“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise” (Hebrews 6:15). The rush towards the promise, without patience to endure the attendant trials, is giving expression to doubt and unbelief. Those careless movements are usually met with disappointments with self as well as with God. Misunderstandings arise concerning God’s character of love and concern when one caves in…
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9-10). The act that becomes a habit, the habit that equates into a lifestyle of doing good, is the life we have been called to live. We enter into the life and experience of Christ and grow…
“Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him” (1Peter 4:1 MSG). The aim of Jesus is to teach us what it means to be fully human. There has been made for us a way to understand life from a perspective that is much greater than fallen man is able to see, understand, or…
“I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways” (Psalm 119:15). To give deep thought of what God requires is necessary if we are to align ourselves with His will. It is not a casual or passing thought that captures the truths contained in His Word, but rather to savor those morsels of insight until they become a part…
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free” (Galatians 5:1). The most secure place is the position of true freedom. Permission is granted to us by our Sovereign Authority to fully participate in a work that extends beyond the passions that once ruled over us. We once thought of freedom as being able to follow…
“…and they came to Him from every direction” (Mark 1:45). The courses of many people were redirected to the place where Jesus could be found. At that time He was not to be found in the open marketplaces of the city, but rather in a deserted place. It did not matter for those who were seriously in pursuit of Him;…
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). The buildup was gradual. There was the work of getting those who were once divided and separated by their own preferences and passions to a certain place. There is a certain place for those…
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). Believing is more than a casual thought in the direction of God. It is a firm conviction that God will do everything He has promised. His glory will cover the earth and we will be…
“I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted” (Psalm 119:10 MSG). The heart has many paths available for it to follow. There are significant things that one must pay attention to that can easily grow into obsessions, and one can find justification for having to give their undivided attention to them. To be…
“Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God” (1 Samuel 25:29). When our souls are joined to the Lord, our lives are hidden in Him. Our minds, our wills, and our emotions are under the influence…
When heat is applied to a sword, the intention is not to destroy the metal but to prepare it to withstand pressure when used in a battle. If the metal is tempered, it can then be used to pierce and cut through what would otherwise cause it to fracture. Likewise, when facing resistance, resilience is required. It is much easier…
“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!” (Isaiah 64:1). There are many things about God that are hard to explain and difficult to make others to see. For example, the dimensions of His love presents among us when it feels like He is not there, and how definite the course is that we are to…