Norman’s Notes
Taking the Road Less Traveled: “A verse a day keeps the enemy away and draws us closer to God!”
~ Daily Scripture Notes from Pastor Reggie.
Acts 14:11-15
“And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” - The “successful” leader is not the one that has a large following; but rather, the one who will not allow others to place him on the pedestal that belongs only to God.
2 Corinthians 3:14-18
“But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” - If you truly desire to be free, then take the veil off of your heart, turn to the Lord and let His Spirit transform you and free you from bondage!
Philippians 2:25-28
“Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful” - Contrary to what some Christians believe, sickness happens to God’s children as well. For even Paul’s close companion was sick, almost unto death, and the Bible didn’t say he has sin in his life; but simply that he was sick and later God healed him. The moral is: Know what the Bible actually says, so you can’t be misled by others!
Amos 3:3
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” - If you’re going to walk with the Lord, then you have to be in agreement with His word. One cannot say they’re walking with God and doing contrary to what the Word of God is clearly saying. It’s that simple; Bingo and Boom!
1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” - Beloved, its so important to remember that believers are only passing through the world. By all means, do all that you can to have an enjoyable life while you’re here; but don’t dig roots so deep in the world, that you can’t remove yourself when it passes away…
Genesis 9:13-16
“I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth” - The Lord keeps His promises and remembers His Words-Truly he is a present help in the day of distress; a God you can depend on in your time of need!
Luke 5:1-6
“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking” - There is a world of difference between doing something in our own strength, and doing the same thing in faith in God: As it is said, the proof is in the pudding!!!
2 Chronicles 34:15-19
“Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have given it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it before the king. And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes” - What is your response when you are convicted by the Word of God; repentance or rejecting it?
Matthew 15:21-28
“And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly” - How deep is your love; how great is your faith?
Micah 6:6-8
“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” - In His Word, the Lord has lets us know as plain as day what He requires of us; but yet, those who claim to be His followers insist on complicating it with things that have nothing to do with His requirements!
Romans 7:18-23
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” - The true believer is not the one who is “holier than thou” and sees sin in everyone else; but rather, it is the Christian that can be honest about the sin they can see in themselves.
2 Timothy 3:8-9
“Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” - Just because God called you to do a work doesn’t mean you won’t have opposition and adversity. No matter who you are, the enemy will send others to stand against you in order to hinder and/or stop you from achieving your goal. Indeed, everyone has haters, and as we all know, haters gone hate. So will you let them get the best of you and stop your progress; or will you let them do what they do, pay them no mind and finish and complete what God has given you to do? The choice is yours!
2 Timothy 2:20-22
“Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” - If your desire is to serve the Lord with honor, then you must put away the things that bring about dishonor…
Philippians 1:15-18
“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice” - The truth is that not all preach Christ for the glory of God, and sadly, some have their own glory in mind. However, I, like Paul before me, rejoice, because I know that even when man’s motivations are wrong, God will work it out so that He is yet glorified!
Colossians 1:10-14
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” - When you realize that God has taken you out of darkness and given you citizenship in His kingdom of light, you have no greater desire than to walk worthy unto Him and do all you can to show your thankfulness and appreciation for what he has done through His blood and sacrifice!
Hebrews 12:10-11
“But he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” - When we reach the understanding that the Lord isn’t punishing us through our trials (even in those we brought upon ourselves), but rather that he is teaching and training us thereby, then, and only then will we truly begin to see the fruit and harvest of God’s peace in our lives…
Mark 8:15-18
“And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” - One of the biggest hurdles in the church today is that so many believers attempt to discern and comprehend spiritual truths with natural understanding.
2 Chronicles 26:16-18
“But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the LORD who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the LORD God” - One of the reasons we have so much disorder in the church is because we have too many people trying to minister in areas that they were never called or gifted to do…
2 Chronicles 29:6-9
“For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned their backs. They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of the LORD came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this” - When the leaders turn their backs on God, the WHOLE country suffers…
2 Chronicles 14:8-12
“And Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin that carried shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor. Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” - When the odds are stacked against you, and you nevertheless put your complete trust in God; He will never fail or forsake you!
Genesis 37:5-8
“Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” - Not every dream that comes from above is to be shared with everyone. Not everything that God may reveal to you is to be shared with others. When it pleases God, He will confirm what He gave to you and also let everyone else know at the appointed time.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2
“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” - The truth of the matter is that the Word of God stands best on its own; it doesn’t need any manmade gimmicks and/or cunning devices and schemes to reach people’s hearts!
John 10:10-13
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” - Thief, Shepherd or Hireling; every church is led by one of the three. Of the three, do you know which one is YOUR pastor; if you’re not sure, take a look at the fruit of their works and all will be revealed!
Titus 3:3-7
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” - From time to time, its good for believers to be reminded of two very important facts: (1) we all have dark secrets and have sinned in our pasts; and (2) it was God’s grace that saved us from ourselves and gave us hope for a bright future in Him.
Joshua 15:13-15
“According to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher” - When God makes a promise, he keeps His Word! If you don’t believe me, ask Brother Caleb!
Mark 9:43-48
“And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’” - Sometimes, its not your hand, or your foot or your eye; but rather some of the people you’re hanging with, that will lead you to sin. Therefore, take some time to consider the company you keep…
Acts 16:20-25
“And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” - Most folks can praise God when His blessings are flowing…but can you keep the praises going when adversity comes to town?
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” - Don’t get so caught up in the things of this world that you lose focus and forget that the things that are not seen are really what’s important. For truly, you can gain all of the stuff your heart desires and yet lose your soul. Choose wisely my friend…
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD” - Are you wise in the knowledge of God or in your own ways and do you take pleasure in what God delights or do you seek your own satisfaction?
Acts 17:26-29
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man” - People all over recognize that there is a God…but sadly, too many strive to mold Him into their own image of who they THINK He, rather than come to know him for Who He’s shown Himself to be through Christ…
Luke 18:2-5
“He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming’” - Life is full of trials and tribulations. When you find an obstacle standing between you and your goal, do you quit if you don’t overcome it on the 1st try or do you stay in the press until victory is yours?
John 4:39-42
“Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world” -Truly, it’s a wonderful thing when others will share their testimony with you; but it’s even a bigger blessing when you come to know the Lord for yourself and begin your own testimony that you can share with others!
John 4:35-38
“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor” - Whether you planted God’s seed in the heart of another; or nurtured it along the way, or were there to reap the harvest on the day they came to Christ, we SHOULD all rejoice equally; because its God who gets the glory!
Malachi 3:16-18
“Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him” - There IS a difference between the righteous and the wicked: those who are righteous will find their names in the Lord’s Book of Remembrance; those who are wicked will not.
Nehemiah 3:7-11
“And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens” - While you may not be familiar with any of these builders; God knows them and wrote their deeds His Word. In the same way, you may not be famous, but He is likewise recording that which you do in His name in His Book of Remembrance!
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” - The only way to cross the finish line is to keep moving forward; you can’t win the race by stopping! Press onward to victory!
1 Kings 12:4-8
“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him” - Quite often, with age and experience comes wisdom. Unfortunately, there are times when our youthful zeal causes us to disregard such wisdom, often to our own detriment.
John 4:16-20
“Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship” - When you come face to face with God, that is the time you need to be honest with yourself; because God ALREADY knows.
John 4:10-15
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water” - Have you tasted the living water, or are you still thirsty?
Luke 6:43-45
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” - While it’s quite possible to fool others as to who you really are, the truth remains that you can’t fool yourself and no matter how well you mask who you really are, eventually, the abundance of your true character will overflow and seep out from your mouth…
Genesis 38:24-26
“About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again” - The thing about being self-righteous and hypocritical is that sooner or later, your own sins will be uncovered and everyone will see the true you…
Exodus 4:13-15
“But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do” - The Lord understands that ministry can be difficult and even lonely at times. Therefore, He will send you help so you don’t have to bear it all alone.
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” - One of the reasons many people don’t get the Bible is because they apply natural understanding to what is known through Spiritual Wisdom. If you want to truly understand the Bible, then you need to ask He who authored it to reveal it to you by His Spirit!
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” - Beloved, do you frequently find yourself in bad situations? Are you finding that many good ideas you have are not coming to fruition? Maybe you’re looking at it all wrong. Try looking at things this way: Perhaps it’s not you, but rather, it’s the company you’re keeping? I’m just saying…
Acts 17:10-12
“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men” - If you would be well versed in the Word, you would do well to follow the path of the Bereans and study daily to see if the things people say of the Word are actually IN the Word!
2 Peter 2:1-3
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” - If your pastor/teachers starts preaching things that have no biblical basis, or have to bend and twist scripture to make it sound ok, it’s a good chance you may have a false prophet in the pulpit…Beware; watch and pray!
Psalm 130:1-6
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning” - In difficult times, most will cry out to the Lord; but the true test of faith is being able to wait with expectation and without doubting for God’s answer to that prayer!
Psalm 127:3-5
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” - Indeed, children are a great blessing; yet if one neglects his children in their youth, that quiver will become like a bag full of holes – useless in time of need. Love and nurture your children today, now and always!
Proverbs 1:8-9
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck” - The first step on the road to learning is to listen…and it may well be why many avoid becoming better educated: because they refuse to listen and to take heed to those who paved the way before them.
Acts 19:28-32
“When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together” - That’s the thing about being in the World and going along with the crowd – sometimes they’ll have people so whipped up, that many of them will be totally confused and have no idea what they are so worked up about!
Psalm 73:24-28
“You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works” - Although you may be able to fool those around you with high sounding, spiritual talk; in the end, God will know who truly has made Him their portion and source of their strength; and He will receive those unto Himself!
2 Thessalonians 3:10-13
“For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good” - Everyone should be able to find something productive to do; and those who are unable to work can yet still keep busy in doing good deeds in the name of the Lord!
Luke 17:12-18
“And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger” - Everyone wants the Blessings of God; but not all are thankful when the Lord sends them…
Mark 1:40-42
“And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean” - Regardless of what Charlatans do (and there are plenty), if it is God’s will to heal, then He Will Heal!
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” - One thing that helps in testing times is to remember the blessings that God has already given us and to be thankful…Unfortunately, what usually happens in those times is that we forget what God has done and complain about what He has yet to do.
Hebrews 12:12-13
“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed” - God is able to revive and strengthen you…if you would only just believe!
2 Kings 19:3-4
“They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left” - In our weakest moments, in times of great distress, the best course of action yet remains to call upon the name of the Lord!
Jeremiah 25:3-5
“For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, saying, ‘Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever” - What is it that you’re missing out on, because you will not listen to God?
Acts 6:1-4
“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” - Success in ministry often depends on whether you understand the importance of delegating and when to actually do it.”
John 7:24
“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” - Many problems, both in and outside of church, can simply be avoided by not judging others and/or situations rashly, based on appearances. Indeed, quite often, what we THINK we see (and know) is not all that there is. It is much better; even wiser, to use the discernment that God gave us, along with wisdom and patience and let things reveal themselves in God’s timing…
John 17:20-23
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” - When God’s people are on one accord, then the world will know that Jesus is real and people will believe the message of the gospel and be saved!
Ephesians 2:19-22
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” - Right there in the book of Ephesians, scripture gives us a blueprint for building the church!
Exodus 5:19-23
“The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” - Even when things make no sense and we don’t understand; we must yet trust in God’s perfect will!
Jeremiah 42:12-17
“I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them” - Contrary to a popular, yet false, belief: there ARE consequences for willful disobedience to the expressed Word of God; even for God’s people!
Jeremiah 42:4-6
“Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your request, and whatever the LORD answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us. Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God” - Before you commit your way unto the Lord, make sure it’s a conscious and not emotional decision and also know that He may tell you things that you may not want to hear — namely you will have to trust Him to lead you in the right path and not keep going your own way.
Psalm 37:3-7
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” - If you stop comparing yourself to others, and focus on your own path, you’ll soon realize that God has a plan tailor made just for you! Trust and take delight in what God is doing in your life and let Him make you shine!
Psalm 119:126-131
“It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments” - Which do you choose: the things of this world or the things of God’s word?
Acts 3:3-6
“Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” - What about God are you sharing with others? Or are you keeping your relationship with him a secret?
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” - Life is a precious, wonderful gift! Don’t let others steal it away from you!! Take hold of the life God gave you and live it to the fullest!!!
John 5:33-36
“You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” - Beloved, we should all know that God has given each of us works to do in His name. Yet the real question is: ‘Are the works you’re doing bear witness of the Father’s calling, or are they simply self-serving deeds that will yield no eternal fruit’?
Leviticus 20:22-24
“You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them. But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples” - Just because the Lord brought you out of distress and put you in a good place doesn’t mean you don’t have to obey His laws. Because He is Holy, so shall His Children be!
Psalm 33:12-15
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds” - And at the same time, if that nation blatantly disobeys the Lord, then it should know that God chastens those he loves!
Psalm 33:1-4
“Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD” - When you take the time to think on the goodness of God, you can’t help but sing unto the Lord and shout with joy for all He has done!
Luke 17:7-10
“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” - Many in the church today have forgotten that Christians are God’s servants and are supposed to be doing His will on earth and not their own. Indeed, too many have become derelict in their duty to God and sadly, expect a blessing every time they show up at a Sunday service or mid-week Bible study.
Matthew 6:1-4
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” - When random acts of kindness are simply preludes to tooting your own horn, also know that when your solos are done, the Father will not be applauding!
Mark 10:19-22
“You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” - Money is simply a tool. When we lose sight of that simple truth, money can then become an Idol to some; and sadly, even a god to others; and in either case, both will lead to devastating consequences!
Psalm 119:1-3
“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!” - Are you in need of a blessing from on high? Here’s three steps to get you going in the right direction:
(1) Seek God with your whole heart;
(2) Keep his testimonies; and
(3) Walk in His ways!
2 Timothy 4:2-4
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” - Sadly, it appears that this time has come!
Genesis 1:28
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” - To have dominion does not mean given a right to ravage and destroy!
Psalm 134
“Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!” - Its alright to raise those hands in the air and praise the Lord like you just don’t care who sees you!
Exodus 5:20-6:1
“They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” - When the Lord makes a promise to move on behalf of His people, that doesn’t necessarily mean He’ll fix everything overnight. Don’t be discouraged; have faith and trust in the Lord and on His promises!
Genesis 4:3-7
“In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it” – The only person who can stop anger from taking control of you; is you.
Jonah 3:10-4:2
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” – Do you get angry at God, or someone else, because they choose to be merciful and gracious and you do not?
Romans 5:6-8
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” - God makes it very clear that you don’t have to wait until you “get it together” to come to Him, because He already paid the price when you were not together at all…
Psalm 124
“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side— let Israel now say— if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” – Do you know the source of your help or are you trusting in your own strength???
1 Thessalonians 2:4-6
“Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts. For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness— and we didn’t seek glory from people, either from you or from others” – As you share your faith, from time to time, do a reality check to make sure your sharing comes from the right motivation; i.e., for God’s glory and not your own!
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit with you was not without result. On the contrary, after we had previously suffered, and we were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition” - As believers, sharing our faith is not without its challenges – but we are strengthened by God to show His love even in the face of adversity, so we must press on, come what may!
1 Timothy 3:6-7
“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” - Two important qualities that all believers (not just leaders) should have are: (1) maturity in their walk; and (2) a good witness (both inside and outside of the church).
1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” - The real reason we succumb to temptation is simply because we choose not to follow the exit sign that God already provided. Indeed, If you want out from a life sin, Christ is your exit sign!
Proverbs 4:1-5
“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth” - What fatherhood is really all about! Happy Fathers Day!
Psalm 133
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore” - We don’t always see it, but when the Church is on one accord, it is truly a beautiful sight to behold!
Psalm 86:1-7
“Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me” - When it seems that all hell is breaking loose; put it all on the table and give it to God.
2 Timothy 1:6-7
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” - Truly, God gave us all gifts, but to bring them into excellence requires dedication and commitment to study, hard work and humility.
1 John 4:1-3
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” - Are you using the tools already at your disposal and taking the appropriate tests, or are you setting yourself up to be deceived?
Ephesians 4:13-14
“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” - As we walk in Christ, it should not be in circles, but rather towards the goal to become grounded and mature in our faith and more like Him and less like us as we represent Him.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” - What the church needs today is not better doctrine or more megachurches or more gifts; but rather, grasping the simple realization that God is Love.
Daniel 3:16-18
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” - Do you know how deep and strong your commitment to Christ is? A trial by fire will let you know the true answer!
Luke 18:10-12
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get’” - If the only way you can lift yourself up is by putting others down, in reality, you’re still at the bottom.
Titus 3:3-6
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” - Being reminded that we too needed God’s grace may help us to extend to others what God poured onto us through Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain” - If you took God at His Word and believed the Gospel, then stand on His word and live what you believe!
Luke 9:51-53
“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem” - When you are focused on your work for God, know that not everyone will support what God has given you to do. Nevertheless, do not let that change the course that God has given you to run, for completing His work is always better than pleasing the crowd.
Proverbs 31:8-9
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy” - Standing up for those who can’t stand is not only the right thing to do, it is our duty if we say we love God!
Proverbs 31:30-31
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” - Here’s to all of the sisters walking hand in hand with the Lord; be blessed and take a bow!
Philippians 2:3-5
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” - When the church as a whole attains this mindset, what a wonderful witness for Christ that will be!
Genesis 8:1-4
“But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat” - In life there will always be storms; but thanks be to God that they don’t last forever. Therefore, when the storm is over, be sure to give thanks to God for his mercy and grace that got you through…
2 Kings 14:8-12
“Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.” And Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, “A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. You have indeed struck down Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?” But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home” - Combining stubbornness and pride makes for a dangerous combination. When you refuse to listen to others, don’t blame them when disaster darkens your doorstep.
Luke 12:32-34
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” - Don’t get so caught up in the rat race down here, that you lose sight of the true riches in God!
Matthew 26:47-50
“While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him” – Word to the wise: Not everyone who calls you friend will be one.
James 3:14-16
“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” - Beloved, be aware that when jealousy and selfishness are your driving motivators, the end of the road you’re on will not be pretty.
Romans 5:17-19
“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” - As you remember and honor those who died in service to this country, also be mindful of He who died for the sins of the world. Happy Memorial Day!
Ephesians 3:16-19
“That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” - When Christ dwells within, you are not only filled to the brim but even beyond measure!
Galatians 6:1-3
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” - It seems that more often than not, the church has the condemnation part down pat; but needs much work on the whole restoration aspect of the Gospel.
Proverbs 24:16
“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” - The true test of righteousness and character is not whether you never sin, but rather, do you get back up and continue on after you’ve fallen?
Genesis 14:21-24
“And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share” - Abraham understood that all money isn’t good money; do you?
1 Kings 11:7-11
“Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the LORD commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant” - In general, things don’t go amiss for no reason; but rather, they’re consequences for decisions we’ve made and actions we’ve taken.
Luke 10:1-2
“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” - Since we read mostly about the Twelve, we often forget that the Lord had others helping with the heavy lifting…Kind of like we who get so caught up in what we’re doing that we forget that God has others helping to bring in the harvest!
Luke 1:77-79
“To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” - Because God is merciful, he sent his messenger John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord; because God is gracious, he sent His best message, Jesus Christ. Therefore, if a person remains in darkness, it is because of one of two reasons: (1) they haven’t heard the messenger; or (2) they chose to reject the message.
Romans 4:5-10
“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised” - The Gospel is not a doctrine of works; its God’s grace to man by faith.
1 Samuel 8:5-7
“Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” - This still happens in the church today, but instead of a king, the people choose to worship their pastors…
Galatians 5:22-26
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” - If we want to see more people embrace the Gospel of Christ, we need to be more fruitful and less prideful!
John 5:39-43
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him” - And so it is with false teachers: the world will receive them who are about themselves, but yet reject he who comes in the name of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 13:11-14
“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” - In this day and age, where we see Christians continually attacking one another over trivial things, the Church as a whole needs to go back to the basics and learn what it is to strive for unity in Christ and greeting one another with Holy Kisses…
John 5:5-9
“One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath”– Sometimes, it’s not about what we don’t have; but rather will we simply take God at His Word?
1 Peter 1:17-19
“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” - Because the Lord loves you, he redeemed you with something that you cannot buy and will never pass away: The Blood of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
1 Samuel 1:10-11; 19-20
“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head. … They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD” - Each of us reading these verses are an answer to a mother’s prayer. We honor all of the love and sacrifices that our mothers gave to bear us, and we thank the Lord for remembering our mothers and giving us life in His answer to their prayers. Happy Mothers Day!
Deuteronomy 5:1-3
“And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today” - The important thing to understand about Christianity is that your relationship with God is not based on what others did before you; it’s based on what you, and you alone, commit to Christ.
Psalms 146:1-5
“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God” - With the world getting more evil as the day is long, why would one want to trust in man? Be wise and put your hope and your confidence in He that has no end, the Lord God Almighty!
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
“What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty”- To walk with God means that there are some things you have to simply leave behind as you walk ahead with Christ.
Luke 24:6-11
“He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” - Are you one that dismisses the Gospel as a “fool’s belief?
Haggai 1:2-5
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways” - Are you putting God’s work on the back burner while you engage in your own pursuits? If so, it’s time to reorder your priorities!
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thes. 3:6-10)-Good leaders leave good examples that people will want to follow.
John 9:24-30
“So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes” - Sadly, when some folks cannot understand or accept the truth, they’ll readily invent and cling onto a lie.
Jonah 3:10-4:4
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?” - We have to realize that God’s love is not constrained like man’s.
Psalms 20:1-5
“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!” - Intercession is one way of showing God that we care about those He cares about!
Revelation 18:4-6
“Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed” - The world has a Political, Economic and Religious system all its own. Beloved, be sure that you’re not so caught up in it that you end up sharing the same fate. Be ready to walk away in a moment’s notice when God gives the call!
1 Thessalonians 5:1-4
“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief” - If you put the Word in your heart and keep it in front of you, you’ll have the a lamp from God to light your way and keep you out of the dark.
Judges 6:21-24
“Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” But the LORD said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites” - In turbulent times, it’s a comforting thing to know the Lord IS Peace!
John 10:6
“This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them” - You know, the Bible is written in such simple language that even a child can understand it; but yet, some of the great minds among men can’t seem to comprehend the simple, life changing truth in its pages.
John 10:1-5
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” - Do you know how to discern between a Thief or a Robber or the Good Shepherd?
Psalms 77:6-9
“I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion? Selah” - Do you know the answers to these questions? If not, don’t take someone else’s word for it; search the scriptures and discover the truth for yourself!
Romans 1:14-17
“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” - As believers, it is our duty to practice what we preach, that others would truly see the Love of God and the power of His Gospel!
2 Chronicles 18:30-32
“Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him” - No matter how dire the situation may seem, when you earnestly cry out to the Lord, He will move in your circumstance!
John 9:1-4
“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” - Beloved, the sun has yet to go down, so we must get out there and do the work of God before night falls!
John 3:28-30
“You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease” - The true mark of Christian maturity is when those who view the believer’s life see more of Christ and less of the Christian as time goes on (and not the other way around as unfortunately so many demonstrate).
Psalms 27:1-3
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident” - If you have made the Lord your portion, you are never in darkness, He will never leave you alone and there is no need to fear. Let the light of His word lead and guide you into all truth today!
Luke 16:10-12
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” - Integrity and faithfulness are highly valued in the Kingdom of God.
