Our God is Faithful God

Psalm 18:31

For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

Psalm 18:46

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!

Psalm 19:14

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 28:1

To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent,  I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Psalm 31:2-3

Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 42:9

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”

Psalm 62:2

Sing the glory of his name;  make his praise glorious.

Psalm 62:6-7

He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot—come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power,  his eyes watch the nations—let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Psalm 71:3

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalm 78:35

They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

Psalm 89:26

He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’

Spirit of Fear

Fear of Persecution/Confrontation. Fear of Rejection, Fear of saying No - Fear of Man

Jeremiah 1:8

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:17-19

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.

   They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Ezekiel 2:6-7

And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.

Ezekiel 3:9

I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.”

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

What is the greatest tool to repair the human heart? ...by-pass surgery? ...angioplasty? ...artificial heart? ...transplant? How about the Word of God? You see, while these other techniques can be of great aid to the physical heart of people, God's tool for heart surgery is his Word. This sharp scalpel can reach the soul and spirit as well as being a physical blessing.

So how much of your heart are you offering to God, and his powerful heart-healing tool to touch? As you open God's Scripture, as you hear the message of God preached, why not ask for the Holy Spirit's help to help you understand, apply, and put into practice what is being taught? Let's offer our hearts to the Great Physician to do his work in us!

Give Thanks

Mercy and kindness

Psalm 117:2

For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

Psalm 18:49

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.

Psalm 31:21

Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.

Psalm 57:10

For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds.

Psalm 86:13

For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalm 100:5

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 106:1

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 108:4

For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

145:8-9

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy.

The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.

Nehemiah 9:6

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

God is Creator! Life is defined in him and by him. The multitudes of heaven worship and adore him. For me, that means two very important things. First, I need to give him my heart-felt worship and praise. Second, when I praise God, I am doing something eternal.

 You and I won't take much out of this life into the next, but among those things is our praise to our God and Father. Praise be to God, not just now, but forevermore!

Don’t Break His Heart

Ephesians 4:30

The first time I read this verse about grieving the Holy Spirit from "The Message," I was stopped dead in my tracks. Yet the more I thought about this paraphrase of the passage, the more I was convicted that the emotion, passion, and straight forward language is true to the sentiment of Paul's original words. "Don't break his heart ... the most intimate part of your life ... Don't take such a gift for granted." Wow!

The way I think and act and speak directly impacts the heart of God and reveals my own feelings for God, because the Spirit is God and the Spirit is God's personal presence within me and the Spirit is working to transform me to be more like Jesus. So dabbling in sin, saying hurtful things to others, and distorting the truth does more than just hurt others as I degrade myself; these actions break the heart of God!

Quotes

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."
— Charles H. Spurgeon

"If Christ does not reign over the mundane events in our lives, He does not reign at all."
— Dr. Paul Tripp

Proverbs 21:29

A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

When we harbor wickedness in our hearts, there are all sorts of "fronts" we have to keep up so people won't know the truth about us. But if righteousness is our aim, we'll try to live up to that goal with honesty. When we blow it, we'll be honest and ask forgiveness, learning from our mistakes. We won't put up a facade.

We know that even though we're flawed, God is not through working on us yet!

Familiar verse from the Bible…

Matthew 6:33

 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 4:18

 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,"

Christian brothers and sisters

2Thessalonains 3:6

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

2Thessalonains 3:13

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

1 Timothy 4:6

If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

2 Timothy 4:21

Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Hebrews 2:11-12

Do your utmost to come before. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying:
  “I will declare Your name to My brethren;
 In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

Hebrews 3:1
 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 3:12

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

Titus 2:3

Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

"Teach... to teach!" We need faithful women in God's family to help show us the way to reverence God in our daily lives and to live with character. That means we need to teach these women they need to teach.

We need to pray for them to step forward and be mentors. We must openly respect their reverent lifestyles and acknowledge their godly character.

Man’s Concerns

Obedience

Joshua 11:15

As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

2 Kings 18:6

He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses

Acts 26:19

So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven

Patience

Psalm 40:1

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Isaiah 33:2

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

Acts 1:4

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Daniel 7:18

But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever — yes, for ever and ever.

Thoughts on This Verse....

Forever! The Kingdom will belong to God's saints, his children, the people of the Most High (see Daniel 7:27), us! And it will be ours, forever... and ever... and ever. Praise God for his promises, his grace, and his faithfulness.

Faith Quotes

Kenneth E. Hagin Sr. – “The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is God’s “I Will” to every seeker for full salvation of spirit, soul and body.”

John Wesley - We ought to live every day as though we’ve come out of another world into this world — but with the power of that world still upon us. We should live and speak and move in that power, and have our whole being in Jesus Christ!

Good Things.

Unity of the brethren

Psalm 133:1

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Singing of Praises to God

Psalm 147:1

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Doctrine 

Proverbs 4:2

I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

1 Timothy 4:6

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed

Words spoken in due time

Proverbs 15:23

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!

A good, normal wife

Proverbs 18:22

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

News from home

Proverbs 25:25

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

Tiding of truth 

Isaiah 40:9

You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah,

 “Here is your God!”

To receive a blessing from God

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,  with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

James 3:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Exodus 15:13

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Thoughts on This Verse....

As a minister, I am privileged to be present at many of the most important events in people's lives. Good or bad, to be there at the crossroads of life is a sacred trust. In those moments that are hardest, dying and death, verses like this one fill my heart with strength and remind me why I answered a call to serve in waters way above my head. God's promise here is a great reminder that what he began when he redeemed his people out of Egypt, he would also complete by bringing them into the Promised Land.
Now, we can hear a more powerful promise behind these words. We can find it even more reasonable to trust them. God did what he said for Israel. Since he did for them, can't we say with confidence, "I know you will guide us to your holy dwelling?"

Faith Quotes

Van Gogh - “The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic that to love others.”

Andrew Murray – “Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things ‘above all that we ask or think.”

God is Merciful

Matthew 5:45

That you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Luke 6:36

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Romans 2:4

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Titus 3:4-5

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Psalm 121:7-8

The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Thoughts on This Verse....

One of my hardest challenges as a parent knows that I can't ultimately protect my children from some hurts and heartbreaks. Some of that pain is necessary to help them mature and grow. Some of it is just the agonizing result of living in a fallen world. But, we can be fully confident that if we share the Lord with them, if they give their lives to his will, nothing can steal them from his ultimate victory, care, and reunion with us and with him.

Knowing how we love them, imagine how much the Father loves us and longs to bring us to that place of safety in his house! Until we get home, isn't it comforting to know that he is watching over us and those we love, now and forevermore?

Thoughts 

~ No storm is so great, no wave is so high, no sea is so deep, no wind is so strong, that Jesus cannot either calm it or carry us through it…Anne Graham Lotz

~ All your life an unattainable ecstasy has hovered just beyond the grasp of your consciousness.  The day is coming when you will wake to find, beyond all hope, that you have attained it, or else, that it was within your reach and you have lost it forever. - C. S. Lewis

~ God always answers in the deeps, never in the shallows of our soul. - Unknown

~ The cross of Christ is the sweetest burden that I ever bore; it is such a burden as wings are to a bird, or sails to a ship, to carry me forward to my harbor. - Samuel Rutherford

Thoughts

..Love is superior to all extraordinary gifts.  It is better than the gift of tongues; than the gifts of prophecy and knowledge; and then the gift of miracles.  All outward works of charity without it are worthless.  Love has this superiority, first, because of its inherent excellence; and secondly, because of its perpetuity. - Charles Hodge

..Have patience.  There is no time that is not God’s time. - Criswell Freeman
..Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school; and temperance is love in training. - D. L. Moody

..God shields us from most of the things we fear, but when He chooses not to shield us, He unfailingly allots grace in the measure needed. - Elisabeth Elliot

..Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. - Oswald Chambers

..Go measure the heavens with your span; go weigh the mountains in the scales; go take the ocean’s water and calculate each drop; go count the sand upon the sea’s wide shore; and when you have accomplished all of this, then you can tell how much He loves you!
He has loved you long! He has loved you well! He will love you forever! - C. H. Spurgeon

..Spend your time in nothing you know must be repented of; in nothing on which you might not pray the blessing of God; in nothing which you could not review with a quiet conscience on your dying bed; in nothing which you might not safely and properly be found doing if death should surprise you in the act. - J. Sidlow Baxter

.. Joy is the direct result of having God’s perspective on our daily lives and the effect of loving our Lord enough to obey His commands and trust His promises.  - Bill Bright

Luke 2:28-32

Simeon took him [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Thoughts on This Verse....

God's gift to Simeon was truly precious and touching. Yet Simeon is just the embodiment of all of every nation, race, and culture who are seeking God's salvation. God's salvation, as Luke loves to remind us again and again, is for all people! What's more, God's light has dawned. Let's greet that dawn and share it with others.

How do we enter the Kingdom of God?

Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

The best things of life come out of wounding. Wheat is crushed before it becomes bread. Incense must be cast upon the fire before its odors are set free. The ground must be broken with the sharp plough before it is ready to receive the seed. It is the broken heart that pleases God.

The sweetest joys in life are the fruits of sorrow. Human nature seems to need suffering to fit it for being a blessing to the world.

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 

Thoughts on This Verse....

What a beautiful picture! The One who died for us will nourish and refresh us. The One upon whom all eternity hinges will take time to personally comfort us. No wonder Paul could say that he did not consider his present sufferings worth comparing to the glory that would be revealed to us! (Romans 8:18)

Spiritual Thoughts 

.. There are many who want me to tell them of secret ways of becoming perfect and I can only tell them that the sole secret is a hearty love of God, and the only way of attaining that love is by loving.  You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving.  Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art. - Francis of Sales

.. God permits some to suffer most, that they might experience the deepest joy.

Quotes 

"If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God." — Epictetus

"If you have been tempted into evil, fly from it. It is not falling into the water, but lying in it, that drowns." — Author Unknown

Children
 

"Any man who declares children to be born perfect never was a father. Your child without evil? You without eyes, you mean!" 

"Ye have lost a child; nay, she is not lost to you, who is found in Christ; she is not sent away, but only sent before; like unto a star which, going out of sight, does not die and vanish, but shines in another hemisphere."

The Meaning of Holiness

Consecrate

Exodus 13:2

“Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

Set apart

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;
 I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Dedicated

1 Chronicles 18:11

King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek

Sanctify

John 17:19

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Purify

James 4:8

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The Church Is Like a Hospital

 There was a minister who had a favorite slogan that he often repeated in his sermons. He said, "The church is not like a country club; it's more like a hospital." That's what Jesus was saying here when he gave us the direction, "... do not invite your friends ... or your rich neighbors ... invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind...."

You and I are not in the church to impress one another or to win power struggles; we are here to minister to one another in our weaknesses

We are here to be hospitable.

Exodus 15:13

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Thoughts on This Verse....

As a minister, I am privileged to be present at many of the most important events in people's lives. Good or bad, to be there at the crossroads of life is a sacred trust. In those moments that are hardest, dying and death, verses like this one fill my heart with strength and remind me why I answered a call to serve in waters way above my head. God's promise here is a great reminder that what he began when he redeemed his people out of Egypt, he would also complete by bringing them into the Promised Land.
Now, we can hear a more powerful promise behind these words. We can find it even more reasonable to trust them. God did what he said for Israel. Since he did for them, can't we say with confidence, "I know you will guide us to your holy dwelling?"

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Thoughts on This Verse....

What a beautiful picture! The One who died for us will nourish and refresh us. The One upon whom all eternity hinges will take time to personally comfort us. No wonder Paul could say that he did not consider his present sufferings worth comparing to the glory that would be revealed to us! (Romans 8:18)

Daniel 7:18

But the saints of  the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever — yes, for ever and ever.

Thoughts on This Verse....

Forever! The Kingdom will belong to God's saints, his children, the people of the Most High (see Daniel 7:27), us! And it will be ours, forever... and ever... and ever. Praise God for his promises, his grace, and his faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 7:19

You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

Thoughts on This Verse....

So often we look at the past work of God and think we will not see the display of his power like our predecessors did. But, just as God reminded a new generation of his people that he would go with them and empower them like he had their parents, we also need to expect him to do more than all we can ask or even imagine by his power at work within us! (cf. Ephesians 3:20)

Take time to look in Jesus’ eyes.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. . “ Matthew 6:23

Have you ever taken the time to look, really look, in peoples’ eyes?

Sad eyes

Joyful eyes

Angry eyes

Lustful eyes

Friendly eyes

Fearful eyes

Mistrusting eye

Kind eyes

Gentle eyes

Tired eyes

You can learn a lot about a person by looking into people’s eyes.

What did you see in your eyes this morning? What did you see in the eyes of your husband or your children? Your co-workers?

Ask God to use you to make their eyes sparkle with joy again. An encouraging word, a friendly touch, or a smile would help. Take time to look into people’s eyes. Then pray for them.

Take time to look in Jesus’ eyes. They are friendly and kind.

Father, our eyes are the light of our bodies. Let them reflect You. Amen.

Success that Counts

 Mother Teresa was once asked, "How do you measure the success of your work?" She thought about the question and gave her interviewer a puzzled look, and said, "I don't remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts."

Always begin with Prayer

Prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, not a domestic intercom for increasing our conveniences.
-John Piper

Spiritual Quote 

"Christ demands that the driving force in your life must be love. All other things, although important, are secondary. Love is the sign of true discipleship." - Solly Ozrovech

Kinds of hearts in the Bible

1 Chronicles 28:9 

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 

9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”

Ezekiel 11:5 

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon me, and he told me to say: “This is what the LORD says: That is what you are saying, O house of Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.

Luke 16:15 

He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

Romans 8:27 

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Hebrews 4:12 

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Trembling

Deuteronomy 28:65 

Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.

Isaiah 66:2 

Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Obstinate

Deuteronomy 2:30

  But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.

God the Son

Firstborn from the dead

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy

Christ Jesus our Lord

1 Timothy 1:12

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.

Mediator

1 Timothy 2:4-5

Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

The man Christ Jesus

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Ransom for all

1 Timothy 2:6

who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

Seed of David

2 Timothy 2:8

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.

Lord Jesus Christ our Savior

Titus 1:4

Titus, my true son in our common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior

Hebrews 1:3

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Matthew 3:1-2

In those days John the Baptist came ... saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Thoughts on This Verse....

These words sound strange in a world that is afraid to tell the truth about sin, wickedness, and evil. Yet every lost person desperately needs to repent — to change his or her heart and life, seek after God, and live for Jesus as Lord. Yes, salvation is given to us by God's incredible grace. On the other hand, grace that leaves us unchanged is not true grace. Grace not only forgives us through Jesus' sacrificial death on the Cross, but it also liberates us from the empty and destructive life without God and his guidance.

Hebrews 4:12

The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Thoughts on This Verse....

How often do you let God do major surgery on your spirit as his Spirit uses the Word to encourage, judge, motivate, convict, instruct, and inspire? With such a great tool so readily at hand for most of us, let's not let a day go by that we don't let God use his word on hearts.

Acts 4:12

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Thoughts on This Verse....

While many substitute Messiahs have been offered, only the True Messiah saves. While we often live for many lords, only one Lord liberates and sets us free from sin and death. While many ways are claimed to bring us close to God, Jesus insists that he is the only way. So we're driven to one ultimate reality: do we believe salvation is in Jesus alone, or do we not. It's our choice. But what we decide about Jesus is really deciding about everything. Is Jesus your Lord? Is Jesus the name above all names in your life? Is Jesus your Savior? If not, then please reconsider, for the Bible says: "Salvation is found in no one else."

Hebrews 8:6

But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs [Those who served as priests in Old Testament times.] as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

Thoughts on This Verse....

The Old Testament is a beautiful covenant of love, as God redeems fallen mankind and sets in motion his plan of grace to bring us to Jesus. But as powerful as that old covenant was, we have come to a superior covenant because the mediator of this new covenant is Jesus, who is the perfect sacrifice and guarantor of God's great promises.

Kinds of hearts in the Bible

Hard

Deuteronomy 15:7

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.

Psalms 95:8

 Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert,

Hebrews 3:8

 Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,

Mischievous 

Proverbs 28:14

 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

Proverbs 22:15

 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Romans 12:1 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Whorish

Hosea 4:12 

Of my people. They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.

God searches and knows all hearts

1 Samuel 16:7 

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”