As Christians, we’re familiar with the concept of hope. After all, Scripture speaks of the hope of salvation, the hope we have in Christ, etc. This morning, I read a verse I’ve read countless times before, but it hit me a new way. (How often do many of us say this same thing? More times than I can count, I’m sure.) It was Psalm 22:9, which in the Amplified translation reads, “Yet You are He Who…
I was thinking this morning about Ephesians 6:10-18. This familiar passage on the armor of God is a “go to” when talking about spiritual battles. But this morning, I was struck by the obvious. We often think of these verses in terms of preparing for battle—and, more specifically, preparing to fight. Indeed, verse 12 tells us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,…
One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” I love the rendering in the Amplified translation: “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”…
I’ll be honest. I love studying the Word, but spending time in praise and thanksgiving? Well, that doesn’t come easily for me. It’s not that I get distracted (although I do); it’s that most of the time, I don’t really feel like praising. (Yep, there you have it…confession). I’d like to blame it on my “glass half empty even when it’s spilling over” perspective on life, but if I’m honest, it’s more that I haven’t…
This song from the mid-90s has been replaying in my mind lately: “I went to the enemy’s camp, and I took back what he stole from me.” (Scroll down to listen to the full song.) In 1 Samuel 30, we read that while David and his men were away, the Amalekites (David’s enemy) attacked Ziklag (David’s city), burned it, and took the inhabitants captive. David’s first reaction was distress and grief (he and his men “wept until…
Recently, I heard someone say that when he reads Scripture, he tries to do so with the mindset of a child. I took that to mean teachable, eager to see what it has to say, absent pre-conceived notions. I thought I’d do that this morning as I started reading Hebrews 2. I didn’t get beyond verse 1: Pay attention to the truth. Specifically, the full verse reads: “Since all this is true, we ought to…
I love snow. Right now, I’m gazing out my apartment window at a winter landscape that’s being continually re-decorated by a steady downfall of fluffy whiteness. In my perfect world, I’d be outside, bundled up and taking a trudge through the snow on quiet, car-less streets. Instead, I’m stuck inside just getting off of crutches after a minor medical procedure—and temporarily banned from the long walk I wish I could take. So, I was thinking…
So often when we go through difficult times, it feels we’re fighting battles alone. We may know intellectually that this isn’t true. We’ve read Word. We know the Holy Spirit is in us. We know God fights our battles for us. But that knowledge doesn’t automatically permeate our feelings, and it’s our responsibility to bring every thought that disagrees with the truth of God’s Word captive into submission to that truth. (2 Corinthians 10:5) Of…
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about God’s love for me—mostly because I’ve realized I often have trouble receiving His love. Maybe you’re in a similar place. You’re a follower of Christ, but perhaps frustrations, disappointments, or the like have slowly (or quickly) caused you to question God’s love—not for the world as a whole but for you, personally and individually. The Scripture that’s been central to my thoughts lately is 1 John 4:16a: “And we…
I started writing a blog post the other day that quickly devolved into a list of everything that went wrong in 2020—not even counting the pandemic! Let’s just say I shelved that blog (you’re welcome). Instead, I want to focus on our amazing God: His promises, His faithfulness, His comfort, His presence in those of us who believe on Him. So here, in no particular order, are 12 Scriptures for 2021. As a preface to…