3 John 11, “Beloved, do not imitate the evil but the good. The one doing good is from God; the one doing evil has not seen God.” In the context of 3 John, John is contrasting Gaius and Diotrephes. “Doing good” means—like Gaius—to generously receive and to love other believers for the sake of […]
1 Chronicles 29:14. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given to you.” This is part of David’s prayer after the collection for the building of the temple, and the implication
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Jonah 2:6, “I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever, yet you brought up my life from the pit…” In Matthew 12:40, Jesus teaches us to read His own death and resurrection in light of Jonah’s descent into the abyss of the fish’s belly and his ascent again to the
John 4:14, “…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirst again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The one who drinks the water that Jesus freely gives—the water who is the Holy Spirit,
1 Timothy 1:5, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.” I love the “North Star” statements of Scripture. The North Star is clear and unmoving and—no matter what else may be happening—if you follow that star, you will be heading North…Similarly,
Proverbs 8:23, “Ages ago I was set up [or, “poured out”], at the first, before the beginning of the earth.” The word that the ESV translates as “set up” in verse 23 is used 26 times in the Old Testament and 23 of those times, it has to do with the outpouring of an offering.
Isaiah 2:2, “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of YHWH shall be established as the highest of the mountains…and the nations shall flow to it.” John 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Jesus is
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Exodus 2:24-25, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” “…and God knew.” The Hebrew word for “know” here can mean simply “to know” or “to be aware of”, however it can also mean “to know by experience.”
1 Corinthians 15:20, “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Just as the first rays of morning on the Eastern horizon mean day is at hand; just as the first buds on the trees tell us that Spring has come; and just
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Matthew 14:26-27, “But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke the them, saying, ‘Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.’” The disciples see what they think is a restless spirit rising up
Acts 20:35, “[the Lord Jesus himself] said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” It is happier, it is sweeter, it is more soul-healthy, it is more pleasurable to give than to receive. Pouring out is better than taking in, giving up is better than claiming for one’s own, releasing is better than
1 Thessalonians 1:10, “…Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.” The One who will pour out eschatological wrath (Rev.6:16-17) delivers His people from that wrath (1 Thess. 1:10) precisely by bearing that wrath in their place (Rom.3:25). In this is Love (1 John 4:10). Just a short thought for today. This
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Matthew 2:16-17, “…He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” Jesus is our window into the Trinity. It is by and in Him alone that we know God as
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27
Romans 6:3-4, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in
2 Chronicles 20:12, “…we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” I read this passage in 2 Chronicles a few days ago during my morning reading. It’s such a beautiful and invincible response to suffering…..To be able
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Proverbs 21:26, “…the righteous gives and does not hold back” At the cross, this Proverb is supremely fulfilled when the Righteous One Himself gives all and holds nothing back.
John 6:20, “But He said to them, ‘It is I [in Greek: “I Am”] do not be afraid.” Jesus stands in the midst of the storm. And because He is the I Am–from whose loving hand and for whose ultimate glory all of our storms come–we do not need to be afraid. May He
James 5:11, “You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” We have seen the heart of the Author of all our trials, and it is displayed at the cross of Christ….We know that the Lord is compassionate and
