1 Tim. 6:17–19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. Read the context The...
1 day ago • 1 min read
Psalm 63 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Read the context What keeps you up at night? I'm assuming you're not afraid of the dark... but quiet moments are often loudest. The Lord keeps you safe. Safe from danger, but also safe from yourself. Fill your thoughts in the quiet moments with the love of your God. He will always hold you close to himself....
3 days ago • 1 min read
Ezekiel 14:4–6 ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’ “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your...
4 days ago • 1 min read
James 1:16–18 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. Read the context Sit outside long enough, and you can follow where the shade is going. As the day moves, so do the shadows. You and I change and shift even more quickly. But God does...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Deut. 4:19–20 When you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are. Read the context Powerful things have always been tempting objects of worship. Long ago... nature... Today?...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Matt. 13:28–31 “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Read the context My lawn mowing schedule has recently been thrown off. The grass is long enough now that it's started to...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Read the context Driving somewhere new, you find yourself going 20 MPH over the limit. "I didn't know I had to slow down." ... You're still getting a ticket... God makes himself more obvious than a speed limit sign — nature screams out "God exists." There's no such thing as not...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Isaiah 44:6 “This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Read the context A forger needs you to trust the source. Don't dig deeper or follow the paper trail. An idol works the same way: your job, your image, your future plans. The idol looks trustworthy until life proves it worthless. God doesn't need your trust to be legitimate. He's the first and the last. He verified himself by redeeming you. You...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God;the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Day after day they pour forth speech;night after night they reveal knowledge. The precepts of the Lord are right,giving joy to the heart.The commands of the Lord are radiant, — giving light to the eyes. Read the context How do you know God? There's the way everyone knows there is a god: Look out at nature! It's telling you there is a creator! But that message isn't enough. It isn't a message that saves....
10 days ago • 1 min read