement that fits your situation, then He invites you to bring your case before Him and use His own words to argue your case. Not only that, though that is

Isaiah 45: 3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. There is an economy message in this verse and it should give you great comfort for your finances. You should ponder what God is saying about the hidden wealth and buried treasures. That, however, is not what I want to bring out from this scripture today. I wish for us to look just at the last phrase, “who calls you

2 Chronicles 7: 14 If My people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. When you read the verses which precede this one you understand that God is saying, “In your time of need, if you will call out to Me and seek Me then I will hear and restore you.” This verse comes from the point of need, the time of trouble, so the first point I would make is

Matthew 14: 19 – 20 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. God has done some pretty incredible things. I am thinking about creation for one. From nothing He made everything, or did He? Hebrews 11: 3 tells us that God made the universe and all that is seen from that which is unseen, or invisible. Well, that makes sense. Even our own bodies

Proverb 15: 1, 4 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit. This is such an important lesson to learn and I know many of you have. For the rest of us, it is an easy way to fail. I have learned that the same message can be conveyed abruptly or gently, harshly or mildly. It often takes more words to say something gently, but the message is received more easily when it is offered in tender words. I am

Mark 5: 36 Do not be afraid any longer, only believe. We are given many opportunities to be afraid. For some people those opportunities present themselves daily. But Jesus has an answer for that fear. The answer is his love (1 John 4: 18). There is no fear in love and his perfect love casts out fear. So, we are to abide in his love so that we may overcome fear rather than be overcome by it. There are times you fear for your children and fear for your health. Sometimes situations look desperate and fear arises. But once you

Romans 14: 17 The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus has already established his kingdom here in the earth. He called it the Kingdom of God and it is mentioned no less than 51 times in the gospels. It is said that Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God (Luke 8: 1) but what are the characteristics of this kingdom? We get different segments of that answer in the New Testament, especially in the gospels but also in the letters. In today’s verse Paul writes about the

Colossians 3: 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. There is a lot of talk about how the world is falling apart and falling into sin. I sometimes wonder what any specific person has in mind. Well, here is mine. This is part of what I don’t like about the new world we live in, the low value placed on excellence. Our world is descending into a, “Oh, that’s good

2 Chronicles 20: 35 – 36 And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly in so doing. So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. This is what comes of our good ideas, disaster. This verse speaks about “after this.” What just happened? Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah have just returned from three days of carrying the spoils of war home from the conflict with the Ammonites, Meunites and Moabites. God showed Himself strong on their behalf and

Psalm 145: 17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. I like this Psalm, as many of you do, and I have several passages highlighted. As I read it today, I kept coming back to this verse. I imagine that for most of us there is no revelation in this verse. We expect God to be righteous and at a minimum we want to believe He is kind in all His deeds. Still, I find value in reviewing this verse for two reasons. First, it is good to be reminded of His goodness.

2 Chronicles 20: 25 And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much. For those of you who have been reading the Word of the Day for a while, you know this story from 2 Chronicles is one of my favorites. It shows how God works in our lives as well as showing what our part of the dynamic is. (Go to our website, https://iveyministries.org and select the daily devotional tab. From there you can search 2 Chronicles 20 and read other messages taken from this moving passage.) This chapter is a classic teaching on spiritual

Romans 5: 3 – 4            GW But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. It’s July 19th and we are deep into the running of the Tour de France. I love biking so I love to watch the race, but there is more to the Tour de France that I enjoy than just a bike race. There are beautiful views of France and its architecture, gorgeous churches, history lessons and their impacts, insights into the people of the various

2 Chronicles 16: 9 For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. Do you ever wonder what God is up to? What is he doing with His time? Now you know. He is scanning the whole earth looking for those he can support and strengthen. God wants to bless us. He wants to uphold us by His strong right arm but the truth is that we won’t let Him because we don’t allow ourselves to receive from Him. Some of us lack belief, others

Mark 4: 19 [A]nd the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Most people would probably say that they are not enjoying all of the victory in life that they would like. Jesus tells us here why some of their work is unfruitful. The Word is getting choked out. It is so easy to start out right where you need to be and then the next thing you know, something is spinning out of control. What happened? Usually it is one of

2 Chronicles 26: 5 And as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered Him. God is just waiting for you to seek His guidance so that He can lead you into His blessings. He wants to help you with all life’s questions and choices. He can give you His Godly wisdom rather than you having to search for answers. He can tell you in a minute what might take you years to research and learn. All He is waiting for is for you to seek Him in all of those things. You have to open the door to Him.

Isaiah 38: 17      AMP You have loved back my life from the pit of nothingness (destruction), for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. Do you ever wonder what God is thinking about your sin? Well, here is your answer. He has forgotten it. He cast it behind Him. It is where He cannot see it or be reminded of it. Maybe you should cast it behind your back as well. The God’s Word version adds this, “Now my bitter experience turns into peace.” Why? Because God has forgotten our sin. Our sadness and disappointment from

2 Chronicles 15: 2 Listen to me . . . the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. The backstory here is that Asa, the king of Judah, called upon the Lord when Judah was confronted by a million man Ethiopian army. Judah had only 300,00 soldiers. God hearkened to the voice of Asa and routed Ethiopia. It was after this event that the prophet Azariah spoke to Asa. Azariah knew the history of the people. When they

Ecclesiastes 2: 26 For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. The way of the Kingdom is very, very different from the way of the world. In this verse for today we see God’s economy at work. If you understand this, it will also help you in your giving because you will see that your income and well-being is not based on how much

Psalm 105: 15, Isaiah 49: 25, Genesis 12: 3 Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm. For I will contend with the one who contends with you. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. These three verses come together to make one big point, don’t mess with God’s anointed. First, I think of our pastors. God has called people out of other professions they might have chosen to apply themselves to His work. The pay scale is not typically commiserate with what they could make in

James 3: 17          (CJB) But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Today’s verse is taken from the Complete Jewish Bible. This is another translation you may want to look at from time to time. I like what it reveals to us about our heavenly Father in this verse. Of course the wisdom which comes from above is coming from Yahweh. The verse goes on to list the characteristics of this wisdom which comes down from above.

Ephesians 4: 22 – 24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. I was reminded of this verse today and heard a new liberty in it. This is instruction to cast off our former ways and begin living in our new life created to be like God, bought with the blood of Jesus. I heard

James 4: 4              NIV You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. On a recent trip out of town I visited a YMCA in that city. Of course, many of you know the YMCA is a Christian organization. This particular Y says of its mission: “To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.” A noble mission statement, you would agree. You know,

  What does Independence Day mean to you?  We honor our currently serving service people as well as all veterans.  We have cookouts and fireworks.  For many of us it is about food and family.  Let us not forget, however, that this holiday is a celebration of our liberation from Colonial Great Britain and while Great Britain is a great friend of ours, we should recall that the nation many of us call home exists because people had a vision from God of what their lives and this land could be.  As we recall the price generations of people have

Matthew 21: 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” This discussion on bearing fruit is an important one. It is quite easy for us to slide into complacency as regarding our faith. With the weight and urgency of so many things pressing upon us, focusing on our spiritual growth may not always get the attention it requires. From there it is an easy slip into carnality. I think so often, “There but for the grace of God, go I.” It is

Hebrews 5: 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. It is so easy to end up right here, still requiring the milk of the Word instead of the meat. In fact, sometimes it is comfortable. It is a place of little responsibility. Someone else has the responsibility of feeding us. Our job is to listen. We want people to sit under teaching ministries and absorb all they can.

2 Samuel 10: 2 – 3 But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” So, we were talking about fruit yesterday. This is an interesting example from the Bible and certainly a circumstance that everyone has encountered. We’ll see how to evaluate it and how to deal with it. Let’s

Matthew 12: 33             Voice Translation Good trees produce good fruits; bad trees produce bad fruits. You can always tell a tree by its fruits. This is not a farming tip today, though I guess it is a good thing to know. Actually, Jesus spoke this verse in teaching that our words reveal our character. We can no more hide the health of our hearts than a bad tree can camouflage its bad fruit. This goes to the heart of our evangelical message because it is hard to convince people about the good fruit of Christianity

2 Samuel 17: 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and will terrify him so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone. What does this have to do with our present day existence, you may ask. I have found this to be an instructive verse for daily life. Many of us live in cultures that are rushed and hectic. That can pose a problem. First, it is hard to hear the leading of God when hurried and stressed. God speaks to our inner

1 Samuel 25: 6 Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. Our Jewish siblings greet each other with “Shalom.” In this, apparently, simple greeting is a mountain of blessing. It is the essence of today’s verse. King David sent messengers to a man named Nabal. David told his representatives to greet this man with the words from today’s verse. What an elegant and resourceful way to greet someone. David spoke a blessing on the man but he didn’t stop there. He blessed everyone in his

Psalm 34: 12 – 13             TPT Do you want to live a long, good life, enjoying the beauty that fills each day? Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words to come from your mouth. A friend of mine once remarked that we need to be reminded about the words of our mouth weekly if not daily. I so agree. We forget the power that is in our words and we forget the impact they have on our lives and the lives of those around us, like our families. Don’t you like the idea

1 Chronicles 29: 28 Then he died in a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor and his son Solomon reigned in his place. Well, if you are following the story this week, our friend, David has died passing, on the mantle of leadership to Solomon. What I find interesting in this passage is that he died at a ripe old age, full of days, full of riches and full of honor. My interest is especially piqued by the fullness of days. There is another passage in the twenty-third chapter that goes along with this. Verse 1 of

1 Chronicles 28: 9 If you seek Him, He will let you find Him. This is the advice King David gave his son, Solomon, as he began to turn over the throne to Solomon. I find it interesting to see what advice a leader gives in those moments. They always give the most essential bits of insight they have gleaned through their years in leadership. David told his son, seek God and you will find Him. I like to say hide and seek with God is so fun because He always hides in plain sight. If we cannot find Him,

1 Chronicles 21: 9 And the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer saying, “Go and speak to David, saying . . ..” I read this verse this week and it kind of bugged me. “Why did God speak to Gad,” I thought, “instead of speaking directly to David?” David is a hero to me. He walked with God and talked with God as few people have. He is numbered among God’s personal friends. When I read the psalms, I see a revelation of the Holy Spirit that is completely unprecedented for an Old Covenant believer. In truth, David knew more

2 Chronicles 25: 9 The Lord has much more to give you than this. God has so much more he wishes to give us. The subject of this story had to have his mind expanded by the prophet of God sent to minister to him. We are all in the same shoes at one time or another. We often have low expectations of what God is willing to do for us; what he is able to do for us. Since we have such low expectations, we don’t even bother to pray. Then a servant of the Lord comes along to

John 5: 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. I have already had my judgment day. How about you? Do you hear Jesus’ word? Do you believe He who sent him, i.e. God, do you believe God? Jesus said if you hear his word and believe God then you have passed out of death. You have passed into life. You have eternal life. You have it now. There is another part of

Matthew 5: 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. I bet you have heard or read this verse before. What does it mean to you? Do you know who said it? These are words from Jesus? So here is the question we must first deal with. Did he mean that we are to be perfect now, here on earth, or is this mandate reserved for heaven? A lot of folks will argue that this only pertains to our life in heaven. I would argue that makes no sense. First of all, Jesus was not

Psalm 95: 6 Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. This is a famous scripture on worship. It is a call to worship. It is also an Old Testament call and we certainly think differently on worship these days, but, do we have a good definition of worship now? Do we really know what worship is? How many of us kneel to worship? Do we consider kneeling or bowing down a form of worship? Search the Old Testament and you will find a lot of bowing down. I am not saying there

Matthew 3: 2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. No, this isn’t the typical “Are you going to heaven or hell” speech we hear so frequently. I really want to pose a question. Do you want to go to heaven or do you simply want to avoid hell? What motivates you, heaven or hell? You see, I think some people just want to avoid hell, and well, that is a good motivation. Hell is not a place any person will enjoy. In fact, we should avoid it at all costs. Selah. Some of us gave our lives

Hebrews 13: 12 – 13 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. I am reading a book by Bill Johnson titled, When Heaven Invades Earth. In chapter 15 he refers to this verse in the course of his explanation about the unpopular position revival often has in the body of Christ. We know that the church leadership did not welcome Jesus with open arms. In fact, they persecuted him. So, Johnson’s assertion that Jesus was outside the

2 Kings 2: 11             Tree of Life As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. We have developed what, to me, is a perverted way of thinking about death. Truth be told, even using the word “death” is an admission that we do not understand or do not believe in the eternal life. I say that because we are living our eternal life now. You will never die but you

Philippians 2:2             Passion Translation So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy. Our one passion is the trinity – Jesus our Messiah, the Holy Spirit our guide and our Father. We are to be united by our singular passion rather than divided by our many ideas and doctrines. This is, I am convinced, an end times message. Jesus is supposed to come back for his

Psalm 33: 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. I went to hear a friend of mine preach last Sunday and had a marvelous time. Isn’t that funny, that we can actually have fun at church? In his sermon and his delivery I could see the seminary student. At other times I recognized the research he did in preparation. It was also clear that he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him in the preparation and the delivery of his message. As I sat there soaking in

Ephesians 6: 11 – 12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Do you want to be able to stand against the storms of life? Do you want to be able to remain firm when all around you the tempest rages? Well then, the first thing you need to understand is that the fight is

Matthew 6: 33            GW But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you. This quote from Matthew may be familiar to you but it takes on a different nuance when read from the God’s Word translation. It comes at the end of a talk Jesus gave on the birds of the air and flowers and how God meets the physical needs of all His creation. God knows we need clothing, food and shelter so we really do not have to pray about those

Matthew 5: 13 You are the salt of the earth. Did you ever wonder why Jesus chose salt? Why didn’t he say you are the nutmeg of the earth? That might have been more apropos. Or why not cinnamon? Of all the spices, salt is the most basic. Think of it as foundational as far as adding flavor goes. However, there is a lot more to salt than that. How many other minerals do you know of that are used to cure meat, to preserve? Besides that, salt is essential for health, even for life. According to Ann Musico, author

Psalm 68 : 5 – 6          Passion Translation To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. To the lonely he gives a family. To the prisoners he leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in his Holy Place! But for the rebels there is heartache and despair. We saw yesterday that God is the perfect parent. Notice that the first three sentences have to do with family relationships. I think that is significant. Families provide individuals with much, so God stands ready to

Psalm 68: 5 – 6 To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. To the lonely he gives a family. To the prisoners he leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in his Holy Place! But for the rebels there is heartache and despair. This is one of the Words the Father has given us for encouragement. It is an important one, though sometimes over looked.  I have grayed out part of the verses to focus in on the first sentence.  We will discuss the remainder tomorrow.

John 6: 63 The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. There are multiple purposes for the Word of the Day. One is simply to bring some of God’s Word into your busy day. I can do the searching for you, mine the nuggets and send them to your inbox. The Word brings encouragement so one of the other purposes, and a major piece of the Word of the Day, is to give you Words from God for your edification, Words which build you up and encourage you with His Good News. There are also

John 4: 9 – 10 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” It is rare that I can read this passage without stopping to consider all that was going on here. Truly, it is difficult for

Happy Memorial Day May your day be blessed as you turn your thoughts to the great gifts we enjoy and those who bought them for us.  All God’s best to you and yours this day!

Psalm 103: 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. When you think of the word “soul” what do you think of? David spoke to his soul telling it to bless the Lord. What did he have in mind? The most common definition these days for soul is your mind, will and emotions. One way to think of your soul would be that which is not your body or your spirit. It includes your personality and your memories. It is shaped by your past experiences. It is the interface through which

Ezra 7: 6, 9, 10 . . . the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. [T]he good hand of his God was upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it…. Some years ago I heard a speaker tell his audience that if they wanted to be successful to observe successful people, find out what they did and then emulate them. That sounds like pretty good advice. Here we have an example of a very successful man. He had

Psalm 112: 1, 7 – 8                Living Bible Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands. He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid but can calmly face his foes. Allow me to rephrase this, “All who revere or respect the Lord our God and trust in

John 8: 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. I didn’t expect my supper last night, to stimulate theological query. However, my table was next to some men who had apparently gathered for a men’s Bible study group. “How wonderful,” I thought as I began my meal. I was excited to see people gather in the name of the Lord and even more so to see it happen in a public place. So, good for them! Unfortunately, that was the end of the good feelings. We could not avoid hearing a good amount of their

Hebrews 1: 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Do you find this verse big and full? I do. We could meditate all day solely on Jesus being the radiance of God’s glory. That statement fills the mind with wonder. We are also, perhaps, intrigued by the statement about Jesus being seated at the right hand of God in that we know

Psalm 110: 1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” I love these Old Testament revelations of Jesus. It is common for us to talk about Jesus being seated at the right hand of the Father but think about David writing this 1000 years before Jesus arrived. Just to make it clear, the first use of the word “Lord” refers to God. “My Lord” is Jesus, the Messiah. Do you not find it amazing that David had such a clear revelation of Jesus so far in

Ephesians 3: 11 – 12 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. It is almost unfortunate that we call ourselves Christians and our faith Christianity. While we owe everything to our beloved Christ, sometimes we miss the prize of his faith. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14: 6). What did he mean by “the way” and why would

1 Peter 5: 10         GW God, who shows you his kindness and who has called you through Christ Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while. This verse is so easy to get wrong. Some translations leave you thinking that God is going to let you suffer for a while and then He is going to come to your aid. Not so. Let’s put this verse on its proper footing today. Sometimes, though we don’t like it, sometimes you just have to

John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Jesus was leaving planet earth. He told his disciples what was to come. Can you even imagine how distraught they must have been? I place myself in their shoes and it seems devastating. Not only were they about to lose their leader, but also their best friend and even beyond that, their Lord. He was everything to them, truly. Then he announced he was leaving. Oh, heart of woe! Jesus knew the anguish of their souls. I am sure he was feeling sorrow as well and

John 11: 44 Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” This puts me in remembrance of the Israelites in captivity in Egypt. God repeatedly said to Pharaoh, “Let My people go!” Jesus came to earth proclaiming liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners. We saw that Galatians 5: 1 reads, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” Most people who read this daily devotional are blessed to live in countries where they enjoy political and social freedom. The troubling truth, though, is that far too many of us are weighted down with

Romans 8: 34              NIV Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Yesterday I wrote to you about condemnation and freedom. Today’s verse asks, “Who … condemns?” There is only one fit and worthy to condemn anyone. That is Jesus. It was he who went to the cross, died and then arose to sit in glory at the right hand of the Father. So, does he sit there whispering into

Romans 8: 1 – 2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Isaiah 61: 1 is Jesus’ commission. It is the passage he read which marked the launch of his public ministry. Let’s see what that means to this passage from Paul to the Romans. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me

Ruth 1: 13, 21         GW My bitterness is much worse than yours because the Lord has sent me so much trouble. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi when the Lord has tormented me and the Almighty has done evil to me? This is classic Old Testament confession. The people of those times didn’t have the years of history we now have, nor did they have the written Word. They are the history we read. They didn’t know about Satan. They actually knew very little about

Hebrews 9: 14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? The writer of Hebrews makes the comparison between the Old Testament sacrifice of the blood of animals to the New Covenant established in the blood of Jesus. The blood of animals was able to purify people so that they were presented clean. How much more the blood of Christ? However, let us take note. This verse really isn’t so much about being washed and, thus, presented holy

John 8: 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Jesus said that when we know the truth, that truth will set us free. What truth is it that will set you free? Does this sound simplistic? Perhaps it does but it reveals a deep truth that is often overlooked. Only the truth about you, will set you free. The truth about me will do little to change your life. We can learn from other people’s examples and that is incredibly valuable but what sets a person free is that truth about themselves which they

Ezekiel 22: 30            GW I looked for someone among you who could build walls or stand in front of me by the gaps in the walls to defend the land and keep it from being destroyed. But I couldn’t find anyone. More than once the nation of Israel worked themselves into a position of destruction. God’s desire was to save them. He sought someone who would stand for them, someone who would bear the burden of prayer for the nation. Sometimes He found someone, Moses for example. In today’s verse, we see God’s lament that

2 Chronicles 20: 15, 17, 20 Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed. This is just one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I wish for you to go to the 20th chapter of Chronicles and read the entire story for yourself so you can receive

Nehemiah 8: 10               NIV Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. My YMCA has a scripture bowl in the entrance. As I leave, I like to grab a slip of paper from the bowl for a bit of inspiration. Yesterday, I dipped my hand in and came out with Nehemiah 8: 10. As I read it, I threw my hands in the air because I was really tired from my workout and I needed some strength. It blessed me. Like all scripture, the initial impact was wonderful, but it

Romans 12: 17 – 18 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. There are some verses in the Bible that, frankly, it would be more comfortable and convenient if God would remove them. And that is the problem with being a Bible person, you must deal with the uncomfortable one’s and you must do so honestly. This verse is one of those unpleasant scriptures. Face it, there are times in life when someone just

Judges 6: 7                   NIV When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet. There are times when we fail to see that the Old Testament stories and experiences hold real life lessons for us. We live in very different times. Most of us have no worries about the Midianites and therefore, have not been crying out to the Lord about them. Perhaps, though, there is something you have been crying out to the Lord about. Maybe there are some people who are a thorn in

Psalm 27: 4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. Many years ago, I heard Joyce Meyer say this was her favorite scripture. I was surprised by that statement. Of all the great verses in the Bible, verses filled with promise and victory, why was she so fond of this one? Years later, I get it. It will not surprise you that this is a psalm

Luke 19: 7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” This is an interesting story about a tax collector named Zacchaeus. Not only was he a tax collector but he was a chief tax collector. Tax collectors were the most despised and reprehensible reprobates of the time. Jesus couldn’t have found a more despicable person. However, when Jesus looked up in a tree and saw Zacchaeus there, he immediately called to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at

Psalm 85: 8           NIV I will listen to what God the LORD says. Okay, fine, I will listen to what God says. What do you think of this statement? Is this something which you might write or say? Why? Why do you want to hear what the Lord says? What is your expectation? Why do you think the psalmist made this statement? The second part of the verse reads, “he promises peace to his people, his saints.” I like how the NASB phrases this part of the verse, “For He will speak peace to His people,

Proverb 13: 2 – 3               NIV From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. This is right in the middle of many of the things I am thinking about and meditating on right now. If you are a journaler, this verse might make for an interesting question to take to the Father and, I would love to hear what He says to you if you journal it.

Proverb 13: 10               NIV Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Among the unpopular topics of the day, this must be one. We have become a proud, arrogant people who value our own opinions above all others and rarely will lower ourselves to receive advice from anyone, even God. We don’t inquire of the Lord because we are smart enough ourselves. Hasn’t God given us wisdom? He has given us brains for a reason, right? I have observed us become smarter than our doctors, smarter than our lawyers

Joshua 18: 3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you? God had already given the land to the Israelites. They had only to take possession of it. What held them up? Why did they delay? The question applies to us as well. What land has the Father already given you that you are not taking possession of? I imagine that we delay for the same reasons as the Israelites. Perhaps fear constrains us. Could it be

Luke 18: 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. The word of the Lord to you today is that you should not give up. Jesus has sent you this word of encouragement so that you will know that God hears your pleas. You can go to Luke, chapter 18 and read the parable but the essence is that this parable is about justice and prayer. Jesus is teaching us to be persistent in prayer. Wait a minute, you say, Mark 11: 24 tells us that when we

John 14: 6 I am . . . the life. My friend told me that the number 18 in Hebrew means “life” so, since today is the eighteenth, it is the day of life. The word “chai” means life, or alive. I like to think it means “fully alive.” Let’s celebrate life today. Jesus is the life, he is who gives us life. When we were dead in our trespasses, he came and gave us life, his life. This Jewish concept of Chai, then, is very significant to Christians. Of course, let us not forget that Jesus is Jewish. For

Joshua 9: 14 … but they did not inquire of the Lord. What a great reminder this is. I wonder how many tasks I do and decisions I make in a day in which I err in the exact same way as Joshua and the Israelites. In this story, the Gibeonites tricked the Israelites. They pretended to be from far away to deceive the Israelites into making a treaty with them. God gave the Israelites certain land. He went with them clearing out the inhabitants of all those lands. The Gibeonites put on old clothes and put old provisions in

Isaiah 35: 4 Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not.” That is a good word to speak to your friends and family. Fear not, says the Lord. I am increasingly surprised with the number of people who live with fear. I hear all kinds of confessions about the myriad of things that people are afraid of. It’s not just heights, it’s not just terrorists. People are living with what sometimes seems like fear of everything. It is a challenging world out there, but we have a declaration from God. He instructs us to speak to those with

Proverb 3: 9 – 10 Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow. We have all heard that we are supposed to give into the Lord’s work. Few seem to know why though. Nationally, only 10% of people tithe. So clearly, as a people, we are not giving regularly to the Lord. Part of the reason, I believe, is because so few understand the why of it all. People think that some preacher or church or maybe even God himself is

Psalm 89: 34 My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. One of the questions, or comments which plagues us as Christians is, “Why did God let this happen?” People become dismayed over the misfortune in their lives and question why a kind and loving God would allow such devastation. It is a fair question and we need to have an answer. We tell people that God loves them and that He is all powerful so why does that not equate to His taking care of all the problems in the earth? The

Ecclesiastes 7: 24 – 25 Whatever it may be, it is far off and very profound—who can fathom it? So I turned my heart to understand, to search and seek out wisdom and an explanation of things and to know the stupidity of wickedness and madness of folly. I recently wrote a criticism on how Christians, perhaps especially clergy, seek to understand the things of God. Including myself, we often attempt to reason out God and His ways. We vainly try to comprehend spiritual matters through an application of our intellect. The bottom line may be this, we are just

Romans 3: 25                    God’s Word God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past. This is another Bible translation I wish to introduce to you. Actually, I have been using it for sometime now. You may have noticed (GW) beside some verses in the last couple of years. I still use my New American Standard as my everyday foundation but reading verses in other versions can give you

Joshua 1: 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua was about to take over the leadership of the nation of Israel from Moses. How would you like to follow in those footsteps? Yahweh God went to Joshua. This is the advice the Father gave him. If you were about to take over the leadership of

Deuteronomy 28: 2, 45          NIV All these blessing will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God. 45 All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord you God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11: 28 (NIV). I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings

Luke 10: 40 – 42 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” I seem to come back to this verse every year or two. There is a gold

Romans 5: 5           GW We’re not ashamed to have this confidence, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Can we truly be confident in the Lord, so confident that it shows? The love of God brings hope and we will not be disappointed in our hope because God has given us the Holy Spirit. Did you know that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to pour love into our hearts? He pours, not dribbles. A great volume of love is available

Matthew 12: 1 – 2 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” Whoa! This is major bad news! Jesus, he whom we hold up as perfect, as having never sinned, broke the law. He and his disciples did not keep to the law regarding the Sabbath. The law says, “For six days work may be done, but on

Psalm 94: 19          Names of God Bible (NOG) When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul. How about some reassurance this Monday morning? It’s the day after Easter, Resurrection Sunday, and we have renewed belief in the power of the resurrection and the glory of the Lord. He is alive and present. His resurrection and the power that raised him confirms in our hearts that he is with us, even until the end of the age. Now why should he be continually present in our lives if not to help us and

Luke 24: 5 Why do you seek the living One among the dead? Oh my! This literally made me laugh out loud this week. As Easter is upon us, I was reading all of the accounts of the resurrection. A number of things struck me, but this was loudest. The angels that spoke to the two Mary’s framed the resurrection beautifully, if ironically. They stood in Jesus’ tomb as harbingers of the good news of his resurrection. He is alive. That is the good news. He is alive today too. I think we lose track of that sometimes as we

Ezekiel 16: 49             CEB This is the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were proud, had plenty to eat, and enjoyed peace and prosperity; but she didn’t help the poor and the needy. You know what happened to Sodom, don’t you? The city was obliterated from the face of the earth. What was her crime? The Complete Jewish Bible tells us clearly, “The crimes of your sister S’dom were pride and gluttony; she and her daughters were careless and complacent, so that they did nothing to help the poor and needy.” Did

Philippians 2: 12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Do you remember the Disney movie Pinocchio? I had it on last week and was struck, as never before, with the commonality between that little wooden headed boy and Christians. The story goes that Geppetto, a wood carver by trade, made the little wooden puppet. He wished, though, that this little puppet could be a real boy. The blue fairy heard Geppetto’s wish and because he had given so much joy to other people she visited his house to grant his wish. She waved her magic wand and the

Psalm 91: 15             The Passion Translation I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel my presence even in your time of pressure and trouble. I will be your glorious hero and give you a feast. I know I have written to you about journaling your conversation with God before. You may also have checked out my journaling at this website: http://www.bornofthespirit.today/learning-to-hear-directly-from-god/. Today I am sending you my journaling on Psalm 91: 15. I hope it not only blesses you but also inspires you to begin your

Psalm 91: 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91 is one of the Bible passages that it really pays to meditate on. It is such a comfort. It is, however, a bit poetic. Let’s overlay New Testament ideology with it and see if it becomes more understandable. Since Jesus’ victory, which overcame all things on our behalf, our language has turned to expressions of being “in Christ” or “in him.” This idea is a cornerstone of New Testament theology. No longer do we strive in our

Matthew 8: 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; let it be done to you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very hour. A Roman soldier, a centurion, asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus offered to go to the centurion’s home saying, “I will come and heal him.” The officer did not feel worthy for Jesus to come under his roof but understood that if Jesus just said the word, his servant would be healed. He believed the servant would be healed if Jesus granted it, even from afar. We know the

Psalm 141: 3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Yesterday we talked about longevity. You should expect to live a long life and be vital and vibrant. You have God’s promise on that. It is His will. Yet, we are not all living in God’s perfect will. Why not? Yahweh sent the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. He is our teacher. What that means to us is that He reveals God’s wisdom to us. The Holy Spirit leads us into success by leading us in wisdom. This

Joshua 14: 10 – 11 Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. I have told you how Moses accepted his divine calling at age 80, led the children of Israel for 40

1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 3 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Do you get the idea it’s

Matthew 24: 6 And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. People like to talk about the end of the world or the coming apocalypse. This verse is one of the more popular forecasting verses. It certainly does lead one to conclude we are reaching the end of the age. The focus people usually take from this scripture is the “wars and rumors of wars.” I think Jesus had a much bigger message in this passage than mere

Galatians 6: 9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Is there something or someone you have been praying for a long time? Or maybe it is some project you have been working on and haven’t seen the results you expected yet. Don’t give up! Don’t lose heart! Sometimes you may feel like you are never going to see the end result that you have been praying for but don’t let the appearance of situations determine your resolve. You have God’s word that you will

Proverb 2: 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. You probably like all of God’s good gifts. Where does wisdom rank? I had a friend once who, though she had spent years in the Bible, said she never really got into Proverbs. This one of the first books I was attracted to because wisdom is all over it. I figure if you have the wisdom of God, you are likely going to be in pretty good shape. The question becomes, “How do you position yourself for God’s wisdom? Where do you place yourself so

Romans 10: 9         NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Do you call Jesus Lord? Do you worship him as Lord? Do your daily behaviors reflect his lordship? Do you obey him as lord? The first question is easy, but I find each subsequent one gets harder. First, I must ask myself what it means to worship him, obey him and reflect him as Lord. We do not live in the feudal Europe of the past, so the

Lamentations 3: 22 – 23 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. I hear so much junk about God and I know you do too. Here is a true introduction to our God. He is faithful to forgive, to respond compassionately to our shortcomings, failures and misguided adventures and His love for us never ceases. This is our God and Father. Our Father is a good God. He always causes good things to happen for us. It is beyond sound reasoning for people to have construed Yahweh

Psalm 103: 5 Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. How would you like to have your youth restored? That is exactly what this verse promises. God has no one compelling Him to make promises. When He promises us a thing, it is because He wants to. So, this verse reflects His desire. He wants you strong. We are guaranteed at least a 120 year life span (Genesis 6: 3). Most of the time when I tell someone that, they reply that they do not want to live 120 years. I

Psalm 19: 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. This scripture may be familiar to you. Check out this one too, “Let my meditation be pleasing to Him, (Psalm 104: 34). I have read Psalm 19: 14 for years. When I do, I think about the words of my mouth. How much thought have you given to what you meditate on? Two thoughts occurred to me as I compared these scriptures. First, God’s interest is not in what we think but rather

Matthew 3: 11 As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire? What does a person who has been baptized in fire look like? Why does the prophetic word teach that Jesus’ baptism is not only in the Holy Spirit but also in fire? Many days when I sit down to write the Word of the Day I ask

Ephesians 21: 17 … that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. Here is a beautiful blessing that the Apostle Paul prayed over the Ephesian church. I pray the same thing for you this day. What greater blessing could I want for you but that you would have increasing revelation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? You do not need anything else when you have revelation knowledge of Him. He is all the answers you need as well as

Romans 10: 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. There is a common question, “How do we get faith?” This verse answers that question. What about hearing? What is it that we need to hear so that our faith will be built? Secondly, how do we develop our hearing? The verse says that hearing, or the ability to hear, comes by the word of Christ. There are two readings of this that are worthy of consideration and meditation. First, Jesus is the Word and the words he spoke while in the earth are recorded

1 Peter 1: 15 – 16 Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” This has been weighing on my mind quite a bit lately, so I am compelled to write about it. Few people want to hear holiness preaching and few pastors want to preach it. None the less, God calls us to be a holy people. What does that mean and how does it apply to everyday life? Is God calling us to give up everything that is fun

Acts 16: 25 – 26 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. I am a participant in a Divine Conference Call on Thursday’s. Besides seeking God and studying His Word, we have also been taking James advice from James 1: 22 which reads, “Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

John 7: 37 – 39 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. This verse is enlightening, and I believe it brings a certain amount of joy as well. It celebrates both

John 14: 6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Jesus is the source of life. Everything which has life has it in Jesus. Whether or not a person chooses Jesus as his lord or not, his life force is only because Jesus lives. What is life though? I think we tend to have a rather narrow view of what life means. We equate life with having a pulse. However, Jesus said, John 10:10 that he came to earth to give us life and that more abundantly. I

Romans 12: 1 – 3 Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think

Isaiah 40: 11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. This is a beautiful passage. I am sure you agree, but can we receive the depth of it and the tenderness of it? The NIV version is, perhaps, even more tender. The latter part says he, “carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” This verse isn’t actually speaking of sheep, is it? It is an analogy. God cares for us the way

Ephesians 4: 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. If you do not stumble here, then you are a perfect person for this is where we usually trip up ourselves, with our mouths. That is the ultimate insight. We damage ourselves with our mouths. At first reading, this passage is clear enough. However, as we continue to ponder this scripture, one begins to hear a lifestyle emerging through it. Paul was encouraging

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. As a fellow North Carolinian, I am blessed today to honor the Reverend Billy Graham who passed over into glory yesterday. The word “reverend” has, at its base, “revere” which describes people’s feelings about Graham and his ministry. He shared God’s love to millions of people, the list of people in heaven because of his compassion and message is quite long. I, too, made a declaration for Christ at a Billy Graham

Exodus 14: 13 – 14          NIV Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” This is one of my favorite passage in the Bible. It is so bold and declarative. There isn’t a bit of wishy-washy in it. Reading it today, though, I saw a little something new. The setting here is that the Israelites have fled Egypt only to

Acts 2: 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Back in the old days, we called gas stations, filling stations. You drove your car into the station and someone would come out and fill it up with gasoline. It was good. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a Holy Spirit filling station, a place where we could pull in and be topped off with the Spirit? Yesterday, we looked at Ephesians 5, verses eighteen and nineteen. In verse eighteen, Paul tells us to “be filled” with the Spirit. His directive is a bit challenging. He writes

Ephesians 5: 18 – 19 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. The Apostle Paul has a way of stretching one’s mind beyond its current limits. His vision of the church is quite different from what most of us experience today. I am curious, but then frightened to imagine what the Apostle might write to us today. Are we advancing the gospel? Better still, am I the Christian I

Isaiah 30: 1 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, and make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, in order to add sin to sin.” This is one of those verses which is easy to read right over, never seeing how it may apply to us. “I am not a rebellious child,” I say to myself, then discount the rest of the verse. However, look at how God defines the rebellious child. Rebellion is found in one who makes and executes a plan which is not of God or sanctioned by

Ephesians 2: 20 – 22 Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the glue which holds the church together. You know he is our teacher, comforter and the one who goes alongside us daily. You have learned many of his roles in the earth. Here is another of his important roles, to bind us together as one. I have written previously about the

John 16: 11 I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. We are staying with the same Biblical text as the last two days but today examining what Jesus meant when he said the Holy Spirit would convict the world concerning judgment. This is another topic which we have turned on

John 16: 10 I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. In John 16: 7 – 11, Jesus revealed that He would send the Holy Spirit and He made known some of the tasks the Spirit would perform in the earth. Besides convicting the world concerning sin and judgment, he also

John 16: 7 – 11 I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I bet you have read these verses dozens of times. I, also, have read this passage many times. I did not always understand its depth and richness though, and truly, I probably still do not see all that

2 Samuel 22: 1 – 11 And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 3 My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, you save me from violence. 4 “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my

Psalm 3: 3                   KJV But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Do you remember the old song written from this verse? It has really been running through my head lately. I think I saw it better the other day than ever before. Proclaiming God as the lifter of my head never really meant that much to me until I realized that people who are sad, under pressure or in trouble literally go around with their head down. That is when it

Isaiah 45: 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. I am reading When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson. In Chapter 3 the author writes about gold being hidden in rock. That phrase excited my imagination. The precept this idea left with me is that things of value must be dug out. Think about it for a moment. Do we value gold, silver and precious stones because they are hidden and

2 Timothy 3: 1 – 5 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. This is the second half of yesterday’s scripture. The unholy truth of this passage is that Paul wrote to Timothy about believers. He wrote specifically about people who were supposed to be, even professed to be, lovers of

2 Timothy 3: 1 – 3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips. Well, this verse alone ought to convince us we are in the last days. Paul warned us that difficult times would come. What is interesting is that, for the most part, the behaviors listed in these verses are not even reviled in our modern culture. For the most part, all of these, previously detestable, acts are accepted. These truths strike

Ephesians 6: 7 – 8 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. Not everyone has a pleasant job situation and even when you do, there is always some task you prefer not doing. God has made a way for us to endure the unpleasant tasks in our lives. Do your work as if you are doing it for the Lord. As we read through the rest of the verse we see that we actually

John 14: 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him. Here is a motivational scripture for you. Would you like for Jesus to disclose himself to you? And don’t we all want to be loved by the Father? Jesus has broken this down into simple terms for us. Keep His commandments, be doers of His Word and you will have all of Jesus as your own. He will make His life

Proverb 3: 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Within this short, little passage we have the makings of greatness. First of all, there is the command quality of the statement. It is a declarative sentence. It makes a statement, not a suggestion. Here wisdom is speaking; a wise father telling His kids what to do so that they will experience success. There is also a promise attached which is in the next verse. It promises favor and a good reputation in the sight of

Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We have seen that the Holy Spirit comes to us laden with gifts. When he moves in with us, he brings his gifts with him. The same is true of his fruit. Jesus told us to check people’s fruit, that in so doing we can know the nature of a person (Matthew 7: 16). Well, the Holy Spirit has fruit too. As you re-read the list above, let me ask a question, is this the kind of person you would like

1 Corinthians 12: 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referenced as the gift from God no less than twelve times in the New Testament. He also, however, brings with him gifts. These are called “The Gifts of the Spirit.” What they are is the manifested presence and power of the Holy Spirit. As we already know, the Spirit is the power of God. In this letter from Paul we learn of the application of the Spirit’s power. We are taught about the variety of ways these gifts manifest in the physical

Acts 1: 4 – 5 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” John the Baptist was the voice crying out in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord,” (Matthew 3: 3). He announced the coming of the Messiah and prepared the way of his coming. “As for me,” he said, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who

Acts 10: 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Let’s talk power! Power is what we all need for our lives. We need to overcome obstacles, defeat enemy attacks and we need to create. Jesus went about doing good, healing and delivering ALL who were oppressed by the devil. This verse reveals that it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that he was able to accomplish

John 14: 16 – 17 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I started to send you scriptures today which show the Holy Spirit as the promise of God, there are quite a few, but perhaps you have already come to that conclusion. This scripture from Haggai spells it out simply enough, “As for

Ephesians 5: 18 Be filled with the Spirit. If you thought yesterday’s scriptures and the miraculous acts of ordinary people was something, just wait until the New Testament revelation of the Holy Spirit unfolds for you. We saw from the Old Testament scriptures how the Spirit would settle “upon” individuals. When the Spirit came upon people, they were emboldened and empowered. People who were moments before afraid became great leaders, prophets and miracle workers under the power that came upon them with the Holy Spirit. The story of the New Testament is quite different though. In the New Testament, a

Numbers 11: 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit would rest “upon” individuals. When the Spirit came upon them, they were empowered to do great things. It was the Old Testament version of the intertwined partner relationship with the Holy Spirit which we have been discussing. In this passage from the book

Isaiah 42: 1 Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. I am sometimes asked which book is my favorite of the Old Testament. That’s easy! I love the book of Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah undoubtedly was in the flow of the Holy Spirit. He saw into Jesus’ life and ministry as no one else did. Because of Isaiah’s own intertwining with the Spirit, one can see the person of Jesus all through this book. Obviously, in this verse,

Joel 2: 28 – 29 It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. This is the leading Old Testament verse which told about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Here God promises to, not only send the Spirit, but to pour out the Spirit on all humanity, even those of no rank or position. Even the servants

Nehemiah 9: 20 You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, and You gave them water for their thirst. Food, water and the Holy Spirit – these are the necessities of life and God has provided them all to us. There are many people on this earth that think the only true necessities are food and water, but they would be wrong. There is no life without the Spirit of God. We saw that yesterday. If the measure of the Spirit, which is given to every person, were withdrawn, we would

Psalm 104: 30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the ground. Yesterday we began a glimpse into scriptures about the Holy Spirit. In my studies I have found 248 verses which speak about the Holy Spirit. They all give us insights into who he is and what his role is in the Kingdom of God. The first thing we need understand about the Spirit is that he is God. That is the great epiphany of the Trinity. Today’s verse is particularly interesting in the study of the Holy Spirit. An alternate reading

Genesis 1: 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Through this Word of the Day devotional and Ivey Ministries, you are continually encouraged to learn about the Holy Spirit and to develop a relationship with him. This week, I will endeavor to assist you in that pursuit by showing you some of the verses about the Spirit and by sharing some background information. Today’s verse represents the first time the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible. God

Acts 10: 44 – 45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Peter, once brash and impetuous, matured into a grand spiritual leader. In this passage we see the perfect model of a New Testament preacher. The best message one can deliver is the one which invites and gives space to the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us the Spirit would teach us,

Acts 10: 4 “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” This is from the story of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion. It is a story of faith and devotion. Cornelius garnered God’s attention, which is remarkable in that he was a Gentile. This soldier, though, is responsible for a major change in the church. The Messiah was the promise of the Jews. There was a great debate in the first century church about Gentiles becoming members of the fold. It was a radical idea, to say the least. For all time, there was great separation between the

Proverb 3: 32 For the crooked man is an abomination to the Lord; but He is intimate with the upright. I cannot think of anything more wonderful nor anything more satisfying than an intimate relationship with God the Father, His son and His Spirit. No matter what else goes right or wrong in life, a close, personal relationship with them, where you know them and have time with them, really anchors all of life. Your brokenness, or other people’s, is no longer the master of your life when you have your Dad to turn to and to talk to. Just

Proverb 4: 1 Here, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding. The book of proverbs is packed with wisdom, instruction and encouragement. There is no way, in daily excerpts, that I can give you any taste of the richness of the Proverbs. I would wish for you to spend a day in there or a lifetime because after all these years of reading them, I still find jewels embedded in those chapters. The proverbs were written by the wisest person ever to live, at least until Jesus. He had an intimacy with

John 14: 16 – 17 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. When Jesus left the earth, life altered for his disciples. They had to learn a new walk. Jesus began to prepare them before he left, knowing that their lives were about the change dramatically. It was a new time for them, a

Deuteronomy 4: 29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. Yesterday, we saw that God gave us power to create wealth. One of the intended results of this power is that God may confirm His promises to us. His promises are designed to create wholeness in every area of life. God has and is giving us power to create success in all facets of life. There are some key things which will facilitate your reception of all that God

Deuteronomy 8: 18 But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. The book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ swan song, if you will. The Israelites were poised on the banks of the Jordan, ready to cross over into the promised land. This marks the end of Moses’ ministry and life. This book also represents a contract, or covenant, between God and His people. You can see that in the language of today’s

John 5: 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself.” Is there any better news in the whole of the New Testament. Jesus, by his own admission, could do nothing of himself. Consider all the miracles of Jesus while on the earth. There were some pretty big ones chronicled in those pages. Yet, Jesus tells us he was incapable of any of it in himself. Isn’t that great? You see, when Jesus came to earth, he emptied himself of his deity and became human. He was

Revelation 21: 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” I love the beginning of the new year. Everything is new again. We all get a do over. The past is behind us and no longer need plague us. The future holds endless possibilities. We get to write on a blank slate. What do you want? What is in your heart of hearts? What is it that you are even afraid to articulate to yourself? This is the time of opportunity. Jesus said he is making all things new. That is great

Luke 2: 8 – 14           KJV And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 6: 38 Give, and it will be given to you. Sometimes I believe everything important can be learned from children’s shows. In fact, I am not sure why we don’t express the same life values in adult programming. I found this verse in Santa Claus is Coming to Town. It is the story of the Christmas Spirit, the story of giving. Santa, Kris Kringle, is confronted by many ornery characters in the story. As he traverses the mountain between Kringle Village and Somber Town, where he intends to deliver toys, he is accosted by a mean wizard known as

Proverb 3: 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. I watched the animated version of the Little Drummer Boy last night. In it, this scripture was demonstrated vividly. The little drummer boy had a lamb which was very important to him for the animals were his family. One day the lamb was injured and all hope for its survival seemed lost. Then the drummer boy remembered that three wise kings traveled to town. Surely the wise kings would know how to save the little lamb. So, the boy took the

Philemon 1: 7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love. Tidings of comfort and joy I bring to you this day in the name of Jesus. “Remember Christ our savior was born on Christmas Day.” He came offering us comfort. He is the gift of joy to each person. Joy is a choice, however and is the comfort he brings. His presents are offerings from God the Father but not all choose to receive. As I listen to this Christmas carol, I hear in it Jesus’ evangelical message. It is different from many of

Matthew 5: 23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar . . .. This week I wish to bring you Christmas themed messages. I have been especially touched through Christmas songs and movies this year. One of my traditions is to gorge on Christmas music and I love, also, to watch the old Christmas cartoons of my youth. I find such beauty and inspiration in their simple but profound messages. Today, I want to tell you the story of the song, “The Gift.” The story goes that a young orphan girl was on her way to the

I hope you will join me this week for a special series of Christmas themed messages.  I wish you a happy holiday as we celebrate the presence of God with us, Immanuel.  May your Christmas abound with the goodness of God and the joy of Jesus. God bless you all!

Psalm 46: 10             KJV Be still, and know that I am God. This is one of those verses which I like and often quote from the King James Bible. It is also probably the one scripture that did more for my ability to converse with God than any other. To come to know God, I had to be still. The NASB version is very instructive on this verse. It reads, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” This rendering of the verse spoke loudly to me. I was very frustrated with my inability to

John 20: 27 Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Yesterday I promised we would tackle the question of how we intertwine with Jesus. It can be frustrating when a pastor gives a directive without directions, I know. So, let’s see if I can help you find your path. I don’t pretend to have arrived. All I can do is show you the path I have traveled and try to share those things which have

John 17: 22 – 23 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. There are so many pieces in this segment of Jesus’ prayer. He was preparing to go to the cross, his mission coming to an end. I am immediately struck that he said to God that the glory God gave to

Proverb 4: 20- 23 My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body. Sometimes there is a war raging in your body. It is the battle between sickness and health. I know for many of you that daily battle is very real. It is not very different from the war that rages around us in the world, the war between good and evil. That

Matthew 1: 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” WHICH TRANSLATED MEANS, “GOD WITH US.” The New American Standard uses small caps to indicate a quote taken from another part of scripture. You will often find the New Testament writers quoting from the Old Testament Scripture. In this case, the quote comes from Isaiah 7: 14. Jesus accomplished much during his tenure on earth. However, in the company of salvation, redemption and restoration, I find this great marvel and joyous blessing oft overlooked. I would say, though,

Ecclesiastes 11: 1 Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. This is such an archaic message. I wonder if it has lost its meaning. Let’s see if we can put a little modern spin on this for everyone. The New Century Version says it this way, “Invest what you have, because after a while you will get a return.” There, that makes much more sense. I guess if you think of the term the way it was used in the 70’s it helps in understanding too. People back then called