Proverbs 19:17: He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done. Whenever we give to others there is an intersection of abundance and lack. None of us are rich in all things, but we are poor in some way in the face of someone like us who has more of that which we lack. When we give freely to others, this proverb says that we are lending to the...

Proverbs 16:3: Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. When I was a kid, my Mom signed me up for little league. I was short, chubby, slow, and didn’t understand why if the baseball went past me while I was batting, that it may or may not be called a strike. I thought that I had to swing and miss in order for it to be a strike. I learned quickly.  I...

Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings. Psalm 33:2 WEBWhen I ran my fingers across the strings, I knew instantly that this was the most beautiful sounding thing that I had ever picked up and that I had to have one. It was a twelve string acoustic guitar, a deep red sun-burst, and it was in perfect tune. I am not much of a guitar player, but even strumming...

Romans 11:5,6: So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.  And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Ephesians 2:4-9: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with...

Job 3:25-26: What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil. Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. There...

Matthew 3:15- Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. Revelation 22:20- He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8). It is important for us see these two scriptures and know that what has happened for us all from the beginning to the end. This is how our...

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1Pet. 4:12 ESVI have a testimony that I share sometimes where the Lord gave me a horrible job in a plant polishing brass and sweeping the floor. Within...

Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody. But Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Gen. 39:20 WEBJoseph was his father's favorite son and though he had done nothing wrong, he was sold into slavery by his older brothers, who were jealous....

Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat; and the plans of all that he had by the Spirit, 1 Chronicles 28:11 WEBDavid gave Solomon all the plans for the new temple that he was to build, but all of those plans were originally given to David by the Holy Spirit....

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. Psalm 37:25 WEBDavid had been through a lot when he wrote this verse. He had been anointed by Samuel as a young boy and went on to kill lions, bears, and giants. As he grew, David became an experienced shepherd, an accomplished musician, and an excellent soldier. He had to run and hide...

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.” Jeremiah 29: 11      Have you ever heard the saying ‘the best laid plans of mice and man often go astray’? It is actually a very profound statement I never put a lot of thought into before. As a child, I often...

God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn't do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. Jonah 3:10 WEBThere is nothing quite like cracking open a septic tank first thing in the morning, especially during a hot summer in the South. When you get a whiff of the fresh sewage, it will not be a...

Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, 'Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.' ' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Then Samuel said, 'Speak; for your servant hears.' 1 Samuel 3:8-10 WEBSamuel was a young boy, lying down...

Matthew 16:25-For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.   Use your fear, it can take you to a place where you store your courage. Amelia Earhart.   What she was talking about was an internal drive. This is a true statement, but not how Amelia Earhart intended. Where do you store your courage? We store it in Jesus Christ. It is...

They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn't want anyone to know it. For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, 'The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.' But they didn't understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. Mark 9:30 WEBThe manager of the the office nodded...

Esther 4:14: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? Did you know that you are in a royal position in Jesus Christ? We who are in Jesus Christ are heirs. We are all part of the Kingdom of God. Through Jesus...

And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer? But Elisha said, Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time' 2Kings 6:33 ESVJoram was king when Samaria, the capital city of Israel, was besieged by Syria about 850 BC. Samaria was surrounded and a great famine spread...

2 Timothy 1-2: You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.   For those of you who know me well, I was once a hockey player. I was a goaltender. My job was to stand in the face of an onslaught of shots coming at me from all...

John 3:17- For God did not send his Son  into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. We often focus on John 3:16 which you can find everywhere and anywhere. Most people know the scripture John 3:16 and it has become so callous  that we let it wash over us. Think about it for a second. When you hear, God gave us his only Son, that whoever believes in Him will...

Psalm 25:3-5: No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. Show me your ways, O Lord. Teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all the day long. When I was a kid, I loved to swim, and I couldn't  wait until it was warm enough to jump in and swim all day...

Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 WEBA wealthy friend of mine once picked up his daughter's car to take it in for an oil change while she was at work. He stayed gone a really long time and she began to be anxious and worry about them both. Eventually, he returned driving a new Mercedes...

John 5:4 ? Look up John 5:4. I will wait...There is no John 5:4 and yet there is a notation below in your bible or bible app that tells us that some manuscripts have the word paralyzed in there with and explanation of what would happen at the pool of Bethsaida. Periodically the Angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one in would be healed completely. This meant that...

For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.' When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.' Those who were sent, returning to...

Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep. You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t...

Psalm 51:2- cleanse me from my inequity, and purify me of all my sin Ever been to a dry cleaner? It's hot, sometimes messy, and it just looks foreign to anything we normally see on a regular basis. The thing that annoys me is that when I bring home my clothes I have to take off all the things they put on there in order to wear them. I am reminded though, that the tags let everyone know who these...

He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes...

Psalm 91:9-11- If you make the Most High your dwelling even the Lord, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; When we were kids, my Mom would tell us to take a dandelion that had come beyond bloom, make a wish, and blow on it. It is like sending out hundreds of wishes. That...

2 Samuel 7:5,6: Go and say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD, "Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? "For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle." Matthew 8:20: Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but...

This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn't know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. John...

Luke 22:47-48: While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, Judas are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? Betrayal is painful. The thing about betrayal is that it doesn't really hurt us if we don't love the person who does the betraying. Nobody cares if someone says...